Written by Owen Bradley
Credit: Steve Wobser
FULL RACE RESULTS
1st Johann Zarco, Pramac Ducati
2nd Francesco Bagnaia, Lenovo Ducati
3rd Fabio Di Giannantiono, Gresini Ducati
4th Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM
5th Jorge Martin, Pramac Ducati
6th Marco Bezzecchi, VR46 Ducati
7th Jack Miller, Red Bull KTM
8th Aleix Espargaro, Aprilia Racing
9th Alex Marquez, Gresini Ducati
10th Enea Bastianini, Lenovo Ducati
11th Maverick Vinales, Aprilia Racing
12th Luca Marini, VR46 Ducati
13th Miguel Oliveira, RNF Aprilia
14th Fabio Quartararo, Monster Yamaha
15th Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda
16th Raul Fernandez, RNF Aprilia
17th Franco Morbidelli, Monster Yamaha
18th Pol Espargaro, TECH3 GASGAS KTM
19th Takaaki Nakagami, LCR Honda
20th Augusto Fernandez, TECH3 GASGAS KTM
21st Joan Mir, Repsol Honda
Philip Island, the Australian Grand Prix. A Circuit which has played host to some of the most famous MotoGP Moments and Memories. The Grand Prix took place on Saturday this weekend, the first time a Grand Prix has been held on a Saturday, since 2015. The Threat of weather for Sunday led to the FIM swapping the schedule between the Sprint and the Main Grand Prix.
Jorge Martin opted for the softer compound strategy, and in the Opening 5 Laps, extended a lead of over one second, pushing hard right from the outset. Brad Binder in P2 with Fabio Di Giannantonio of all riders, sitting in P3, over a second clear from Francesco Bagnaia.
Spots of rain falling with over 20 laps still remaining, the race had started to settle back in as we waited for the strategies to eventually play back into each other's hands. The good news for riders, with the circuit being so hot, as soon as the rain comes down, it immediately evaporates in the blistering temperatures of Australia. However, with rain clouds starting to form in the distance, Martin leading the way by over 2 seconds and the championship leader outside the podium positions, the race was about to heat up.
Credit: William West
Joan Mir fell once again after some contact with Luca Marini, and the tyre looked incredibly worn already, inside just 12 laps. Augusto Fernandez of TECH3 GASGAS KTM would fall at the same corner, Turn 4's heavy braking right-hander.
Fabio Di Giannantonio began closing in heavily on Brad Binder, and even on Jorge Martin. DiGi is without a ride for 2024, but seems to be riding like a man possessed! With only 10 laps remaining, DiGi seemed like he was the only rider with the pace to be able to catch Jorge Martin. DiGi eventually did manage to get a fantastic slingshot run out of the final corner, managing to clear Binder just before Turn 1.
With the rubber flying off Binder's KTM and evidently, some other riders struggling too, it was Jorge Martin vs Fabio DiGi with just 8 Laps remaining.
DiGi had began steadily closing the gap, but with Binder attacking him with just a handful of laps left, Martin was able to stay over 2 seconds clear, but clearly struggling with his tyres, Marco Bezzecchi struggling with his injuries, was in the battle for 6th place, looking to just maximise his points and stay within the championship battle.
Credit: Paul Crock
Binder set down the pace, seriously closing in and dragging the gap to under a second, with 3 laps remaining. Johann Zarco made a move on DiGi into Turn 1, stealing the podium away from the Italian who seems to have just used his tyres slightly too early. Jorge Martin's tyres seemed absolutely shot, with 2 laps to go and the gap at only 1.2 seconds between Martin and Binder, with the Ducati's in close pursuit, eventually all of them made the move, with Bagnaia fighting back onto the podium. Martin and Zarco's gap was now well under a second with the FINAL LAP remaining, only 0.403s separating them, and absolutely nothing left for Jorge Martin with the final lap.
Zarco attacked Martin at Turn 4, with Bagnaia following him through, Fabio DiGi managed to slide underneath him too, picking up the final podium positions as Brad Binder steamed past Martin at the final corner's exit. Marco Bezzecchi managed to recover back to P6 and keeps himself right back in the championship battle.
Credit: Paul Crock
Johann Zarco though, WINS the Australian Grand Prix and his FIRST ever MotoGP Race in the Premier Class. An absolutely EPIC Australian Grand Prix, the tyre strategies did indeed come back into play, on the very final lap of this extraordinary Grand Prix!
Johann Zarco Signed off in Style! with a BACKFLIP at the side of the circuit to celebrate. Bagnaia goes 27 points clear of Martin after this race, with Bezzecchi seemingly and disappointingly out of the championship fight, over 70 points down now.
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