2014 Phillip Island MotoGP Results

2014 Phillip Island MotoGP Results

Spoiler Alert: 2014 MotoGP Championship results from the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island listed below.

Last year’s Australian Grand Prix was a disaster for both riders and the spec-tire manufacturer Bridgestone.

Due to severe tire degradation at a repaved Phillip Island, the premier-class MotoGP pilots were forced to do the unthinkable in a GP race – pit for mandatory tire changes.

This caused confusion, especially for that year’s Champion Marc Marquez, who was disqualified from the race due to pitting a lap later than demanded.

Fast forward to round 16 of 2014 MotoGP at Phillip Island – the second of three-consecutive “fly-away” rounds. Due to Bridgestone creating a new asymmetrical front tire and rear tires that will last the entire 27 laps at the picturesque 2.764-mile circuit, there was no need for the haphazard pits.

And though the lap times were slower than last season, tire degradation was not a major issue – in free practice and qualifying, anyway.

In qualifying, Marquez redeemed himself from last year’s disqualification by taking his 12th pole of 2014 MotoGP; this tied him with Casey Stoner (2011, Respol Honda) and Mick Doohan (1997, 500cc MotoGP, Repsol Honda) for most poles in a single season.

Marquez entered Phillip Island after clinching the title last week at Motegi, but his celebrations were short lived at Phillip Island; while looking to tie Doohan’s record of 12 wins in a single season, he lost the front-end of his RC213V at Lukey Heights. The worse part? The crash occurred with 10 laps remaining while four seconds ahead of the field.

Marquez crashed out, along with many others. When the 2014 Phillip Island MotoGP was complete, only 14 riders of 23 finished.

And leading these 14 riders was nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi, who earned his 82nd premier-class victory and second of the season along with his home-round win in San Marino. This was also the 35-year-old Italian’s 250th GP start, and sixth win across all classes at Phillip Island.

Joining Rossi on the podium was the man who won at Phillip Island last season, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Jorge Lorenzo, and Monster Tech3 Yamaha’s Bradley Smith. This was the first all-Yamaha podium since Le Mans in 2008.

“I’m so happy because Phillip Island is one of the most important and most beautiful tracks of the season. I won here many times in the past, but over the last few years I was only able to get onto the podium without winning the race. To comeback and take the first position after ten years is great,” Rossi says.

“It’s also great to see three Yamaha’s on the podium! The race was tricky. The work that we did during the weekend with the team was very important. We did a fantastic job and made the right front tyre choice. Marquez was not too far in front of me but he had a two second gap, so I decided to focus on my pace and on Jorge. He was very fast during the whole weekend, but for the second position in the championship it was very important to finish in front of him. When I was in front Marquez crashed and I said to myself ‘victory’!”

When the race began, Lorenzo got to turn one first, followed closely by Smith and Marquez. Marquez won this battle, and immediately began pulling away.

Rossi made quick work of Smith in the opening laps, and began chasing down the second-placed Lorenzo.

With 22 laps to go, the crashes began. First was Cardion AB Racing’s Karel Abraham. Pramac Racing Ducati’s Andrea Iannone was next on the same lap. During his wreck, the Italian ran into the rear of Dani Pedrosa’s Repsol Honda. Pedrosa was forced to pit due to damage on the rear of his RC213V. Unfortunately, Pedrosa’s race was over and he suffered his first DNF of 2014 MotoGP.

Up front, Rossi passed his teammate just after Stoner Corner with 18 to go. The two-time Champion Lorenzo immediately countered the assault, and the two battled for 10 laps, swapping positions numerous times.

Behind, Ducati Team’s Cal Crutchlow – who began second from the grid – was in fourth alone, as a group of five riders fought for fifth – Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, NGM Forward Racing’s Aleix Espargaro, Monster Tech 3 Yamaha’s Pol Espagaro, Smith and LCR Honda’s Stefan Bradl.

With 11 to go, Rossi got the best of his teammate, and began opening up a gap as he chased down Marquez. But the double-world Champion lost the front of his RC213V with 10 to go at Lukey Heights , and slid off the track on his stomach.

The next one to crash was Bradl; with eight to go, Bradl went to pass Dovizioso, and hit the back of Aleix Espargaro’s Yamaha. The German crashed out, and a lap later Aleix was forced to retire due to damage on his bike.

Up front, Rossi, who began from eighth on the grid, was gone, continuously opening a gap. Lorenzo began slowing, and was passed by Crutchlow with five laps to go. Crutchlow began gaining grounds on Rossi, and looked as if he would take another podium finish to go with his first one of 2014 at a wet Aragon.

But with a half-lap remaining, Crutchlow lost the front of his updated GP14.2, crashing out. Rossi would take the win, finishing 10.386 seconds ahead of Lorenzo.

Smith took the final-podium position, him gaining a position after Pol Espargaro lost the front end of his Yamaha with four to go.  This was Smith’s first premier-class MotoGP podium. Smith was followed to the checkered flag by Dovizioso and Avinta Racing’s Hector Barbera.

The man his began his 200th GP, GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista, took sixth, followed by teammate Scott Redding. Rounding out the top 10 were Hiroshi Aoyama (Drive M7 Aspar), Alex de Angelis (NGM Forward Racing) and Nicky Hayden (Drive M7 Aspar).

There were also many penalties; MotoGP says after the race Bradl was given one penalty point by Race Direction for his collision with Aleix Espargaro at Turn 4. Smith also receives a penalty point for overtaking under yellow flags in the wake of the Marquez incident. The collision between Iannone and Pedrosa will be reviewed by Race Direction in Sepang as Iannone is still undergoing treatment after his crash.

With his win, Rossi now holds second place in the points, eight ahead of Lorenzo. Pedrosa is in fourth, 25 behind Rossi.

The series now heads directly to Sepang for the Malaysian Grand Prix.

2014 Phillip Island MotoGP Results:

2014 MotoGP Point Standings: