MELBOURNE: Suzuki’s Alex Rins won a classic Australian MotoGP Grand Prix at Phillip Island on Sunday while Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia stormed to the top of the World Championship with a third place after defending champion Fabio Quartararo crashed.
Rins took the lead from Bagnaia on the final lap and crossed the finish line ahead of six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez, who claimed his 100th podium as premier-class motorcycle racing returned to the coastal circuit for the first time since 2019.
Yamaha’s Quartararo went too far early in the race at turn four and dropped to 22nd before crashing after another mistake and handing the championship lead to Bagnaia, whose triumph was ended late in dramatic circumstances by the top two.
It was heartbreak for local favorite Jack Miller when his tenuous title hopes were dashed after a crash following contact with Honda’s Alex Marquez.
Marquez crashed in warm-up as the pre-race rain wreaked havoc, but the Spaniard had no trouble in better conditions and celebrated his first podium finish since last year’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Earlier, Spaniard Izan Guevara (GASGAS Aspar Team) clinched the Moto3 crown with a superb win, moving more than the required 50 points clear of his nearest rivals with two laps to go.