Cheers, mate, from "Down Under" in Victoria, Australia, at the great Phillip Island circuit. Marc Marquez has pole for the race. Your time is running out. Your chances of claiming the world title, are slipping away. Your only hope is to beat your team mate, Valentino Rossi. Ride the fine line between glory and disaster, and hope luck is on your side. It is time, for the Grand Prix of Australia!
The fight between Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, is as intense as ever. Alex de Angelis has been cleared by doctors to recover. Damien Cudlin from Australia, will ride in this race, in his place. There have been some tire alterations, too depending on if you ride a factory bike or a satellite team bike, and what compounds are allowed in those cases. You can feel the tension crackling on the grid, as we ready for this race. This track has 12 turns and is 2.76 miles. It is the fastest track on the schedule, and is getting a little bumpy. It's the fastest, and one of the most beautiful tracks in MotoGP.
In qualifying, Marc Marquez set pole at 1:28.364. It looked like Jorge Lorenzo would get second., but Andrea Ianonne, narrowly beat him. Dani Pedrosa and Cal Crutchlow did well. Valentino Rossi starts seventh. Anthony West and Damien Cudlin are the two Aussie stand in riders. Manage your tires, avoid traffic, and stay tucked in. Using the draft on the 3,000 foot front straight, will give you a better lap time. We are ready to line 'em up, and turn 'em loose, on the island.
The bikes are on the grid. Jorge Lorenzo has to finish ahead of Valentino Rossi today. Here we go. 27 laps ready to roll. Go! Iannone and Marquez have good starts. Andrea Ianonne is in the lead. Dani Pedrosa is fourth. Ianonne leads right now coming to the Casey Stoner corner, into the hairpin. Dani Pedrosa wants inside Marc Marquez. No way through for Rossi on Crutchlow through Siberia. They roll over the top of Lukey Heights. Marquez and Pedrosa trade paint and Jorge Lorenzo leads onto Gardner straight.
Lorenzo still leads the way. Andrea Ianonne is coming. Ianonne passes through the Southern Loop. Through the Doohan and Stoner corners. Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez want by Jorge Lorenzo. This is intense! Ianonne leads the way. They plunge down to MG corner. Ianonne runs over a seagull! This causes him the lead! Lorenzo takes the lead. But, Ianonne isn't phased by a bird. He's going for it again. Cal Crutchlow is hounding Dani Pedrosa. Marc Marquez takes the lead and here comes Jorge Lorenzo! Andrea Ianonne is still in this thing, too.
Ianonne is back in front. Rossi and Pedrosa are up there, and so is Crutchlow. Yamaha vs. Honda vs. LCR Honda. Lorenzo now takes the lead and flies down Gardner straight into Doohan corner, where Ianonne takes the lead! This is hot stuff! Valentino Rossi takes fifth spot away from Dani Pedrosa. Lorenzo leads, and Marquz tries to pass Ianonne. Rossi passes Crutchlow. We've got a heck of a race here, blokes! Rossi is up to fourth. Lorenzo makes a pass stick for the lead. Ianonne is ling up a pass in the Southern Loop and can't get there.
Valentino Rossi runs a 1:29.655. Ianonne goes wide at turn four, and through Siberia, Rossi wants to pass Ianonne. He is all over the Ducati, and passes for third into Lukey Heights. Ianonne is losing ground. We complete lap five. Lorenzo, Marquez, Rossi. Marquez runs wide and cuts across the road. Marquez is pushing, and wants Rossi. He gets him. Rossi sandwiched between Marquez and Cal Crutchlow. They race through Siberia. Rossi passes Marquez again! This is hot! Rossi has the line and here comes Ianonne! Marquez loses spots!
Into Doohan corner again, here's Cal Crutchlow, trying to go for it. The Ducati is a rocket down the straight. Ianonne tries Marquez. Marquez defends his place. Will these boys last 20 more laps? This is a Saturday night dirt track feature race! Dani Pedrosa moves past Cal Crutchlow. Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaro are coming, on the factory Suzuki's. Rossi's finishing place will be pivotal for the championship. Jorge Lorenzo is checking out.
Cal Crutchlow moves ahead into fifth, past Dani Pedrosa. There will be no worries about tires. Jorge Lorenzo wants his seventh race win of 2015. This is war. Valentino Rossi has run a 1:29.369, the fastest race lap so far. 19 laps to go. Rossi closes on the brakes. Cal Crutchlow is keeping Dani Pedrosa at bay, winner, last time out in Japan. Valentino Rossi on the Yamaha has the power, compared to Marc Marquez's Honda. Marquez runs wide through Doohan corner, and into Stoner corner, Rossi isn't close enough!
Rossi closes up again up to Siberia. This is a wicked race so far! Lorenzo wheelies down Gardner straight. Dani Pedrosa passes Cal Crutchlow, taking away fifth place. Damien Cudlin has had a technical issue, and he's come back on the road after pitting. Nicky Hayden is out of this one. Game over. Valentino Rossi is closing on Marc Marquez. Rossi has been very consistent this year and that's why he has a shot for the championship. This is an epic race, so far. Andrea Ianonne is still in this race, too.
Rossi tries in turn four, and he doesn't get the pass made. Ianonne is right with him. Lorenzo still leads this race as they fly through MG corner. Down the Gardner straight. 15 laps to go. Ducati vs. Yamaha vs. Honda. Andrea Ianonne flies by Valentino Rossi! Rossi defends and goes back to third. Marquez is second. Jorge Lorenzo leads by 1.3 seconds. Lorenzo is booking it right now. Rossi does not want to let Ianonne by into the Doohan corner and the Southern Loop. Marc Marquez is stretching away from Rossi.
Marquez is closing on Lorenzo through Lukey Heights. Just about 13 laps to go in this race. We are just past halfway in this race now. Marc Marquez is pouring on the steam setting fast lap at 1:29.29. Marquez is going for it. He is right behind Jorge Lorenzo now. Marc Marquez wants to win another race at Phillip Island. Marquez is within 3/10ths of a second. We watch Cal Crutchlow., Dani Pedrosa, and Aleix Espargaro, battle for fifth. Marquez is pouring on the steam. He is coming, and fast.
Jorge Lorenzo is under huge pressure. Marquez is going in for the kill. Marquez floors it., and the Honda has the power over the Yamaha. Andrea Ianonne blitzes past Valentino Rossi for third! Don't count those two out yet. But, it's Lorenzo and Marquez, we are watching, now. You don't need a timing screen. You can tell what's going on. We are getting close to the end of this. Will Rossi attack for third? Lorenzo is barely holding on to the lead. Marquez is not close enough. Ten laps to go now.
Andrea Ianonne is faster than Valentino Rossi. Will Marquez make a move? Yes! He leads the Australian Grand Prix. Lorenzo, Ianonne, and Rossi, are second, third, and fourth. This could decide what happens for the championship. Can Rossi pass Ianonne? Jorge Lorenzo has to worry about Andrea Ianonne and Valentino Rossi. Eight laps of pure drama to come, here, at Philip Island. Jorge Lorenzo has gone by Andrea Ianonne. Marc Marquez has a 3/10ths of a second lead. Eleven points separate Lorenzo and Rossi in the points, as they run now.
Lorenzo flies past Marquez! Wow! This is a four rider battle for the victory! This is a classic! Six laps left! If I were calling this race, my voice would not last for the last six laps! Dani Pedrosa is 3.5 seconds behind this monstrous, nail biting battle for victory in Australia! Marquez wants to fend off Andrea Ianonne. Will Rossi make a move? Andrea Ianonne is now second. Marc Marquez is relegated to third. Jorge Lorenzo is into a rhythm. Can Ianonne take the lead from Jorge Lorenzo? Valentino Rossi knows he has to get past Marquez and Ianonne, or he'll be blitzed.
Lorenzo holds the advantage. Rossi has to try his darnedest to stay with the leaders. This race, is bonkers! They race into the Stoner corner. Marc Marquez passes Andrea Ianonne for second, through Siberia, too. Marc Marquez is strong on the brakes into that corner. Rossi is right on Ianonne's rear wheel! Valentino Rossi has passed Ianonne! Lorenzo is trying to push ahead as far as he can. Ianonne slides by Rossi into the Doohan corner. Here comes Rossi back inside Ianonne! Wow!
Rossi defensively blocks Ianonne. Rossi hasn't got the pace to block Ianonne. Ianonne is riding the race of his career... the race of his life! Lorenzo has half a second on Marc Marquez. Three laps to go at Phillip Island. Valentino Rossi is closing on Marc Marquez. He is trying to hold off Andrea Ianonne. No way through on Marquez towards Siberia. Rossi tries marquez into Lukey Heights. He can't quite do it! Ianonne goes up inside Marquez and Rossi! Two laps to go!
Marc Marquez passes Valentino Rossi! Lorenzo could really gain ground on Rossi here, in the points. Marquez tries to pass Ianonne and h does, for second. Ianonne fights back again immediately. He's just barely hanging in there with a lap and a half to go. Back to Lukey Heights. Lorenzo could very well win his seventh race of the season. We've got one lap to go. 2.764 miles. Strap in and hold on. Marquez runs past Ianonne. Rossi closes on Ianonne. Marquez swept back by. Rossi tries to pass Ianonne. Marc Marquez is making a big move.
Half a lap to go! Can Lorenzo hang on? Marquez is going past Lorenzo! He tries. Marquez leads. Ianonne back on Rossi. One turn to go! Marc Marquez will win in Australia! Andrea Ianonne takes third! Marc Marquez takes fast lap on the last lap at 1:29.280! That was a last lap of a champion! Holy cow! Phew! Yours truly has to catch his breath. What a finish, blokes! What... a... finish!
#93 Marc Marquez ESP. Honda
Eleven points separate Rossi and Lorenzo for the championship. Jorge Lorenzo's second place, clinches the 2015 manufacturer's cup, for Yamaha. One of the truly great MotoGP races of the last decade. Six passes among four riders for three spots on the last lap alone! Yikes! Rossi has lost a significant chunk of his points lead. Marc Marquez has only failed to win at one MotoGP track... Twin Ring Motegi, in Japan.
There are now just two races left to run in the 2015 MotoGP World Championship. The penultimate race, is at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia, next weekend.
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