Jorge Martin further solidified his position as the championship leader after delivering an extraordinary performance to win the 2024 Australian MotoGP Sprint race held at the iconic Phillip Island circuit.
Starting from pole position, the Pramac Ducati star not only maintained his lead but also extended his championship advantage with a commanding victory over seasoned rivals Marc Marquez and Enea Bastianini.
The 13-lap Australian MotoGP Sprint was filled with drama, including crashes and fierce competition, making it a memorable event for fans and participants alike.
From the moment the lights went out, Martin demonstrated his intent by launching off the line with remarkable speed andquickly established a gap, leading the pack by over half a second within just a few corners.
His Pramac Ducati GP24 was clearly in its element, allowing him to set a relentless pace that no one in the field could match. By the end of the first lap, Martin had already built an impressive lead of 0.8 seconds, setting the tone for what would become a dominant performance.
Meanwhile, Marc Marquez faced an uphill battle right from the start. After qualifying second, he ran wide at Turn 1, dropping him to eighth place however, true to his reputation as a fierce competitor and eight-time world champion, Marquez quickly regrouped.
The Gresini star began to slice through the field with precision, overtaking riders one by one. By Lap 5, he had clawed his way back into podium contention, demonstrating both skill and determination.
Enea Bastianini also had a noteworthy outing, displaying excellent racecraft as he navigated through the pack after starting from tenth on the grid.
Bastianini managed to secure third place by Lap 8 after overtaking his Factory Ducati teammate Francesco Bagnaia, who had initially moved up to second but struggled to keep pace with Martin and Marquez. The battle between these two Ducati riders added an extra layer of excitement to the race.
As Martin continued to extend his lead—at one point reaching over three seconds—Marquez and Bastianini were engaged in their own battle for second place.
Marquez eventually overtook Bagnaia on Lap 8 at Turn 4, showcasing his aggressive racing style and tactical acumen. Bastianini soon followed suit, pushing Bagnaia down to fourth place as they approached the final laps of the sprint.
However, the race took a dramatic turn on Lap 12 when Marco Bezzecchi and Maverick Viñales collided at Turn 1 while battling for fifth place. Viñales had just overtaken Bezzecchi when the latter lost control of his Ducati and crashed into Viñales’ Aprilia at high speed—reportedly around 230 km/h.
The incident sent both riders skidding off track and brought out concerns about rider safety as Bezzecchi required medical attention before being transported for further evaluation.
Despite the incident, Martin crossed the finish line first with a time of 19 minutes and 13.301 seconds, securing his sixth sprint win of the season and extending his championship lead over Bagnaia to 16 points.
Marquez finished in second place with a gap of 1.520 seconds behind Martin, while Bastianini rounded out the podium in third.
Meanwhile Francesco Bagnaia’s fourth-place finish was bittersweet; although he managed to maintain some points in the championship race, he couldn’t capitalize on Martin’s earlier misfortunes during the season.
The reigning world champion’s struggles were evident as he faded from second to fourth in what was an intense race filled with unexpected twists.
Fabio Di Giannantonio initially finished fifth but was later penalized for low tire pressure violations, dropping him to seventh place in official results. Franco Morbidelli secured sixth place for Pramac Ducati after a steady ride throughout the sprint.
Raul Fernandez emerged as the top non-Ducati in seventh while Aleix Espargaro secured eighth for Aprilia after starting down in 20th, as Augusto Fernandez picked up the final Sprint point in ninth.
Repsol Honda’s Luca Marini rounded out the top 10 ahead of the Yamaha pairing of Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins in 11th and 12th respectively. Joan Mir finished 14th, with Takaaki Nakagami and Lorenzo Savadori concluding the finishers in 15th and 16th.
The KTM riders faced a particularly tough day; Jack Miller crashed out on Lap 8 after making an impressive start from sixteenth on the grid but could not sustain his momentum. Binder also crashed out of contention in the late stages as the sprint came to a chaotic close.
Pedro Acosta also faced challenges after starting from fifteenth and ultimately crashed out on Lap 10.
