Spanish Ducati rider Marc Marquez topped the MotoGP World Championship standings after winning the sprint race of the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island on Saturday, benefiting from the crash of his compatriot Jorge Martin, the Aprilia rider, in the middle of the race.
Marquez started from pole position but yielded the lead to Martin, who started fourth on the grid, in the third lap, before overtaking his rival after the latter's crash in the eighth lap. Martin crashed while holding second place in a direct battle with Marquez, and his bike slid into the gravel area after his speed was recorded at approximately 180 km/h at the corner.
The incident forced Martin to withdraw from the Australian Grand Prix after suffering a wrist fracture, as announced by race organizers. This injury is a severe blow to Martin, whose chances of securing a second world title are diminishing. Marquez crossed the finish line as the winner after 13 laps, ahead of his brother Alex, the Ducati-Gresini rider, and Italian Fabio Di Giannantonio, the Ducati VR46 rider.
Marquez said after the race: "I was aggressive, but Martin was faster than me. I defended my position as much as possible, and we were riding at the limit." Before the main race scheduled for Sunday, Marquez leads the championship standings by 10 points over Martin in his pursuit of his eighth premier class title and tenth overall in his career.
Source: Arriyadiyah newspaper
Comments (0)