Phillip Island MotoGP Race: Crutchlow holds off Rossi

Crutchlow doesn't just win on the water. He did not stay dry under the winter sun of Phillip Island when he took over from Márquez at the controls of the race after the World Champion returned to the throes of the fall. Rossi is second and Viñales completes the podium.

Before the wild beasts are released, the starting grid for this Australian Grand Prix does not lack pace, bringing together no less than fourteen 500cc/MotoGP titles: seven for Red, three for Lorenzo et Marquez, and one for Hayden. A record since 1949. We also note that this is the first time since Valencia 2007 that the two official Yamahas are outside the Top 10.

The sun is out but clouds are settling in the Australian sky, bringing the ambient temperature down a few degrees. The kind of variation little appreciated by tires. On their choices, alone Márquez, Crutchlow and both Suzukis chose a hard front and medium rear combination. The rest of the board took a front tender for the same rear mount.

Here are references available :

Phillip Island MotoGP	2015	2016
FP1	1'30.047 Jorge Lorenzo	1'40.957 Cal Crutchlow (rain)
FP2	1'29.383 Marc Marquez	1'51.958 Hector barbera (rain)
FP3	1'29.081 Marc Marquez	1'33.155 Marc Marquez (mixed)
FP4	1'29.245 Marc Marquez	1'36.810 Nicky Hayden (mixed)
Q1	1'29.647 Pol Espargaro	1'38.467 Cal Crutchlow (mixed)
Q2	1'28.364 Marc Marquez	1'30.189 Marc Marquez
WUP	1'29.344 Marc Marquez
Course	Marquez, Lorenzo, Iannone
All time lap record	1'27.899 Jorge Lorenzo 2013

 

Authorized flight is Pol Espargaro who comes out at the head of the first turn in front of a Márquez who then passes it to try to escape. Very quickly, the Honda official entered the range of 1'29 per lap. In six laps, he moved three seconds ahead of his closest pursuer and we said to ourselves that the mass was already said. However, the World Champion of the year will make the mistake alone, abandoning his bruised Honda on the side of the circuit for the first time this season.

 

 

A twist that gives the keys to the race to a solid Crutchlow in the viewfinder of a Red motivated starting from fifteenth place. But the LCR pilot is far from easy prey. Better than entering into resistance, it is the offensive which is chosen by the winner of Brno to discourage his illustrious hunter who can only let the supercharged Honda slip away.

Meanwhile, a real war is raging for a third position claimed by the two Suzuki riders and the Ducati of Dovizioso. The first to crack will be Alex Espargaro who lost control of his GSX-RR five laps from the checkered flag. A moment in the race where it appears that the Doctor will not be able to return to the regular on the British leader. Worse, Casa Particular in Viñales would even tend to become a serious threat.

However, we will leave it there while Dovizioso finished at the foot of the podium. Pol Espragaro is fifth ahead of Lorenzo anonymous while seventh place was a highly coveted position. A fatal struggle Barbera et Hayden but which will turn to the advantage of Redding before Smith, Petrucci et Miller who takes a top 10 at home. Another Australian is happy. It is Jones which marks the point of fifteenth position. Loris Baz abandoned due to a technical problem from the start.

 

Phillip Island MotoGP Race: Ranking compilation crash.net

1. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 40m 48.543s
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 40m 52.761s
3. Maverick Vinales ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 40m 53.852s
4. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP) 40m 57.700s
5. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 41m 2.842s
6. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 41m 8.668s
7. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Yakhnich (Desmosedici GP15) 41m 16.912s
8. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 41m 17.324s
9. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Yakhnich (Desmosedici GP15) 41m 17.335s
10. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 41m 17.358s
11. Stefan bradl GER Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 41m 20.352s
12. Álvaro Bautista ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 41m 36.277s
13. Yonny Hernandez COL Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP14.2) 41m 36.292s
14. Eugene Laverty IRL Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP14.2) 41m 42.854s
15. Mike Jones AUS Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 41m 44.418s
16. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V)* 41m 54.938s
17. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 42m 11.147s
Hector Barbera ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP) DNF
Alex Espargaro ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) DNF
Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) DNF
Loris Baz FRA Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) DNF