How many twists in a sea-serpent’s tail? Not as many as in the last three laps of an epic 2015 Australian Grand Prix. Nor as many as there are in the tightest world championship battle for years.
With Phillip Island basking in sunshine and a crowd of more than 35,000, the MotoGP race was a four-way battle of wits and horsepower over 27 laps, culminating in what may have been the best lap of Marc Marquez’s life.
The Repsol Honda rider broke his Phillip Island duck in spectacular style, shutting down Movistar Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo’s six-tenths lead before they reached the top of Lukey Heights, then pouncing under brakes into the first-gear Turn Ten (the old MG Corner). It was the fastest lap of the race, and gave him his fifth win of the year by a quarter of a second.
Just behind, front-row starter Andrea Iannone used all his guts and all his factory Ducati’s considerable horsepower to get the better of championship leader Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) by inches. Rossi’s comment? “It’s a shame.”
Fourth to Lorenzo’s second meant he lost seven of the 18-points advantage he brought with him to the track.
The title has been in the balance for most of the year. Now with just two races left, it is all the more so. 2015 is speeding headlong toward a cliff-hanger.
Results: Phillip Island, Sunday, October 18, 2015
| Pos. | Points | Num. | Rider | Nation | Team | Bike | Km/h | Time/Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | 93 | Marc MARQUEZ | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 177.6 | 40’33.849 |
| 2 | 20 | 99 | Jorge LORENZO | SPA | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 177.6 | +0.249 |
| 3 | 16 | 29 | Andrea IANNONE | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 177.5 | +0.930 |
| 4 | 13 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 177.5 | +1.058 |
| 5 | 11 | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 177.2 | +5.0621 |
| 6 | 10 | 25 | Maverick VIÑALES | SPA | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | 177.1 | +6.800 |
| 7 | 9 | 35 | Cal CRUTCHLOW | GBR | LCR Honda | Honda | 176.9 | +9.375 |
| 8 | 8 | 44 | Pol ESPARGARO | SPA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 176.3 | +18.401 |
| 9 | 7 | 41 | Aleix ESPARGARO | SPA | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | 176.1 | +20.039 |
| 10 | 6 | 38 | Bradley SMITH | GBR | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 176.1 | +20.657 |
| 11 | 5 | 45 | Scott REDDING | GBR | EG 0,0 Marc VDS | Honda | 176.0 | +21.846 |
| 12 | 4 | 9 | Danilo PETRUCCI | ITA | Octo Pramac Racing | Ducati | 175.9 | +22.840 |
| 13 | 3 | 4 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 175.5 | +29.168 |
| 14 | 2 | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | SPA | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 174.9 | +37.244 |
| 15 | 1 | 43 | Jack MILLER | AUS | LCR Honda | Honda | 174.7 | +40.192 |
| 16 | 8 | Hector BARBERA | SPA | Avintia Racing | Ducati | 174.1 | +48.263 | |
| 17 | 68 | Yonny HERNANDEZ | COL | Octo Pramac Racing | Ducati | 174.1 | +48.572 | |
| 18 | 76 | Loris BAZ | FRA | Forward Racing | Yamaha Forward | 174.1 | +48.677 | |
| 19 | 50 | Eugene LAVERTY | IRL | Aspar MotoGP Team | Honda | 174.0 | +50.201 | |
| 20 | 63 | Mike DI MEGLIO | FRA | Avintia Racing | Ducati | 174.0 | +50.262 | |
| 21 | 6 | Stefan BRADL | GER | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 174.0 | +50.277 | |
| 22 | 24 | Toni ELIAS | SPA | Forward Racing | Yamaha Forward | 171.9 | +1’20.942 | |
| 23 | 13 | Anthony WEST | AUS | AB Motoracing | Honda | 171.7 | +1’23.454 | |
| Not Classified | ||||||||
| 69 | Nicky HAYDEN | USA | Aspar MotoGP Team | Honda | 173.5 | 18 Laps | ||
| 55 | Marc MARQUEZ | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 156.1 | 13 Laps | ||
| 76 | Loris BAZ | FRA | Forward Racing | Yamaha Forward | 132.6 | 18 Laps | ||
| 29 | Damian CUDLIN | AUS | E-Motion IodaRacing Team | ART | 107.8 | 18 Laps | ||