MOTOGP
FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 17 / OCTOBER 26-28, 2018
PHILLIP ISLAND / PHILLIP ISLAND, AUSTRALIA
P70
MotoGP
1. Maverick Vinales (Yam)
2. Andrea Iannone (Suz)
3. Andrea Dovizioso (Duc)
4. Alvaro Bautista (Duc)
5. Alex Rins (Suz)
Moto2
1. Brad Binder (KTM)
2. Joan Mir (Kalex)
3. Xavi Vierge (Kal)
4. Augusto Fernandez (Kal)
5. Luca Marin (Kal)
Moto3
1. Albert Areans (KTM)
2. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Hon)
3. Celestino Vietti (KTM)
4. Tatsuki Suzuki (Hon)
5. Jorge Martin (Hon)
With the pack running into
the fast corners six or eight
abreast, there were inevitably
some collisions. As well as
the early Bezzecchi/Rodrigo
tumble, Tony Arbolino and De-
nis Foggia fell together at Turn
Four; Lorenzo Dalla Porta alone
out of second. More worryingly,
Jaume Massa was taken out at
the very fast Turn Three (Stoner
Corner) by teammate Marcos
Ramirez, and was taken to hos-
pital with ankle injuries.
Frequent leader Darryn Bind-
er (Red Bull KTM) was 12th.
Martin now leads Bezzecchi
by 12 points, on 215 to Bezzec-
chi's 203; with Di Giannantonio
closing, on 195. CN
alongside, and up from 17th on
the grid, Del Conca Honda rider
Fabio Di Giannantonio. And a
sensational third to replacement
rider Celestino Vietti (SKY VR46
KTM), in only his second GP.
Importantly for the champion-
ship, Martin was fifth, behind
Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Honda);
but closest rival Marco Bez-
zecchi (Redox KTM) was in
tears in his pit box. He'd arrived
one point adrift of Martin, and
had been one of a number of
leaders… only to fall victim to
a mistake by another former
leader Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA
KTM). It was the second time in
three races that Bezzecchi has
been taken down by other rid-
ers while in line for big points.
The Moto3 race was complete chaos,
with one of the closest finishes in the
history of GP racing. Albert Arenas (75)
was the man who came out on top.
