3rd for Espargaro in Australian Grand Prix free practice as weather causes qualification cancellation

The seventeenth round of MotoGP visited the scenic, fast and spectacular circuit of Phillip Island in southern Australia and a typically changeable climate played havoc with the Practice and Qualification schedule. Strong, cold gusts of wind proved to be a difficult and even hazardous obstacle, causing Miguel Oliveira’s fast FP4 crash at Doohan Corner. The track timetable was also interrupted by bouts of rain.

Pol Espargaro moved up the standings after a challenging and damp outing on Friday. He found the speed to register the 3rd fastest time on his KTM RC16 in Free Practice 3 and then repeated the standing in FP4 until the session was red-flagged with just over ten minutes remaining. Oliveira had set the 10th fastest lap before his spill and the Portuguese was lucky to escape unharmed. Mika Kallio rode to 14th in FP4 while Hafizh Syahrin was 21st with just two attempts at a fast circulation.  

MotoGP will enter warm-up and then a Q1 and Q2 programme before the races on Sunday. Espargaro, Oliveira and Kallio improved their positions but the lap-times were slower than the dry FP2 session on Friday so all four Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Red Bull KTM Tech3 riders will have to tackle the Q1 run starting at 01.20 CET.
Moto2 & Moto3

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Brad Binder came through a disrupted Moto2 Qualification process to secure 2nd place on the grid with his KTM RC12. The South African was just three tenths of a second behind Jorge Navarro when Q2 ended. Four KTMs breached the top ten with Jorge Martin in 5th, Marco Bezzecchi in 9th spot and Iker Lecuona in 10th. In Moto3 Aron Canet and Albert Arenas will both set off for the 23 lap race on Sunday morning from the first row of the grid as they fill 2nd and 3rd positions respectively behind Pole-sitter Marcos Ramirez. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Can Öncü made Q2 and will fill 16.

Races: October 27th, 2019 – Moto3 02.00 | Moto2 03.20 | MotoGP 05.00 CET

Results FP4 MotoGP Phillip Island 2019

1. Marc Marquez (ESP), Honda 1:31.185
2. Maverick Viñales (ESP), Yamaha +0.351
3. Pol Espargaro (ESP), Red Bull KTM +0.762
4. Alex Rins (ESP) Suzuki +0.929
5. Franco Morbidelli (ITA), Yamaha +0.931
6. Miguel Oliveira (POR), Red Bull KTM Tech3 +1.677
7. Mika Kallio (FIN), Red Bull KTM +1.911
8. Hafizh Syahrin (MYS), Red Bull KTM Tech3 +4.957

Results Qualifying Moto2 Phillip Island 2019

1. Jorge Navarro (ESP) Speed Up 1:33.565
2. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.321
3. Luca Marini (ITA) Kalex +0.369
4. Jorge Martin (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.376

Results Qualifying Moto3 Phillip Island 2019

1. Marcos Ramirez (ESP) Honda 1:38.976
2. Aron Canet (ESP) KTM +0.184
3. Albert Arenas (ESP) KTM +0.268
4. Can Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo +2.465