The sky was blue, and the track was dry at the Phillip Island race circuit where racers readied themselves for the first Australian MotoGP since 2019.
The action began on Saturday in the qualification stages as Spaniard, Jorge Martin gained pole position with a Phillip Island record-breaking time of 1’27.767s.
However, the standout moment from the day was the emotional unveiling of the ‘Miller Corner’ which has been renamed after Aussie motorcycle star, Jack Miller. He will now join the likes of Wayne Gardner, Mick Doohan and Casey Stoner, who all have corners named after them at the iconic Australian venue.
On race day, 40 000 fans returned to Phillip Island eagerly anticipating a good race. And it didn’t disappoint. Within the first three laps, reigning champion Fabio Quartararo made the poor mistake of drifting off onto the outside track, causing him to fall back 16 places.
A few laps later, a lowside crash ended Quartararo’s race and threw a spanner into his 2022 Championship plans. Prior to the race, Quartararo sat in first place on the 2022 MotoGP standings, with a two-point lead over Francesco Bagnaia.
In the 8th lap, heartbreak echoed across the nation as Jack Miller crashed out following a collision with Alex Marquez. The Aussie was flying high in the first rounds, leading the pack with Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin.
Ultimately, it was Alex Marquez’s overambitious overtaking of Luca Marini which caused him to lose control and take out Jack Miller, ironically at the new Miller Corner. Thankfully neither of the racers were injured by the collision. The apologetic Marquez admitted to the mistake and will now face a long-lap penalty at the Malaysian MotoGP.
Miller, showing great sportsmanship, shook hands with Marquez following the race and accepted his apology. It was clear that there were no hard feelings between the two competitors, despite Miller’s 2022 MotoGP Championship hopes coming to an end.
All the laps until the last were fiercely battled by each racer and, in the end, there was only 0.884 seconds separating 1st and 7th. Standout performances from Alex Rins (Suzuki), Marc Marquez (Honda) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) earned them all podium finishes and paved the way for a race of the ages.
As Bagnaia was ahead for most of the race, it seemed inevitable that he would emerge victorious and sit in a comfortable lead against Quartararo in the MotoGP Championship.
However, the final lap was marked by sheer brilliance from Alex Rins who reminded all MotoGP fans what he is capable of. Rins maneuvered an overtake on Bagnaia and claimed a monumental departing victory for Suzuki as they exit from the MotoGP in 2023. In his emotional state, Rins dedicated the win to his team and Suzuki.
Marc Marquez also overtook Bagnaia in the final lap to get him a second-place finish. And it won’t be easily forgotten as it was his 100th MotoGP podium. The Spaniard couldn’t hide his excitement, celebrating with the crowd at the conclusion of the race.
Despite Bagnaia’s late decline, which caused him to take home third place, he was content with his performance and the outcome of the race. Bagnaia now has a 14-point advantage of Fabio Quartararo. No doubt the Ducati team has their mind set on the Malaysian GP where Bagnaia can solidify his place as 2022 MotoGP champion.
And the action didn’t stop there.
What’s the best way for three European racers to celebrate their podium finishes in Australia?
A shoey, of course.
Rins, Marquez and Bagnaia all took off their shoes, filled it with prosecco and drank victoriously. Whether it was a tribute to Jack Miller, or homage to this Great Southern Land, it was the perfect end to an extraordinary weekend.
The 2022 Australian MotoGP truly was worth the wait.
