Phillip Island – Marc Márquez won the MotoGP Sprint in Australia on Saturday, October 24, taking the lead in the World Championship. In a Ducati one-two-three finish, his brother Álex Márquez and Italian Fabio Di Giannantonio followed in second and third place. Jorge Martín crashed and will miss Sunday’s main race due to an injury to his right forearm.
For the Italian motorcycle manufacturer, the short Saturday race thus ended with a full podium. Behind the three Ducatis, Marco Bezzecchi crossed the finish line in fourth place. The Italian Aprilia rider made up ground during the race but was unable to catch up to the leading group. Di Giannantonio, on the other hand, secured a podium finish with third place.
Marc Márquez leads the World Championship standings after the sprint with 365 points. Martín remains at 355 points, trailing by ten points. Bezzecchi has 315 points. The new standings are based on Saturday’s race; the longer main race of the Australian Grand Prix will take place on Sunday, October 25.
Ducati Sweeps the Podium and Martín's Injury
At the time of the crash on the eighth lap, Martín was in second place behind Marc Márquez. The Spaniard was subsequently examined at the track’s medical center. According to his team, Aprilia, X-rays confirmed a fracture of his right radius. There was also suspicion of a fracture of the ulna. Further tests are expected to determine the exact extent of the injuries; no timeframe for his absence from racing was initially provided.
Aprilia has already ruled out Martín from starting Sunday’s main race. Francesco Bagnaia also ended the sprint early, though only after pulling into the pits and without crashing. He couldn’t get a good feel for his Ducati. Thus, the manufacturer’s one-two-three finish was offset by a withdrawal from its own ranks and an injury-related setback for its Italian rival, Aprilia.
