After the deluge canceled FP1, the Australian Grand Prix race weekend at Phillip Island began only with Practice and in intense fashion for the MotoGP riders. At the start of the practice session, Jorge Martin, in contention for the championship, experienced a crash in turn 4. This turn, nicknamed “grass” due to the absence of a real green zone, crashed proves tricky for many drivers, and Martin was not the only one to pay the price. Shortly after, Jack Miller also fell in the same place. Turn 4 is feared for its sudden change of side of the tire, often colder, which causes loss of grip.
As the drivers tried to get back into rhythm, a red flag was waved by the marshals. The reason? The presence of a goose on the trail, an unusual but frequent situation on Phillip Island, where local wildlife is omnipresent. After a short break to ensure the safety of the drivers, the action resumed on the track, with Marc Marquez
dominating the session.
Pecco Bagnaiaalthough discreet at the start of the session, finally found his rhythm to place himself in the top 10, an imperative to remain competitive this weekend. But the session was not without incident, with several yellow flags reported, notably following the fall of Lorenzo Savadori. Pedro Acosta, Augusto Fernandezet Jack Miller
also fell at crucial times, disrupting their rhythm.
A memorable moment came when Jorge
Martin had to dodge a hare on the track, shaking his head after what could have been a dangerous incident. Despite these disruptions, Marc Marquez continued to dominate, whileAlex Marquez created a surprise by rising to second place, just behind his brother.
In the final minutes, several drivers tried to secure their place in the top 10, crucial to advance directly to Q2. Fabio Quartararo et
Pedro Acosta were ejected from this first part of the hierarchy, leaving room for competitors like
Marc
Marquez, Jorge Martin et Pecco Bagnaiawho were able to capitalize on these difficult conditions. This start to the weekend at Phillip Island promises an intense race with many twists and turns. So as not to miss anything, here is the program for this Saturday in Australia…
2024 MotoGP Australian GP Schedule
Saturday October 19
FP3 Moto3 23:30-00:00
FP3 Moto2 00:15-00:45
FP2 MotoGP 01:00-01:40
Q1 MotoGP 01:50-02:05
Q2 MotoGP 02:15-02:30
Q1 Moto3 03:50-04:05
Q2 Moto3 04:15-04:30
Q1 Moto2 04:45-05:00
Q2 Moto2 05:10-05:25
Sprint Race MotoGP 06:00
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