Spain's Marc Marquez has made a remarkable comeback from a disastrous start to secure his fifth Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix victory. After a wheel-spinning start that saw him drop to 13th place, the six-time MotoGP world champion delivered a flawless performance, ultimately overtaking countryman Jorge Martin with just four laps remaining at Phillip Island on Sunday.
Martin put up a fierce challenge in the final sprint to the finish line, but the seasoned Marquez managed to hold him off, narrowing the gap between himself and championship leaders Martin and Italian Francesco Bagnaia. Following his poor start, Marquez swiftly moved through the ranks in the opening laps, setting a new MotoGP lap record at Phillip Island with a time of 1.27.900.
Australian fan favorite Jack Miller improved from 15th on the grid to finish in 11th place. Unfortunately, luck was not on Miller's side over the weekend, as he suffered his worst qualifying result at the Melbourne racetrack after hitting a rabbit, and then had his bike hampered by a seagull strike during Saturday's sprint.
Maverick Vinales staged a miraculous recovery to finish in eighth place following a high-speed crash with Marco Bezzechi in Saturday's sprint race. Bezzechi received a long lap penalty from the stewards for colliding with Vinales and further dropped back after crashing out on lap five, this time without taking any rivals down with him.
Spaniard Pedro Acosta did not participate in the race after sustaining a shoulder injury in a highside incident during Saturday's sprint.
AUSTRALIAN MOTORCYCLE GRAND PRIX RESULTS
1. Marc Marquez (Ducati)
2. Jorge Martin (Ducati)
3. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
4. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati)
5. Enea Bastianini (Ducati)
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