Marc Marquez seems to be making a habit of
having race outcomes decided only on the last lap. There have been several
instances through the season where the 2019 World Champion rider won and lost
races on the last lap. The 2019 Australian MotoGP at Philip Island was yet
another thriller which boiled down to the last lap as leader Maverick Vinales
crashed out.
This win allowed Marquez to surpass the tally
of five-time world champion Mick Doohan, making him the third most successful
premier class winner of all time - and Honda’s most successful rider. LCR rider
Cal Crutchlow finished second to make it a Honda one-two, while homeboy Jack
Miller of Pramac Ducati claimed the final podium spot, much to the delight of
local fans.
As expected, tyre choice became an important
factor in the race - the Phillip Island circuit is known to really put tyres to
the test. This is thanks to the layout of the circuit which overheats the
tyres. Accordingly, the tyres used this weekend were specifically designed for
this track by tyre supplier Michelin. Vinales and Marquez both opted for
soft/soft, while others such as Quartararo and Dovizioso chose the hard option.
Interestingly, the riders also took part in a brief test with Michelin over the
weekend, to evaluate the new tyres for 2020.
Andrea Iannone of Aprilia put up a stellar show,
even leading the race and pulling off two overtakes on Marquez. Aprilia is the
lowest-ranked constructor and yet they were battling closely with the reigning
world champion - surely this is a sparkling testament to the competitive
quotient of MotoGP. Iannone finally finished in P6, with teammate Aleix Espargaro
in P10. This is the best result ever for Aprilia in the history of MotoGP. In
addition, it is Iannone’s best-ever result all season.
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