Marc Marquez claimed victory at the Australian Grand Prix, overcoming a poor start to defeat Jorge Martin by nearly a second, while Francesco Bagnaia secured third. After initially skidding to seventh following a visor issue, Marquez staged an impressive comeback, battling fiercely with Martin. Marquez’s win boosts his championship prospects as he transitions to Ducati next season, while Martin strengthens his lead over Bagnaia in the standings, now holding a ten-point advantage.
Marc Marquez, the six-time MotoGP world champion, claimed victory at the Australian Grand Prix in a thrilling showdown against Jorge Martin. This win allowed Martin to slightly extend his championship lead over Francesco Bagnaia, who secured third place in the race. The two Spaniards engaged in an intense battle, culminating in Martin finishing nearly a second ahead of Marquez, who rides for Ducati-Gresini.
Marquez, however, faced a rocky start. Just before the race commenced, he removed a plastic cover from his visor, which ended up lodged under his rear wheel as the race began, causing him to skid dramatically. This mishap dropped him to seventh place by the end of the first lap, while Martin, starting from pole position, led the pack, followed closely by Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati VR46) and Bagnaia (Ducati).
“I had a big bug on my visor”
Quickly shedding Bagnaia after his initial troubles, Marquez witnessed Bezzecchi crash out of the race. Mirroring his determined performance from the previous day’s sprint race, Marquez launched a relentless comeback, moving into third place within seven laps. He soon challenged Bagnaia, closing the gap to Martin.
The three top riders engaged in a fierce contest, leaving the rest trailing by nearly four seconds. Eventually, Bezzecchi fell back, narrowing the race down to just the two Spaniards. Although Martin initially held off Marquez’s advancements, the seasoned champion overtook him with four laps remaining as Martin yielded the lead.
“I had a big bug on my visor, and I took off the tear-off that ended up under my wheel. I tried to remove it, but it was impossible, and I skidded off at the start. After that, I thought catching Martin would be impossible, but I managed to pass several riders without overly wearing out my rear tire,” expressed a jubilant Marquez following his win.
Cautious Martin
At 31, Marquez is showcasing a return to form after battling numerous injuries in recent seasons. His decision to part ways with Honda—where he secured all six of his titles—and move to Ducati customer Gresini is proving to be advantageous, positioning him as a strong contender for a seventh title next year as he transitions to the Ducati factory team alongside Bagnaia.
Martin, while not disheartened, remarked, “It was a tough race with a lot of wind. When Pecco (Bagnaia) passed me, I increased my pace and then engaged in a duel with Marquez. He had nothing to lose, so I needed to be cautious and avoid unnecessary risks.” The Pramac rider remains focused on clinching his first MotoGP title.
However, Bagnaia is not backing down. He emphasized that the next two races will be on tracks he prefers, namely Thailand and Malaysia, before concluding the season in Valencia, Spain. “They did a better job than us,” he reflected dejectedly on Sunday after the Australian race.
Arriving at Phillip Island with a ten-point lead over Bagnaia, Jorge Martin now holds a decisive twenty-point advantage with just three races left. Marc Marquez trails behind with 345 points. From a French perspective, Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) finished in ninth place, while Johann Zarco (Honda-LCR) came in twelfth.