Alex Rins put up an amazing display onboard his Suzuki GSX-RR to fend off Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia in a last lap showdown to reign victorious in Phillip Island. He picked up the Hamamatsu factory’s first victory of the season after what has been a rather underwhelming season for Team Suzuki Ecstar so far.
It was Jorge Martin on the Pramac Ducati who started from pole. He got a superb getaway beating Marquez and Bagnaia at the start. Bagnaia did not get an equally good start as he dropped from third down to seventh heading into the first corner.
But the Ducati man later showed his prowess as he made up those places with the sheer pace of his bike and some quality overtakes on Jack Miller, Fabio Quartararo and Aleix Espargaro.
Quartararo, who started fifth, did not have the best of starts as he saw himself getting swallowed by the Ducatis behind him of Miller and Luca Marini. Meanwhile, Martin and Marquez were starting to pull clear at the front of the race.
As Marini attacked the Yamaha of Quartararo, the Frenchman made a crucial mistake under braking into turn four that saw him run wide and onto the grass. He lost a good five seconds on the lap and dropped down to 22nd place.
Miller’s charge began for the top spot as he claimed third place from fellow teammate Bagnaia. But all the hard work went in vain as he was taken out from behind by Alex Marquez at turn four as the LCR Honda man went too hot into the corner slamming into the rear of the factory Ducati and ending Miller’s title hopes.
Then came a huge blow for Quartararo as he crashed out at turn two after a brief spell where he was picking up the pace. With his main title rival out of the way, Bagnaia began to make his charge to take maximum advantage of the situation.
Another rider making sensational progress was Alex Rins who started back in 10th place. A surge to the front saw him overtake Martin, Marquez and race leader Bagnaia. But he later lost out on the lead after Bagnaia seized it back from him.
Marc Marquez was in real contention as he tried to make moves every time he saw a gap. But Rins, Bezzechi and Martin all came through on him. Rins spent several laps behind Bagnaia, but while attempting to take the lead, but things went the other way after a shortly successful move where he saw Marquez, Bezzechi and Bagnaia went past him.
But both Rins and Marquez were holding on tight as what followed was a stunning last few laps that saw Marquez, Bezzechi, Rins and Bagnaia tail each other ever so closely.
Bagnaia was doing well to cling on at the front, but as the last lap started, he saw his lead vanish as both Rins and Marquez slid past the Ducati man. Rins was back in the lead.
Despite Marquez piling immense pressure on the Suzuki ahead of him, Rins was able to defend his position and claim a scintillating first win of the season and cap off what had been an unforgettable race at Phillip Island so far. The venue was welcomed back after three years in such stunning fashion.
With the results, Bagnaia has taken the championship lead for the first time in his career. Bagnaia stands first with 233 points. In second is Fabio Quartararo, 14 points behind with 219. In third is Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro with 206. It is still a gap that can be closed for Fabio with two races left.
The riders head to Sepang next week for the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Image credits: Suzuki Racing
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