Image: Russell Colvin.

A battered and bruised Fabio Quartararo endured a luckless weekend at Phillip Island’s Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, the rookie’s weekend coming to an end on lap one when he was taken down by an airborne Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team).

The Petronas Yamaha SRT rider was hospitalised on Friday after a high-speed crash, however was later declared fit to ride from Saturday.

The Frenchman qualified strongly on the front row, although his hopes of challenging for another podium were short-lived after making an error on lap one, which was only worsened when Petrucci crashed violently behind him, taking down the number 20 in the process.

“It was a tough weekend, with a big crash on Friday and a crash on Sunday,” Quartararo commented. “This morning we were able to do something incredible, taking part in my first MotoGP Q1 then going through to the front row. That was a really nice start to the day.

“In the race, if Petrucci hadn’t hit me I would probably have run onto the grass and lost a lot of positions anyway, but it’s still my rookie year and I’ll learn from it. I’ll now take the opportunity to rest and recuperate as much as possible before the next race in Sepang where I want to reward the circuit and Petronas with a strong performance.”

Despite the DNF, Quartararo sits sixth in the standings as the championship visits Sepang this weekend for the penultimate round of the series.

Image: Supplied.

It was an uplifting return to the MotoGP World Championship for Johann Zarco at Phillip Island after previously being benched by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, the Frenchman finishing inside the points on debut aboard the LCR Honda RC213V.

Zarco initially had his two-year deal cut short with KTM after struggling to adapt to the RC16, however he was later stood down by the team for the season-remainder. With Takaaki Nakagami sidelined due to shoulder surgery, the former podium contender was granted a three-race opportunity with the Honda outfit.

The number five was forced to make his maiden outing on the Honda in challenging conditions, with Saturday’s qualifying postponed to Sunday due to dangerous winds, where he eventually qualified in P14.

The 27-lap encounter saw Zarco engage in a battle with former teammate Pol Esparagaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), closing out the race in 13th position.

“The race was great,” Zarco stated. “I chose the soft rear because that was the only tyre I used all weekend and it would have been a shame to have no feeling during the race. At the start I had a good fight with many riders, overtaking them and them overtaking me, and then it was quite funny that the rider I was battling with for most of the race was KTM’s Pol Espargaro.

“We had a good fight, every time I thought I could get past him and move on to the group ahead, he attacked me again and we lost some time. I tried to beat him, but he did a good last lap and came out of the last corner better than me. I finished 13th which is ok, it was good to come back and it’s always a tough race here at Phillip Island.”

Zarco has just two more chances to race aboard the Honda, as the MotoGP World Championship heads to Sepang this weekend for the penultimate round.

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Maverick Vinales says his last lap crash while challenging Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) at Phillip Island may have been his own mistake, however the Spaniard is still in high spirits after his performance.

The Monster Energy Yamaha rider had dominated the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix until that point, topping every session – including qualifying – while also leading into the final laps of Sunday’s encounter, although a crafty manoeuvre by Marquez as they entered the final lap saw him relinquish the top spot.

Vinales fought back and looked to regain the lead in the dying moments, however he suddenly crashed heading into turn 10, ruling him out of the race altogether.

“I started the last lap much tighter to the curb to have the chance, if Marc would overtake at the last moment, to brake later,” Vinales explained. “But he overtook me before the finish line. Then I was planning to push to the maximum in sector 3 to overtake in Turn 10, and that’s what I did.

“So, before I crashed, I was ready to go in without braking to see what would happen, but I locked the rear. Maybe I made a mistake, I don’t know, and then I just fell down on the other side. Today was a race to win, not to be second. I had the chance, so I tried.

“Anyway, for me it was a very positive race, I crashed but I was satisfied. I gave my best on every lap and the bike was working in a really good way.”

Vinales hangs onto fourth in the championship standings as the series heads to Sepang this weekend for the penultimate round of MotoGP.

Image: Russell Colvin.

A sixth-place finish came as a positive result for ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team’s Remy Gardner in his home round of the Moto2 World Championship, overcoming a difficult start to the weekend in a determined ride.

Gardner crashed heavily in Friday practice at the Pramac Generac Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, but managed to bounce back on race-day Sunday for a good haul of points in a confidence-inspiring ride.

A clash between Iker Lecuona, Luca Marini and Marco Bezzechi into turn four on the opening lap split the field and then a late attack from Lecuona on Gardner cost the Australian any chance of challenging for a top-five result. Still, it was a positive outcome for the 21-year-old.

“I can’t be completely disappointed with the result,” Gardner reflected post-race. “It could have easily ended up worse, but I mean the first lap incident really spread out the whole group and we lost a lot of time there. I was pushing my heart out trying to catch, once I got part Marquez and all of them, but there was already a gap, unfortunately.

“That’s what happens when you start down the back and why I was so frustrated yesterday, but this weekend I couldn’t catch them. If I was there, 100 per cent I could sit in their draft and be able to fight for a podium spot, but the cards didn’t go my way – that’s racing.”

“Sixth it is and, you know, at least I finished the race [laughs],” he added. “This is a good building block, so we just need to keep working because we’re sort of back to where we’re supposed to be.”

As a result of his P6 finish at Phillip Island today, Gardner now sits 13th position in the world championship rankings with two rounds remaining. Today marked his best result since scoring fourth and Silverstone’s British Grand Prix back in August.

Image: Supplied.

Australia’s Jack Miller will wear a special one-off livery for today’s Pramac Generac Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, unveiled by the Pramac Racing team at Phillip Island on Sunday morning.

Miller will start out of ninth position in this afternoon’s MotoGP affair at Phillip Island, the 24-year-old sporting an eye-catching Australian theme aboard his Ducati GP19 for his home grand prix.

It’s a major weekend for the Pramac brand, featuring as title sponsor of the Australian round and also fielding Miller alongside rookie teammate Francesco Bagnaia – who qualified in P15 this morning – on the premier class grid.