MotoGP: Johann Zarco finally wins after a dramatic last-lap battle

Johann Zarco is finally a MotoGP race winner after a dramatic last-lap

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Ducati) will start the Australian GP from pole position after setting a new lap record. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) joined the Spaniard on the front row. The Grand Prix will take place on a Saturday with high winds and rain expected on Sunday.

Jorge Martin took a gamble with tyre choice, opting for the soft rear, with most of the field on the medium. Just 18 points separating Martin and Bagnaia in a race which looked like tyre choice would be everything.

At the start of the race, Jorge Martin tried to bridge a gap in the opening laps in first position. Brad Binder followed behind in second with Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) fighting his way through the field.

Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP) eventually made his way inside the podium places after starting in sixth. Di Giannantonio continues to impress after it was announced that he would lose his ride next year.

Martin extended his gap to over two seconds from Binder with 18 laps remaining in the Grand Prix. Di Giannantonio was a further second behind as he defended his third place from the Championship leader.

Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Ducati) and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) battled for fifth position in the opening stages. Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) crashed out of the race at Miller Corner. Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) was the next faller of the race – also crashing at Miller Corner.

A four-rider group formed in the battle for second with Bagnaia, Zarco, Binder, and Di Giannantonio in the group. The group tried to work together and catch the race leader, Jorge Martin.

Marc Marquez began to drop back with the eight-time World Champion opting for the rear soft tyre. This was the first sign to the field that the soft tyre would be difficult to last until the end.

Fabio Di Giannantonio eventually caught and passed Brad Binder for second place and tried to close the gap. The gap was coming down every sector and every lap by three-tenths of a second. 

Martin’s tyre looked to have no grip, with four laps remaining with the Zarco making a lunge for second place. Zarco was catching every corner with the gap less than half a second from Martin.

It was a last-lap duel with Johann Zarco coming across the line to become a MotoGP race winner. Francesco Bagnaia and Fabio Di Giannantonio managed to pass Martin to claim a podium finish. Di Giannantonio claimed his best result and his first podium in the premier class.

Brad Binder passed Martin on the exit of the final corner; he claimed fourth position with Martin dropping to fifth. This means that Bagnaia’s lead is up to 27 points with Martin needing a great end to the season.

Marco Bezzecchi finished ahead of Jack Miller who finished down in seventh in his home Grand Prix. Aleix Espargaro rounded out the top eight with Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP)  in eighth in his return. Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) rounded out the top 10 in a great end to the race.

Image credit: Red Bull Media House