One of the most popular motorcycle racetracks in the world is Australia’s Phillip Island, and the MotoGP world championship series returned to the oceanside venue for the first time since 2019, in mid-October. Famed for close racing and crucial moments, the third to last round of the World Championship did not disappoint.
In the end, there were seven riders in the lead draft after 27 laps, although for much of the race the lead group was much larger. Suzuki’s Alex Rins worked his way up through the pack to earn the win, holding off a determined effort by the battling duo of Marc Marquez on the works Repsol Honda and title contender Francesco Bagnaia on the factory Lenovo Ducati.
Both satellite Mooney Ducatis of the Rossi VR46 Team were in the lead mix, the ever-improving Marco Bezzecchi fourth while Luca Marini netted sixth. Bezzecchi result confirmed his as the 2022 Rookie of the Year.
Enea Bastianini was fifth on his Gresini Ducati, and early race pace setter Jorge Martin faded to place seventh aboard his Pramac Ducati.
Heading into Phillip Island’s round 18, reigning World Champion Fabio Quartararo held an ever-diminishing lead atop the World points standings, the Monster Yamaha rider with 219 points trailed by potential Champs Bagnaia (217 pts), Alex Espargaro (the Aprilia her with a total of 199), Bastianini (180 pts) and recently resurgent Japanese GP victor Jack Miller (Ducati, 179 points).
Local ace Miller, soon to leave Ducati for KTM, put on a strong charger, moving up the leader board until he was attacked from the rear by the LCR Honda of Alex Marquez) into turn four on lap nine. Ironically, the corner was renamed for Miller the day before!
That incident eliminated Miller from the Championship chase and caused a small gap among the leading train. Earlier, Quartararo had been in the wars in the same turn, running off and dropping right out of points contention.
It only got worse for the racer who seemed to have the titled sewn up for much of the summer. Desperately trying to make time, Quartararo tucked the front end in turn two, tumbling into the run-off and out of the lead in points.
Quartararo explained post tumble that, “in recent races, I couldn’t really enjoy it, and I fell like we need to enjoy the last two races. I know that when I enjoy it, I know we can go fast. I feel that we can have a great last two races.”
(Years ago, I had a near identical fall in the same spot during a GSX-R1000 launch, leading to the witty report Upside Down, Down Under in Inside Motorcycles. When “El Diablo” fell, several “friends” reminded me of my earlier indiscretion, one texting “Quartararo had a Colin.”)
With two races left to go, Bagnaia sits atop the World Championship standings with 233 points, followed by Quartararo at 219, and Espargaro (9th at P.I. with electronic issues on the lead Aprilia) with 206. There are 25 points available for a win.
Last with a mathematical shot at the 2022 crown is Bastianini at 191, and at 42 points back he is a long shot. Should Bagnaia win the next race, next weekend in Malaysia, he could clinch the title before the annual season ender in Valencia at the start of November.
Rins was emotional after his success, and rightly so. Since Suzuki announced their withdrawal from MotoGP at the end of this season, the GSX-RR squad has been in a funk with no podiums since Austin in April. Rins team-mate Joan Mir won the World title for Suzuki just two seasons ago, and Rins will move to Honda next year.
“It was not easy for us as a team to know that next year that team is not continuing,” started Rins. “We had not so good races. Also, I was involved in crashes with some other racers, and I broke my hand in Montmelo. So, the key is not to give up, and we never threw in the towel.
“I am so happy to get this victory here, now I have Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP victories at this track, and we deserve this one. During the race it was not so easy, but sincerely the pace was not so high, so managing the rear tire, finding the traction, was good, and lap by lap I was overtaking someone until I arrive in the top 4.
“At this point, I realized they were riding slow, so I went to the front to see if I could open up a gap, but then Pecco (Bagnaia) just overtake me on the front straight, so then I decide to stay behind him, and save the rear tire.
“I thought that if I could stay very close, I could get Bagnaia early on the last lap, so I did that,” reflected the popular victor. “This is the last one for Suzuki at the Island, so I am happy that it has my name.”
Runner-up Marquez was all of .186 of a second behind the top Suzuki, the recovering five-time premier class World Champ. Opting to race with a soft rear Michelin, Marquez earned the 100th MotoGP podium of his legendary career. It was his firs trip up to the “box” this season after missing the summer recovering from the fourth surgery on the right upper arm he broke so badly back in 2020.
“The last race I enjoyed was 2020 at Jerez,” admitted Marquez. “Today I enjoyed it again, but I have to be realistic. This is a left circuit, and the pace was super slow, so I was able to conserve the rear, I was not pushing a lot the first 10 or 15 laps. I was managing the tire and also my physical condition. In Malaysia we will struggle again, but I believe that in Valencia we will have another chance to be in front again.”
Reflecting on Honda’s recent struggles without him, Marquez said in Australia that “step-by-step, we are getting better, and this (his return) is the best way to keep the motivation for me, for the team, for Honda, because Honda is in a difficult situation. They are working hard, as we see this weekend, and it is getting better and better.”
Meanwhile Bagnaia’s third in the group of seven was a good effort given his sudden status in the Championship. His start was hindered by the fact that, despite repeated efforts among the gridding riders, he could not manage to “lock down” the front ride height device prior to the start.
“The start wasn’t so good,” stated Pecco. “Then in the first laps I tried to overtake many riders, and then when I saw on the pit board that Fabio (Quartararo) was out, well a win is OK – but if they overtake me on the final lap, it’s OK too. I’m very happy that we are now leading the World Championship, so let’s keep going like this!”
Mid-season, Bagnaia explained that “after the Sachsenring, I said there are 250 points left, that we can still win. We demonstrated that we are so competitive, and we just keep going and going. I don’t want to think about this Championship.”
- Colin Fraser
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