THE Phillip Island MotoGP track has had a few demons for riders with several crashes souring the day. The biggest name taken out was newly-crowned MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez. While he wasn’t dethroned, it was a lucky escape for Marquez despite his bike was taken out of commission. When competitor Johann Zarco spectacularly crashed out of the race after a Marquez move in front of him, his bike flipping up and slamming down on the back of Marquez’s bike, mangling his back seat and damaging his suspension. It was on the straight on lap six with the speeds at 280km/hr. Zarco slid off on his back but gave a thumbs up to show he was unhurt. Marquez now has the bizarre record now of failing to finish in Australia on three occasions after winning the world title in Japan (2014, 2016 and 2018). It was his first non-finish of the season, having won the last three races, but he refused to blame Zarco. “I feel very lucky. I will not complain because it was a racing incident,” he said in the pits. “The most important thing is that we are both okay. Luckily I won the championship last week, but unfortunately another non-finish for me at Phillip Island.” Marquez started from pole, and in dry conditions on the demanding and picturesque circuit he was super aggressive from the word go. Maverick Vinales powered to a dominant victory at the Australian MotoGP. The Spanish Yahama rider, who started second and took the lead after Marquez retired, scored his first win of the year, taking the chequered flag ahead of Andrea Iannone. Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso was third, strengthening his bid to finish runner-up in the world championship as his nearest rival, Valentino Rossi, could only manage sixth. “It feels amazing,” said Vinales. “I didn’t think I could win, but the bike was perfect. It means a lot to me, particularly in Australia because it’s a place I love to be.” The Moto3 race also had its share of spills including a spectacular crash between teammates. Marcos Ramierez caused the crash, sliding out with his teammate Jaume Masia hitting his bike at high speed. It wasn’t the only spill with Tony Arbolino and Dennis Foggia wiped each other out on the second last lap, while Marco Bezzecchi was taken out by Gabriel Rodrigo. The race was stunning however with less one second separating the first 14 riders. — with AFP<doc-sep>MotoGP champion Marc Marquez suffered his first DNF since last year's Silverstone round when he was clipped from behind by Johann Zarco in Sunday's Australian MotoGP. The pair were part of a typically close Phillip Island front group when their paths crossed in terrifying fashion as they hit the brakes at the end of the 200mph home straight, on lap 6 of 27. Miraculously, both riders escaped injury. Zarco slid and bounced all the way to turn one, his cartwheeling Yamaha fortunately missing the following riders. Marquez managed to keep control of his Honda, but was forced to retire due to the damage. "When I was on the bike, I didn't understand what happened and, honestly speaking, I was angry, because I felt some contact from the rear," Marquez said. "I wasn't able to continue because my seat was completely broken and was moving a lot. It was impossible to ride in a good way and if it broke completely, it would become very dangerous. "Then when I arrived in the box and I saw the video I understood what happened and it was completely a racing incident. "At that point in the track we arrive really fast. Miller was in front, I was the slipstream behind Miller, at over 300 km/h. I braked, even a little bit late, and I just tried to stop more, but then I felt the contact, because Zarco took the slipstream from two bikes. "Of course, you can say maybe he can consider this [slipstream], but it's a racing incident, I already spoke with him. I feel really lucky today because me and him are both OK so this is the most important thing." The other good news for Marquez is that the incident occurred in the race after he wrapped up the 2018 title. "Today I had the pace to win, I was concentrated, with more temperature normally our bike is working better, so I felt like we were able to fight for the victory," he said. "I led for 2 or 3 laps, and then I said, 'now it's time to be back in the group', and I went wide on purpose in Turn 4 just to be behind, because I don't want to lead the group. And then yeah, I had the crash. "But OK, unlucky here again, but if next year I can win the title again in Japan and crash again here, I would sign [for that]. No problem!" The high-speed nature of the Phillip Island circuit means such scary incidents are always a possibility, but Marquez admitted the danger is part of the thrill. "Most of the riders, if you ask which is your favorite circuit, which is your favorite corner? They will say a fast corner, or a fast circuit. Because we enjoy it more. But it becomes more dangerous. "Why? Because the speed is so high. A small mistake, for example today with Johann, becomes a big mistake, because the speed is double the other tracks. Yes, it's a very nice circuit, it's one of my favorites, but it's true that when you crash here, you [often] get injured." Marquez doesn't think any major safety changes are needed at the seaside circuit, but would like to see some of the grass next to the track replaced with asphalt. "The only thing I think is try to remove the natural grass. It's not necessary to do it for all the circuit, but minimum for example - Turn 1 is OK - but Turn 2, which is all natural grass and the last two corners, because if you do a small mistake, you have the extra run-off area of asphalt. "When the bikes go on the natural grass, they just start to fly. It's something we already removed from other circuits, and we must remove from here." While the DNF means nothing for Marquez in terms of the riders' title, the accident probably denied Honda the chance to wrap-up the constructors' crown and - with team-mate Dani Pedrosa also failing to score - Repsol Honda is now just 16 points clear of Movistar Yamaha in the teams' championship. Marquez will now chase his ninth win of the season next weekend at Sepang in Malaysia.<doc-sep>There was no rapid decline in lap speed early in the session, times hanging in the 1m31s for the first five minutes before Marquez led a charge into the 1m30s before the 10-minute mark. The World Champion's 1m30.581s was the initial benchmark, Marquez then improving to a 1m30.110s several minutes later. At that same point Turn 1 claimed its second victim of the weekend, Tech 3 Yamaha rider Hafizh Syahrin low-siding at high speed as he went to brake into the left-hander. The Malaysian was retrieved by safety crews, his session over on the spot as he was sent to the medical centre. With 25 minutes to go Marquez emerged from the garage with rear hard tyre, but didn't even get around his out-lap before hitting the deck at Turn 4. He was quickly back on his feet and back the garage after the low-speed tumble. While that was going on Andrea Iannone took over top spot, the Suzuki rider first into the 1m29s with a 1m29.867s. Vinales then got in on the act with 10 minutes to go, replacing Iannone with a 1m29.756s despite running a hard compound rear. With six minutes to go Valentino Rossi became the first rider in a Q2 spot to improve on his Friday time, giving himself some breathing space with a 1m29.974s. Jack Miller did likewise shortly afterwards, jumping to second on the FP3 leaderboard with a 1m29.792s, and with two minutes to go Marquez jumped back to the top of the session times with a 1m29.714s. Rossi did have one crack at top spot right at the flag, setting a quickest first sector before going straight on into the run-off at Turn 4. That secured top spot in the session for Marquez, who was left 0.04s clear of Vinales. With Miller, Iannone, and Rossi the only other riders in the 1m29s for the session, there was no change in the Q2 line-up. Iannone, Danilo Petrucci, Vinales and Andrea Dovizioso led the way on combined times, followed by Johann Zarco, Marquez, Miller, Rins and Rossi. Ironically Syahrin is the final man with an automatic Q2 berth, having inherited 10th on combined times after Cal Crutchlow was rubbed out of the race weekend thanks to his Turn 1 shunt yesterday. Session results:<doc-sep>
A SHOCKING crash took new MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez and Johann Zarco out of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix in the early stages at Phillip Island. A slow start from the front row men had dropped them back into the pack, and were fighting for third place at the time of the incident. Marquez appeared to move across on Zarco as they committed to their lines as they braked from top speed at Doohan Corner. Watch every round of the MotoGP LIVE with no ad-breaks during racing. SIGN UP TODAY! RESULTS: Click here for full results from the Australian GP, Phillip Island REPORT: Vinales snaps Yamaha’s record winless streak in Australian GP SUPPORTS: Just 0.1 covers the first five riders in Moto3 thriller Replays showed Zarco’s front wheel making contact with the rear wheel of the orange and white Honda at around 280 km/h, the impact firing the black Yamaha up into the air and flicking its French rider onto the grass. Remarkably, neither rider was hurt, while Andrea Iannone behind them was lucky not to wear the flying Yamaha as it pinwheeled through the air. The view of the crash from Andrea Iannone’s on-board camera. Source: FOX SPORTS “The body is okay, a little bit of pain on the left but I’m okay,” Zarco said. “I got a good last corner exit, then I went next to Marc. Then he got the slipstream of Jack; he went to the side of Jack and then I got the slipstream of Jack. “I arrived very fast at the first corner and Marquez did not want to overtake him, so he braked not too far and went on the left side - and I was there. “I could not slow down even more; maybe I should have braked earlier but it was a bit complicated. “So I touched his rear wheel and I totally flew away. “It was a high-speed crash. I’m happy I stayed in the grass as long as I was sliding on my back, and in this way I could save my body.” Marquez limped his bike back to the pits but the damage was bad enough to force him to retire from the race. “I just feel very lucky, very lucky,” he said. “I was very close to having a high-side. “For me, I will not complain to Johann because it was a racing incident. In that speed at the end of the straight, the slipstream you feel a lot. “Maybe he take slipstream from me and Jack and it was too difficult to stop the bike. “The most important thing from this is that both riders are okay. “Luckily I already won the championship last week, but looks like again in Phillip Island I score zero points; this time not my fault, but happy both of us are okay.”