Marc Márquez reclaimed the MotoGP championship lead with a thrilling victory in Saturday’s Australian Sprint at Phillip Island. The Ducati rider survived an intense wheel-to-wheel battle with Jorge Martín before his title rival crashed out on lap eight, leaving Márquez free to secure his ninth Sprint victory of the season. His younger brother Álex Márquez finished second, while Fabio Di Giannantonio completed an all-Ducati podium in third. The result gave Marc a crucial advantage heading into Sunday’s main race.
Starting from pole position after an extraordinary qualifying performance, Márquez made a strong launch and initially held the lead. Martín, however, stormed through from fourth on the grid to take second place and immediately put pressure on the championship contender. The track had dried following earlier rain, creating ideal conditions for an aggressive battle, and the Aprilia rider quickly demonstrated that he had the pace to challenge the Ducati for victory.
The two Spaniards then produced one of the most spectacular duels of the season. Martín overtook Márquez at Turn 10 on lap three, but the Ducati rider refused to let him escape. Their positions changed repeatedly as they attacked through Phillip Island’s fast corners, with Martín exploiting his Aprilia’s acceleration while Márquez fought back through the sweeping sections. At one point, Martín ran wide and surrendered the lead, only to launch another attack moments later. Neither rider was willing to give an inch.
The decisive moment arrived on lap eight. After another series of overtakes, Martín lost control at Turn 8, the fast right-hander known as the Hayshed, and crashed heavily into the gravel. The Spaniard was attended to by marshals and taken away on a stretcher for medical assessment. His retirement abruptly ended an extraordinary fight for victory and handed Márquez a clear path to the finish. The incident also raised immediate concerns about Martín’s fitness for Sunday’s race and the following round in Malaysia.
With his main rival out, Márquez managed the remaining laps carefully and crossed the line 0.323 seconds ahead of Álex, who had recovered from a difficult start to secure second place. Di Giannantonio finished just 0.590 seconds behind the winner in third, while Marco Bezzecchi completed an impressive recovery from 12th on the opening lap to finish fourth. Pedro Acosta took fifth, followed by Ai Ogura and Brad Binder. Australian favourite Jack Miller delighted the home crowd with eighth place.
The championship implications were enormous. Márquez’s victory moved him to 365 points, giving him a 10-point lead over Martín, who remains on 355 despite his crash. Bezzecchi sits third on 315 points, still within reach if the leading pair continue to lose ground. For Márquez, the Sprint was a perfect combination of aggression, resilience and championship calculation. After surviving one of the fiercest battles of the season, he leaves Saturday with the advantage—and the opportunity to strengthen his position when the riders return to Phillip Island on Sunday.
MiniBikers – MotoGP – 2026 Australian GP – Sprint race
Deja una respuesta