We are at Philip Island in Australia, located in the city of Victoria. It has been a part of the championship since 1997. Wayne Gardner, Mick Doohan, and Casey Stoner, are three of the Aussie legends of MotoGP. Gardner won the Australian Grand Prix in 1987 and Doohan and Stoner, also had lots of success. Marc Marquez has the title. But, team and manufacturer cups are still up for grabs.
Now, new and special tires are asymmetrical, and durable. 27 laps are scheduled. Marc Marquez has his 12th pole, and this ties him with Stoner and Mick Doohan, for most poles in na season. The track has twelve turns and is real fast. Everyone has to control a pace. Marquez has absolutely zero pressure now that he's the champ. The bikes are on the grid, and it is close to race time.
Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, and Dani Pedrosa will be in contention for the other top positions. The Grand Prix circuit has run here at Philip Island, and, also at the Eastern Creek circuit. These races have taken place since 1989. But, motorcycle racing in Australia, actually goes back to 1956. A rider's leathers are designed for them, and it's fully printed, made from kangaroo leather, and also, fully vented. It has shoulder and elbow protectors, as well as knee protectors, for reducing friction on impact in a wreck.
There is an airbag in the suit. It is incorporated into the suit. It senses a rider will crash, and inflate the airbag. There are accelerometers in the suit, too. The sensors send data all the time, and looks at the data, asking the acclerometers, are getting bettrr, or worse, and the airbag deploys, should the rider fall off the motorcycle. The airbag is within the suit, protrcting most of the lower body, and protects the rider. It inflates to high pressure for the shell, and then, will deflate as the impact dissipates.
The suit can be plugged into a computer and have the data downloaded off of it, just like the bike. In qualifying, familiar faces are in unfamiliar places. Honda has not had the best weekend. But, Marquez is on pole. Cal Crutchlow is second, ahead of Jorge Lorenzo. Bbradley Smith starts fourth. Dani Pedrosa is fifth. Valentino Rossi, starts eighth. We have 23 bikes, with no wildcard riders from Australia, taking part.
Philip Island is surrounded by wildlife and it looks to drop in the water, and you hear the ocean crashing against the coast. But, what the Aussies hear today, is the roar of the MotoGP motorcycles. It's the Grand Prix of Australia! Lets go motorcycle racing, for the 20th time in MotoGP history. This will be a battle for victor, and for second place in the standings. The bikes are on the grid, ready. Let's do this. 27 laps.
Go! Can Marquez equal Mick Doohan's record? Marquez, Crutchlow, and Lorenzo have good starts, and here comes Bradley Smith! Marc Marquez flies through the first couple corners. Smith moves to second and runs wide. Dani Pedrosa drops back, as we're into Siberia corner for the first time. Here's Marquez through Hay Shed and Lukey Heights. Dani Pedrosa, and Andrea Dovizioso are up there. This is Valentino Rossi's 250th MotoGP start as they run through Doohan corner. They come back through the Southern Loop, and Stoner corner.
Pol Espargaro wants by Bradley Smith. Rossi is also back there. Honda, followed by a gaggle of Yamaha's. Dani Pedrosa falls down to ninth place. Here comes Valentino Rossi. He knows better than anyone that he needs to push like there's no tomorrow with Marquez and Lorenzo 1-2. Those two blokes are going to fly into the sunset. Marquez runs fast lap at 1:29.608. Pol Espargaro fights Rossi again through Stoner corner.
Marc Marquez is telling his rivals he is world champ, and he's taking no prisoners. Cal Crutchlow is going after Bradley Smith. The two Brits are on a charge. Marquez has a one second lead, going for it. Marquez has only won once at Philip Island, four years ago, in a 125cc race. Cal Crutchlow is all over Bradley Smith like a rash. These two used to be team mates. Through Lukey Heights again. Smith closes on Pol Espargaro. These two are team mates, and it will be tough for Smith to have good stability on the brakes. Down Gardner straight. The gap is over a second with Marquez in the lead.
The Ducati's are pushing. Crutchlow passes Smith. He's fifth, while Smith, is sixth. Dani Pedrosa remains ninth. Dovizioso is all over Smith now. Marquez still leads this race. Jorge Lorenzo is getting into his rhythm. Valentino Rossi is coming, too. The new rear tires, are much more heat resistant. So, they won't get up to temperature as quickly. Aleix Espargaro forces Bradley Smith wide, and drops two spots. Karel Abraham is out, and so is Andrea Ianonne. Game over for both of them.
Ianonne went up inside Dani Pedrosa, and spilled the bike. Dani Pedrosa likely has damage. The gap is back to a second. Marquez is keeping it constant. What a race so far. It is going to continue. Moments ago, Dani Pedrosa came into the pits and stopped. Pedrosa has retired. Marquez, Lorenzo, Rossi, Crutchlow, and Espargaro, are the top five. Ianonne ran up the back of Pedrosa, and bang! He was off the bike. Rossi and Lorenzo have run personal best lap times. Smith passes Dovizioso for seventh. He runs wide and just holds the advantage through Siberia.
Stefan Bradl, is ninth. Dani Pedrosa is now officially out of this race. The fairing was loose, and taped up. But, it won't work. Rossi is close down the Gardner straight. Marc Marquez opens the gap. Rossi sets fast lap of this race. Rossi and Lorenzo are right together. Through Stoner corner, Rossi nabs his team mate. Can he close up on Marquez? Where is Marc Marquez? Just over the top of Lukey Heights, Lorenzo has to respond. Working lap ten of 27. Three laps to halfway. Lorenzo dives inside his team mate.
Marc Marquez has a 1.9 second lead. Rossi has passed Lorenzo again, as they have battled down the Gardner straight and into Doohan corner. Marquez is pulling away. Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso have moved up. The Espargaro brothers were also together, until Bradley Smith, split them, in sixth, seventh, and eighth. Lorenzo is trying to pass Rossi. The gap is 2.2 seconds at the front of the field. Pedrosa is indeed out of this one. He will likely fall to fourth in the championship. Pol Espargaro passes Bradley Smith for seventh.
Stefan Bradl has caught this group of bikes. Bradl is ninth, chasing the next group of bikes. Marc Marquez is running away with this race, folks. Back into Doohan corner, we have 15 laps left. Rossi has passed Lorenzo and is releasing himself from his grasp. These guys are battling for the championship places, but as they run through Siberia, their chances of winning "Down Under", are slipping away. Scott Redding runs in front of Alvaro Bautista. Nicky Hayden is way down in 16th. Scott Redding has the medium tires, and so does Hector Barbera.
Now, Jorge Lorenzo has moved back around Rossi. Lorenzo responded. Marquez runs in the 1:29.8 range, while the Yamaha's run 1:30s, back into Siberia again. Rossi has nine titles. Lorenzo, has four. Yamaha racing director Lynn Jarvis looks on. Cal Crutchlow is fourth. But, he has four seconds on his team mate, Dovizioso. We've got a real rat race further down the order. These guys are all over each other. Speaking of all over each other, Rossi is still hounding Lorenzo.
Bradley Smith gets pushed wide, and there's some action as the Espargaro brothers battle for sixth, and Stefan Bradl is next. Aleix is one point ahead of Pol. But, the Aussies won't be happy, because their hometown rider, Broc Parkes, is now in pit lane. Rossi and Lorenzo are committed to different lines,a nd Rossi just can't get close enough. Again, we watch the battle for fifth through tenth. Can Aleix Espargaro break away? Not yet. Marc Marquez has a 3.4 second lead advantage onto the Gardner straight.
Rossi comes pout of the slipstream, and Lorenzo shuts the door. Rossi wants by in thr hairpin. Through the Southern Loop and the Doohan corner. Can Cal Crutchlow cement fourth? The Ducati camp is letting Crutchlow ride on the same bike without fussing with the setup. Now, Rossi is second. But, Marquez is leading by a country mile, with ten laps remaining. Marquez is absolutely cruising, and proving why he has now won two straight MotoGP world championships. Valentino Rossi is now leading.
Moments ago, Marc Marquez, has fallen! He slid on his belly into the grass. The front wheel just gave out. Marquez is out of this race! Ugh! No luck for the world champ, Down Under. "The Doctor" is coming. This is going to be a Yamaha battle for the win. Pol Espargaro passes his brother. Wow. Contact! Pol Espargaro and Stefan Bradl collide, and Bradl is down. Jorge Lorenzo is being told that Marquez is out. Rossi will be second is points and Lorenzo, third. Marc Marquez is OK.
So is Stefan Bradl. He'll be fine. Dovizioso and Smith thankfully avoided the crash. Aleix Espargaro is out of this race, too. He's so mad, he's smashed the fairing on his motorcycle. This is Yamaha's race to lose. Cal Crutchlow is going to have a podium for Ducati, even though he'll leave the team for LCR Honda next year. Crutchlow looks to be under some pressure for Jorge Lorenzo. Crutchlow is booking it. Jorge Lorenzo is fighting to hold second, coming through Lukey Heights. Crutchloow was third in 2012.
Crutchlow has gained two and a half seconds! Holy smokes! Sixteen riders, and sixteen bikes are in the race. Everyone will score points. Michael Laverty for PBM is the final bike running. Crutchlow has passed Lorenzo. So, he will get second. Valentino Rossi is going to win at Philip Island. Four laps remain, before Rossi gets his sixth win at Philip Island, in his 250th MotoGP race. Aleix Espargaro is going to be fifth. Alvaro Bautista and Hector Barbera battle. This is a milestone start for Bautista, too, in his 200th race, across all three divisions. Bautista passes Barbera. Pol Espargaro could pass Jorge Lorenzo for his first MotoGP podium. He's catching Lorenzo hand over fist.
Three laps left. Crutchlow and Lorenzo are going for it. Espargaro is coming, and fast. Pol Espargaro has won the past two Moto 2 races. Oh! Darn it! Pol Espargaro is down! Both Espargaro brothers are down and out. Pol is OK. Don't blink. Two laps left. Espargaro had the front end wash out. He wanted his first podium, but no. We've got two laps to go. Valentino Rossi won a race here and put the #7 on a hotel bed sheet to honor Aussie MotoGP legend, Barry Sheene. Then, Casey Stoner came, and won six straight Philip Island GP races.
Every single rider who is going to finish, will score points. One lap to go for Rossi. He's going to win at Philip Island. Rossi won the 2004 world championship for Yamaha. He also did in 2005. But it has been nine years since Rossi has won at Philip Island. Oh no! Cal Crutchlow is down! Bradley Smith could get second. Check that. Lorenzo is second. Bradley Smith is third. Three Yamaha's on the podium. Valentino Rossi, wins it! "The Doctor" is in the house!
#46 Valentino Rossi ITA. Yamaha
Bradley Smith is on the podium! Hector Barbera finishes fifth! Wow! What a race! Only 14 bikes came home, of the 23 bikes that started. Poor Cal Crutchlow,l though. Yikes! Not sure who to feel good or bad for. Rossi gets his second win of the year in his 250th MotoGP start. Two races remain. The next race is in Malaysia, next weekend.
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