2019 Phillip Island MotoGP Results: Marquez Takes Win #11 in Australia

2019 Phillip Island MotoGP Results

When Marc Marquez clinched his eighth title in Thailand across all classes, four rounds remained.

The Repsol Honda RC213V pilot could have relaxed, but he showed no signs of slowing during the first of three back-to-back rounds last week at Motegi for the Japanese Grand Prix.

He dominated Motegi and carried that rhythm into Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island. There, Marquez was under constant pressure from Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Maverick Vinales.

But while battling for the lead on the final lap, Vinales crashed, allowing Marquez to claim his 11th win of 2019 MotoGP with zero pressure. This bumped LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow into second. The Brit finished 11.413 seconds behind. Taking the final podium position was Pramac Racing Ducati’s Jack Miller, who finished 14.400 seconds back.

Marquez began from third on the grid behind Petronas Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo and poleman Vinales. A nine-rider battle began, and Marquez was upfront battling with Vinales and Crutchlow.

Marquez would not get the lead until the last lap. Once out front, Vinales crashed while under pressure.

“It has been a crazy weekend with the weather and everything,” Marc Marquez says about the cancelation of practice and qualifying sessions due to high winds. “Maverick was very fast today, but I was able to follow him and start slowly cooking the victory.

“Viñales started to push very hard and very fast at the front, but I knew that if I could stay with him for four or five laps then the victory was possible. The Repsol Honda Team have done a great job with the limited track time we have had.

“We had to gamble a little bit with the soft rear tyre and it was on the limit in the end, but we were able to win! It’s really special to take this 55th win with Honda, I feel incredible with the Honda family and I’m excited to enjoy this moment with them and the team.”

With his victory, Marquez became the most successful Honda rider of all time. He passed Mick Doohan and now has 55 victories in the premier class, and 81 overall. He is fourth on the list of most overall GP wins across all classes:

• Giacomo Agostini, 122 wins
• Valentino Rossi, 115
• Angel Nieto, 90
• Marc Marquez, 81

Marquez needs just nine more podium finishes to equal Pedrosa’s record 112 premier class podiums on Honda machinery.

With two races still remaining in 2019, Marquez (375 points) is just nine points away from surpassing Jorge Lorenzo’s record 383 points from a single premier class season. The MotoGP Championship heads directly to Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia for the penultimate round.

2019 Phillip Island MotoGP Results

2019 MotoGP Point Standings (after 17 of 19 rounds)