Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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MOTOGP FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 17 / OCTOBER 25-27, 2019 PHILLIP ISL AND CIRCUIT / PHILLIP ISL AND, AUSTRALIA P70 laps over the line than anyone else in a huge front pack, including the one that mattered most. There are parts of Phillip Island where the pack had to go into single file, but the finish line is not one, and they were almost three abreast behind the winner, his Leopard Honda teammate Mar- cos Ramirez ghosting through to take second, and last year's win- ner Albert Arenas (Gaviota KTM) third, with Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Honda) inches behind in fourth. The top three were over the line within 0.088 of a second; the top four in 0.126, and the top 10 in 1.635. The Italian's triumph came at the expense of his strongest title rival, and frequent leader on points, Aron Canet. The Steril- garda KTM rider had a fourth zero score in the last five races, this time though his own error—walk- ing disconsolately away from a very fast crash on the third of 23 laps. The lead group was huge throughout, with several different leaders at different points on the track, changing at every overtak- ing opportunity. They included Darryn Binder (Green Power KTM), Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Honda), Romano Fenati and Tony Arbolino (both Snipers Honda), Ramirez, Arenas and Alonso Lo- pez (EG Honda), the last-named before serving two long-lap penal- ties, the first for bumping Filip succumbed to Lorenzo Baldas- sarri (Flexbox HP40 Kalex), who had worked his way through from 10th on lap one. Next up was Lecuona, who was ahead of Baldassarri from laps 18 to 22. On the final couple of laps, Gardner fought back, and was on Baldassari's tail at the finish, and half a second ahead of Lecu- ona. Then came Alex Marquez, finally ahead again of Stefano Manzi's MV Agusta, himself hav- ing regained ninth from Tatsuta Nagashima (ONEXOX Kalex). With 50 points available, Marquez's lead of 28 is far from comfortable, with three other riders still in with at least a theoretical chance. Best placed are Luthi, with 214 points to Marquez's 242, and Binder (209) then Navarro (199). Moto3 Lorenzo Dalla Porta won the race and the championship in a fraught first race of the day, leading more Tools Speed Up). Binder led off the line, Martin gained second place on the first lap, and held it safely throughout. His only question was whether Martin would attack. "I'd do what I thought was a perfect lap, and the pit board would say 'Plus 0.2, 0.4, 0.3.' He kept me honest all the way," grinned Binder, whose other concern was a slide on the final laps as a few spots of rain appeared. Martin, however, was happy to take a second podium in succes- sion and his best finish in his new class. "I knew Brad had the pace to win," he said. The pair had gradually out- paced first pole qualifier Jorge Navarro (Beta Tools Speed Up), and then new third-placer Thomas Luthi (Dynavolt Kalex), who passed Navarro before half distance. In the early laps Australian Remy Gardner headed the gang, but soon after half distance he The same weekend he signed for Red Bull KTM against the big boys in MotoGP, Brad Binder (41) made it look easy in Moto2.