Spain’s Maverick Vinales made the most of an early retirement for world champion Marc Marquez yesterday with a victory in the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, bringing an end to Yamaha’s longest MotoGP winless streak.
The 23-year-old gave the Japanese brand a first victory in 26 races since last year’s Dutch TT at Assen, comfortably holding off a charging Andrea Iannone over the final couple of laps to take the checkered flag in 40 minutes, 51.081 seconds.
“It feels amazing. It’s been such a difficult year for me that I can’t believe I’ve won,” Vinales said.
Photo: AP
“The bike was perfect today,” he added. “When I crossed the line, there were tears in my eyes.”
Italian Iannone finished 1.543 seconds back to take second for Suzuki ahead of compatriot Andrea Dovizioso, who improved his chances of securing second place in the riders’ championship by finishing third on his Ducati.
Marquez, who sewed up his fifth MotoGP title with three races to spare in Japan last weekend, started on pole, but lasted only five of the 27 laps in the race.
Johann Zarco’s Tech3 Yamaha caught the back of the Spaniard’s Honda going into turn one and although the Frenchman escaped a nasty high-speed crash without serious injury, the damage to Marquez’s bike brought an end to his race.
Vinales had dropped from second to 10th on the opening lap, but worked his way back to the front. He gradually stretched his lead over the field to claim his fifth MotoGP win — a first since last year’s French Grand Prix.
His teammate, Valentino Rossi, Dovizioso’s main rival for second place in the riders’ championship, finished sixth behind Alvaro Bautista — who was standing in for three-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo on the factory Ducati — and Suzuki’s Alex Rins.
Seven-time world champion Rossi would head into the final two rounds in Malaysia and Valencia 15 points behind Dovizioso.
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