- The sixteenth MotoGP Sprint of the season is cancelled with safety in mind at Phillip Island and a worsening climate on Australia’s southern coast, vindicating the decision to have the GP race on Saturday
- Ryusei Yamanaka and David Alonso take to the grid in a soaking and chilly Moto3 race and the Japanese grabs a point for 15th
- Izan Guevara charges to the top six in a fraught Moto2 race that is eventually halted in the face of more severe winds at Phillip Island
- Augusto Fernandez and Pol Espargaro will get another chance to test the limits of their GASGAS RC16s in a few days’ time with the Thailand Grand Prix at Buriram
The weather predictions for Sunday at Phillip Island were gloomily accurate. Sunshine and bright skies were replaced by constant showers, cold air and relentless winds. A soaking and freezing Moto3 race tested the limits before Moto2 took to the chilly asphalt and made just over half-distance of the 23-lap total. With the climate degrading, organizers were forced to make the heavy decision not to run the MotoGP Sprint. The GASGAS RC16s of Augusto Fernandez and Pol Espargaro remained in the box (after having completed a tentative and wet ‘warm-up’ run in the morning) and were soon in the freight crates for the swift transition back to Asia.
Significantly warmer conditions are expected for the arrival at the Chang International Circuit and for round seventeen next weekend.
Augusto Fernandez: “A shame we could not race today but I think it is the right decision. The conditions are very tricky and very dangerous because of the wind. I felt good in the wet this morning but better to leave here healthy and get ready for Thailand.”
Pol Espargaro: “A pity we could not race here because I always enjoy Phillip Island, whatever the conditions. This morning we were pretty fast and the bike was working well in wet conditions, so it’s an extra shame we had this hard and strong wind. In the end we saw that the Moto3 and Moto2 races were very risky so it was the right choice.”
Nicolas Goyon, GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 Team Manager: “We know that in Australia the weather can be a little bit tricky and this year was special. Race Direction did a good job to invert the race and the Sprint. Finally today the winds brought out the red flags and we knew that it would become stronger and stronger. Safety first. We’ll pack and head to Thailand for the last of this triple header.”
World championship standings MotoGP
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 366 points
2. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati 339
3. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Ducati, 293
15. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3, 67
23. Pol Espargaro (ESP) GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3, 12
Moto3 and Moto2
Moto3 faced a brutal combination of cold, strong winds and relentless rainfall. Phillip Island was generous with track grip but handling the 250cc four-strokes through the gusts and with low visibility meant a very challenging situation. Fortunately, the Moto3 field were able to count on a 10-minute warm-up period Sunday morning to get a feeling for the circuit in the wet.
David Alonso lost control under braking for Turn 4 during lap two and was the first of many fallers on Sunday. GASGAS Aspar Team were able to chart the progress of Ryusei Yamanaka instead. The Japanese was steady in the points-scoring positions and felt his way to 15th.
Ryusei Yamanaka, 15th: “I started well but it was so difficult to see out there. I tried to manage the situation in the conditions. I lost a few positions because I couldn’t judge the limits of the tires. Really tricky to feel the grip. Normally I like the rain but today it didn’t work for me.”
David Alonso, DNF: “A very sketchy race. I crashed on the straight into Turn 4 on the second lap and I don’t really understand why. There is not much more to say. We have to keep working and get straight down to business in Thailand.”
The Moto2 pack were in the same boat as Moto3 as the weather barely changed as the morning progressed in Australia. In fact, the wind got worse. Jake Dixon was caught out and crashed at Stoner Corner so hopes laid with teammate Izan Guevara, who scratched the limits of the slick tarmac to run high in the Moto2 field and reach 6th before the red-flag wisely brought proceedings to a halt. The Spaniard’s run was particularly impressive considering his qualifying position of 23rd.
The paddock will unpack the shorts, t-shirts and caps once more for the Thailand Grand Prix in a few days’ time.
Izan Guevara, 6th: “I started quite far back and those were some extreme conditions for racing. I took the attitude of just trying to enjoy it and move forwards and much as I could. I saw it as an opportunity. We made steps and progress in these rainy conditions. It helps with good confidence and sensations for Thailand where we need to keep on pressing and pushing. We’ll swap cold to heat in an instant but I hope we can have more of the same.”
Jake Dixon, DNF: “A shame to end the race like that. I felt strong enough to fight for the podium but the conditions were pretty extreme and I crashed. Right now I have a painful shoulder. We’ve done a scan and there isn’t any fracture but we’ll do some more checks to rule out anything else.”
Grand Prix of Australia photographs can be found HERE
Results Moto3 Grand Prix of Australia
1. Deniz Öncü (TUR) KTM 39:57.919
2. Ayumu Sasaki (JPN) Husqvarna +0.407
3. Joel Kelso (AUS) CFMOTO +4.391
15. Ryusei Yamanaka (JPN) GASGAS Aspar Team +1:16.638
DNF. David Alonso (COL) GASGAS Aspar Team
World Championship standings Moto3
1. Jaume Masia (ESP) Honda 217 points
2. Ayumu Sasaki (JPN) Husqvarna, 213
3. Daniel Holgado (ESP) KTM, 195
4. David Alonso (COL) GASGAS Aspar Team, 180
14. Ryusei Yamanaka (JPN) GASGAS Aspar Team, 64
Results Moto2 Grand Prix of Australia
1. Tony Arbolino (ITA) 16:22.970
2. Aron Canet (ESP) +15.088
3. Fermin Aldeguer (ESP) +15.614
6. Izan Guevara (ESP) GASGAS Aspar Team +1 lap
DNF. Jake Dixon (GBR) GASGAS Aspar Team
World Championship standings Moto2
1. Pedro Acosta (ESP), 280.5 points
2. Tony Arbolino (ITA), 224.5
3. Jake Dixon (GBR), GASGAS Aspar Team 172
23. Izan Guevara (ESP) GASGAS Aspar Team, 13
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