MotoGP: Marc Marquez wins in Australia as Jorge Martin stretches overall lead

Six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez overcame a poor start to win the Australian Grand Prix, beating championship leader Jorge Martin into second place.

Italy’s defending champion Francesco Bagnaia moved up from fifth on the grid to finish third but lost ground on Pramac Racing’s Martin in his quest for a third successive title.

Martin, 26, who claimed victory in Saturday’s sprint race, stretched his overall lead to 20 points over Ducati rider Bagnaia with three race weekends remaining.

It was Marquez, however, who took the spoils at Victoria’s Phillip Island circuit, despite falling from second on the grid to outside the top 10 after a tear-off from his own visor got stuck under his back tyre at the start.

“I don’t know where I was in the first corner but I overtook many riders and I thought that one time was impossible to catch Martin,” said the 31-year-old, who remains third in the overall standings after completing his third win of the season.

“Then in lap five or six I started to get the rhythm and it was more calm, it was a bit stressful but I’m super happy.”

Martin looked set to increase his championship lead even further after making a perfect start from pole and leading for much of the 27-lap race, but after being caught by Marquez in the closing stages the two riders swapped places a number of times in the final moments before the Gresini Racing rider finally came out on top.

Racing now moves on to the Thailand Grand Prix, which takes place at the Chang International Circuit on Saturday and Sunday, 26-27 October.

Australian Grand Prix results

1. Marc Marquez (Spa/Gresini Racing) 39mins 47.702secs

2. Jorge Martin (Spa/Pramac Racing) +0.997secs

3. Francesco Bagnaia (Ita/Ducati) +10.100

4. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ita/Ducati) +12.997

5. Enea Bastianini (Ita/Ducati) +13.310

Overall standings

1. Jorge Martin (Spa/Pramac Racing) 424 points

2. Francesco Bagnaia (Ita/Ducati) 404

3. Marc Marquez (Spa/Gresini Racing) 345

4. Enea Bastianini (Ita/Ducati) 331

5. Brad Binder (SA/KTM) 192