2023-10-21 06:17:36
The Frenchman Johann Zarco won his first MotoGP World Championship race at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix on Phillip Island on Saturday. After a dramatic final lap, the Ducati rider came out ahead of his brand colleague Francesco Bagnaia by around 0.2 seconds. The Italian thus extended his World Championship lead over Jorge Martin. The Spaniard, also riding a Ducati, entered the final lap as the leader and came fifth behind KTM rider Brad Binder (RSA).
Martin seemed to be heading for a start-to-finish victory from pole position, but in the end, as he did last time in Indonesia, he made a mistake with his tire choice. A week ago he fell the day following taking the championship lead, but this time he gradually lost the bonus to his pursuers following a lead of around three seconds on the last lap. Ultimately, the World Cup runner-up had to let a quartet pass within two or three kilometers without much resistance.
Instead of taking back the championship lead, Martin is 27 points behind Bagnaia following the race on the spectacular course. With his second place, the defending champion was one of the three “winners” of the day. Zarco was the same guy on paper; following almost seven years in MotoGP, his persistence was rewarded. He last won in the Moto2 class in 2016. The 33-year-old once once more celebrated his victory with his well-known back flip.
“It’s a good feeling and hard to believe,” said Zarco following his 120th MotoGP race. “I was surprised that Martin broke in. But then I knew that something was possible. Finally won – I want to cry, but not now,” he maintained his composure.
Binder’s podium place was snatched away by Fabio di Giannantonio by a good three tenths. After a committed ride, the Gresini rider rewarded himself with his first top-three place in the premier class of motorcycle road racing, which gave him a recommendation for 2024. Di Giannantonio currently has no place in the driver field. Local hero Jack Miller finished seventh on a KTM and is now ninth in the World Championship, Binder is still in fourth place four Grands Prix before the end of the season.
The race on Phillip Island was brought forward due to unfavorable weather forecasts. The competitions in the other two classes are scheduled for Sunday, and the MotoGP sprint (4 a.m. CEST) is also scheduled to take place.
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