Marc Márquez wins the Phillip Island Sprint with the Ducati Lenovo Team and returns to the top of the Riders’ standings. Francesco Bagnaia forced into early retirement
- An all-Ducati podium: Alex Márquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) finishes second ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Racing Team)
The Ducati Lenovo Team claimed victory in the Australian Sprint at Phillip Island with Marc Márquez, who is back in the lead of the Riders’ standings with a ten-point advantage over his closest rival. Francesco Bagnaia was forced to retire at the end of lap three.
Starting from pole position, Márquez retained the lead at the start and held his position despite the numerous attacks from Martín. Following the latter’s crash, Marc successfully defended first place against his brother Alex, who was closing in. Bagnaia, sixteenth on the grid, gained two positions in the early stages but ultimately returned to the pits at the end of lap three.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back in action tomorrow morning at 9:40 local time (GMT+11) for warm-up, followed by the 27-lap Grand Prix of Australia, which is scheduled to start at 14:00.
Marc Márquez (#93 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st
“Today we weren’t the fastest out there, so I tried to defend my position as hard as I could against Martín and attack to retake the lead. The pace was really fast, and it was clear that he had a rhythm I couldn’t match. Once I was informed of his crash, I managed the race while trying to prevent the chasing riders from closing in, starting with Alex, who was coming back strongly. I’m happy with the win, but I feel sorry for Jorge. I wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on track soon.”
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – DNF
“It certainly wasn’t the best day for us, starting with qualifying, where we didn’t make the best choice in terms of strategy and rear tyre. I had a good start in the Sprint, but then I began experiencing a small issue that got worse corner after corner, preventing me from continuing the race. It’s a pity, but we have to focus on tomorrow’s race, which is going to be a long one. The realistic goal is to finish in the top ten.”
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