Top 5 for Acosta in Australian MotoGP Sprint as the weather adds spice at Phillip Island

MotoGP left the tropical heat of Indonesia for the turbulent climate of southern Australia and the majestic confines of Phillip Island for round 18. The flowing and revered circuit 140km from Melbourne– which first hosted the world championship in 1989 – was warm and sunny on Friday for the first practice sessions (and from which Pedro Acosta and Enea Bastianini went directly through to Q2 for Saturday morning) but then the weather quickly shifted to rain for day two.

Grand Prix racers adore the Phillip Island course for the pace and the high-speed corners that requires precision, bravery and optimum set-up. The Red Bull KTM teams focused on this area while also battling the changes in the skies and temperatures around the Island. Showers overnight and through the day provided mixed conditions until a dry Sprint by 15.00.

After Saturday’s Q1 and Q2; Acosta, Bastianini, Binder and Viñales had secured P7, P11, P13 and P15 respectively on the grid as the clouds gathered. The Sprint was declared dry but the threat of more drizzle and downpours hovered. Pedro started brightly and hit the top five on the first lap but Brad’s launch was even more effective and he reached 7th by the end of the first circulation. Acosta notched the fastest lap in opening exchanges and was in podium contention until the lead pack started to disperse. He sealed 5th while Brad made sure of 4 points for the top six. Enea was held up through the first two laps and toiled to cross the line in 11th while Maverick felt discomfort from his left shoulder in some of the quicker sections of Phillip Island and had to enter the pitlane.

The Australian Grand Prix will begin at 14.00 local time (04.00 CET) on Sunday and with more rain forecast.

Pedro Acosta, 7th in qualification, 5th in the Sprint: “Not much more I could do today. Good start and good first laps and that was pretty much the only card I had in my pocket. I tried to burn the tire a bit to go with the guys but their pace was better. Then there was nothing to gain in front of me and nothing to lose behind. We are shaking quite a lot in sector three. We brought the bike home and we know it was working quite well in the wet so let’s see for tomorrow.”

Brad Binder, 13th in qualification, 6th in the Sprint: “I had a really good start but then missed a bit of speed at the beginning and it became a bit more difficult to hang with the boys. For tomorrow’s race we need to get faster in the final sector, and if we can do that then we’ll do a lot better for sure. The bike felt good in the wet but we need a bit more turning. We’ll have to deal with it tomorrow.”

Enea Bastianini, 11th in qualification, 11th in the Sprint: “Today has been complicated from the morning with our electronics but the team worked on the problem. I was not happy with the race because the start was complicated and I was overtaken by some other riders. Afterwards my pace was not bad…but I expected something better, so I’m a bit disappointed that I was not 100% today. In the wet tomorrow I think we will be doing better, for sure.”

Maverick Viñales, 15th in qualification, DNF in the Sprint: “I was hoping for rain! Very tough to be honest. It was OK in the beginning but then I struggled to control the bike and felt more pain and that was the limit. This track is not Mandalika and it is so fast. In the rain – even if the position of my body on the bike is not perfect – I could fight a lot more. On the right side I am riding good and it’s frustrating. We’ll have to check everything on Sunday.”

Aki Ajo, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “We survived the challenging conditions quite well here today. The dry track on Friday was tricky for us but also quite solid and today we managed the mixed conditions. A steady race from both Pedro and Brad and I think we have good pace for tomorrow’s Grand Prix.”

Results Qualifying MotoGP Grand Prix of Australia

1. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati 1:34.203
2. Alex Marquez (ESP) Ducati +1.494
3. Johann Zarco (FRA) Honda +1.503
7. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +2.297
11. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +4.444
13. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:35.996 (Q1)
15. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3 1:36.687 (Q1)

1. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati 19:09.411
2. Alex Marquez (ESP) Ducati +0.323
3. Fabio Di Giannantonio (ITA) Ducati +0.590
5. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +3.689
6. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +7.433
11. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +11.437

Moto3 developed through Saturday’s qualification with the KTM GP Academy trying to get their bearings in the Phillip Island rain. Brian Uriarte was able to call on rare previous Grand Prix experience at the track; he made his Moto3 debut as a fill-in rider during the 2025 season. It was his Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate Alvaro Carpe who would qualify highest with P12 in Q2; Alvaro had made his way to the Australian podium in his first crack at the GP twelve months ago but the wet conditions were treacherous to judge.

Valentin Perrone guided his Red Bull KTM Tech3 RC4 to the 13th fastest effort in Q2 but will serve a Long Lap penalty on Sunday after contact with another rider during practice. Uriarte will take to the grid in P14. Rico Salmela had to find his references around the trajectory for the first time but showed his ability for fast acclimatization by managing P18. The Moto3 Grand Prix will provide the first 21-laps of speedy action on Sunday.

Moto2™ activated the skills of Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Collin Veijer and Jose Antonio Rueda. Veijer bagged points in his first Moto2 appearance on the Island in 2025 and will hope for better than P12 on Sunday thanks to his promising berth of P13 on the grid. The Dutchman was only 0.3 from Pole after Saturday’s damp Q2. Jose Antonio Rueda won the 2025 Moto3 Grand Prix at Phillip Island and needed to set his markers on the Moto2 machine. The Spaniard was 20th fastest after Saturday. Moto2 will circulate ‘PI’ 23 times on Sunday.

1. Veda Pratama (INA), Honda 1:35.299
2. Maximo Quiles (ESP) CFMOTO Aspar Team +0.021
3. Joel Kelso (AUS), Honda +0.067
12. Alvaro Carpe (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.622
13. Valentin Perrone (ARG) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +0.678
14. Brian Uriarte (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.698
18. Rico Salmela (FIN), Red Bull KTM Tech3 +1.793
19. Marco Morelli (ARG) CFMOTO Aspar Team 1:36.661 (Q1)

1. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP) 1:30.122
2. Barry Baltus (BEL) +0.106
3. Filip Salac (CZE) +0.115
5. Daniel Holgado (ESP) CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team +0.148
13. Collin Veijer (NED) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.360
14. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team +0.361
20. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo 1:31.066 (Q1)