#AustralianGP
An unusual Australian Grand Prix takes place on the Phillip Island circuit this year: the weather forecast predicts conditions that are not favorable to the Sunday’s race, which is why the MotoGP organizers reverse the order of the Sprint Race and the long race, therefore scheduling the latter on Saturday and postponing the Sprint race to Sunday.
However, due to the heavy rain that hits the Phillip Island circuit on Sunday, the Sprint Race is cancelled.
After a very difficult Friday of practice, Saturday turns out to be much more positive for our Suomy rider Pecco Bagnaia, who, thanks to the best time obtained in Q1, manages to gain passage to Q2, during which he finishes with the third fastest time, thus ensuring the start from the front row in the Saturday afternoon race.
Starting from third place, Pecco loses a couple of positions during the course of the race and finds himself fifth, but on the last lap a heated fight for the podium breakes out between the top five riders: Pecco finishes in second place, while his direct rival, Jorge Martín, who had managed to stay in the lead for 26 laps, loses positions and finishes fifth.
Thanks to the excellent result obtained by Pecco in Australia, our Suomy rider confirms himself as world leader, 27 points ahead of his pursuer Martín.
“I’m very happy, it was another difficult weekend but every time we rise, and once again we finished at the front. Johann did an amazing job with the rear tyre, and I was controlling all the laps. I was just missing a bit of traction in the last lap but I’m happy. Martin was on the soft tyre, and I had to think hard at the start, because I knew he would go away. The pace was strong throughout the race, but I kept controlling the rear tyre until the end, and I was right because in a moment I went from fifth to second. It was a race in which I had to be calm because I knew the soft tyre wouldn’t last and finally everything was perfect. Points are always fundamental, now we have 27 on Martin, things can change very quickly so we must be very careful and understand perfectly what is going on. There are four and a half races left so it will be important to remain constant every time.”
Francesco Bagnaia – 2nd
World Standings P. 1
Next Round:
Grand Prix of Thailand
28th Oct – 29th Oct
Click the button below to find out all the images of the #SuomyCrew during the weekend in Australia.