VOLUME 56 ISSUE 43 OCTOBER 29, 2019 P67
(Below) Bagnaia (63) had his
best MotoGP ride to fourth.
ROSSI'S 400TH
The winningest rider in the
MotoGP class, Valentino Rossi,
made another entry into the
record books in Australia. The
race was his 400th start, 72
more than any other rider in his-
tory. His first GP was in Malaysia
in 1996; his first win was at Brno
later that year. But will 2020 be
his last? He could not say if he
would seek another contract
extension, but nor did he rule
it out. "When you have good
results, it is easy," he said. "But
when the results are difficult,
then maybe you have more moti-
vation [to continue]."
BAD BOY LOWES
Moto2 rider Sam Lowes was
shame-faced after a rush of
blood to the head triggered a
dangerous out-of-character at-
tack on another rider in FP2 on
Friday—and he was punished by
a back-of-the-grid start. The Brit-
ish Gresini-team Kalex rider was
on a fast lap at the end of the
session when he came up be-
hind Jesko Raffin's NTS through
the fast final corners, spoiling
his crucial run onto the front
straight. In retaliation, he pulled
alongside and then swerved into
his rival's bike past the pits, then
turning around to gesticulate
angrily. According to the FIM
Stewards' sanction, he was "rid-
ing in an irresponsible manner,
deliberately causing contact with
another rider, thereby endanger-
ing both."
MIGUEL'S
MONSTER MASH
After barely half the MotoGP field
had ventured out in the windy
morning FP3, the later FP4
session was red flagged shortly
after Tech3 KTM rider Miguel
Oliveira was blown off course,
sending him into a wild ride
across the grass at the end of
the main straight, where 1000cc
MotoGP bikes routinely hit 210
mph. Oliveira was hit by a gust
as Johann Zarco's Honda came
by, and as he started to brake
for the daunting first corner, and
was blown right over the edge
onto the grass verge. He battled
to maintain control, but eventu-
ally fell, tumbling and rolling
violently to a stop. Amazingly he
was not seriously injured, but
was out of Sunday's race due to
painful hand injuries.
Briefly...
leading the private Ducatis
of Miller and Pecco Bagnaia
forward.
It would all change several
times, Rookie Bagnaia led the
group from laps 20 to 23; Dovi
was pushed wide at the hairpin
on the last lap.
Miller did it all best, then
Bagnaia and Joan Mir (Ecstar
Suzuki), fourth and fifth—the
best yet for both class rookies.
Iannone was sixth, his best
Aprilia finish, then Dovi, Rossi,
Rins and Aleix Espargaro
(Aprilia), third to 10th still inside
two seconds.
Franco Morbidelli (Petronas
Yamaha was a distant 11th, then
