Vinales scores runaway PI victory

Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha) has produced a sublime front-running performance to win a dramatic 27-lap MotoGP race at the Michelin Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix 2018.

Vinales’ fifth MotoGP™ victory, and his first since the third round of 2017, came after hitting the lead on lap eight and then breaking clear of the pack with a succession of searing lap times.

After extending his lead out to about four seconds, Vinales then went into race management mode for the last few laps, crossing the finish line 1.543 seconds clear of Ecstar Suzuki’s Andrea Iannone. Vinales’ triumph also broke Yamaha’s longest-ever losing drought of 25 races.

"This is the best feeling ever, honestly! We've been in the dark all year, and suddenly we came into the light! I couldn't show my potential in the previous races, but today I could,” said Vinales.

“Being first in Australia is always amazing! It's the best track ever, and I like to be at the front there.

"I tried to escape as far as I could, because I knew my tyre wasn't going to last until the end. I knew opening that gap would be difficult, I had some moments with some riders, and some shaking on the bike – I was struggling, but I still made it through anyway.”

Iannone just held off a late charge from Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), while Alvaro Bautista produced a superb performance to finish in fourth place on the second Ducati Team machine as a replacement for the injured Jorge Lorenzo.

“I’m really happy, especially as we were at the top almost all weekend long, and this gives us a lot of positivity,” said Iannone. “We worked together on improving my feeling with the bike and it meant I was able to finish really close to the top.

“I felt able to win but it was a hard fight with the others and I was losing ground with them. When I managed to overtake them and keep them behind I realised I couldn’t catch Viñales, so I just tried to defend and manage the tyres. At the end I pushed at 100 per cent to make sure I could get second place.”

Australia’s Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Ducati), who led briefly on lap one, was seventh, behind Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) and Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha), while world champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) failed to finish after Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) ran into the back of him at turn one on lap six.

JACK MILLER's TAKE ON AUSTRALIAN GP

Zarco crashed, fortunately unhurt, while Marquez limped back to the pits but couldn’t continue after too much damage to the rear end of his factory Honda.

By that time, Vinales was slicing his way through the pack after a slow start from the front row of the grid, and within three laps he was in the lead and showing his rivals a clean pair of heels.

Behind Miller, Franco Morbidelli (Marc VDS Honda) scored his best result of the year in eighth, a second in front of Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) who took their dice down to the wire.

Smith’s teammate Pol Espargaro was a retirement, while Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) – in his Phillip Island swansong – and Malaysian Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) also hit the deck.

Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing Ducati) ran off the circuit on lap one, but fought his way back from last position to finish in 12th.

Australia’s second rider, Mike Jones (Angel Nieto Ducati), was 18th.

For full results, click here.

With two rounds remaining in the 2018 MotoGP title, Marquez remains on 296pts, ahead of Dovizioso (210), Rossi (196), Vinales (180) and the injured Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol, 148). Miler is in 13th position on 83pts.

The penultimate round will be held at Sepang in Malaysia from November 2-4.