Australia MotoGP: Marquez wins after last-lap Vinales crash
Reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez was victorious in the Australian Grand Prix as long-time race leader Maverick Vinales crashed out on the last lap.

Both riders started from the front row but had slow getaways, meaning it was Valentino Rossi in the lead on his 400th GP start with Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Iannone forming an unusual top three behind the Yamaha rider.
Fabio Quartararo's attempts to score a maiden MotoGP victory ended after just two corners when he went wide at Southern Loop and was at the exact wrong spot to be hit by the high-siding Danilo Petrucci behind him.
Rossi's lead lasted for three laps before Crutchlow took over, and the Yamaha man lost several positions in quick succession, dropping as low as seventh.
Iannone put his Aprilia in the lead with a Turn 10 move, but Crutchlow slipstreamed past him on the main straight.
The Briton cemented his lead for the next few laps while Iannone duelled with Marquez before Vinales, recovering from a slow start, overtook both in quick succession, and also passed Crutchlow at Turn 4 on lap 10.
To stay with Vinales, Marquez barged past Crutchlow at Lukey Heights, and top two quickly pulled away from the rest, the duo in a class of their own.
Marquez shadowed Vinales for the remaining 17 laps of the race, the gap between the duo less than a tenth in the last seven times they crossed the line, but the Honda rider waited until the last lap to make his move.
He slipstreamed past Vinales on the main straight and held off Vinales at Turn 4, where the Yamaha man had passed Crutchlow.
Vinales lined up a move for Turn 10, where his earlier move on Marquez took place, but he crashed as he exited Lukey Heights and Marquez took the chequered flag on his own.
He scored his 11th win of the season and his fifth in a row, surpassing 500cc legend Mick Doohan to become Honda's most successful premier-class rider in terms of wins.
Crutchlow inherited second to form a Honda 1-2, his best result of 2019, 11.4s behind Marquez.
Vinales's crash gifted Jack Miller a podium finish on home soil as he beat his Pramac teammate Francesco Bagnaia by half a tenth.
Bagnaia, like fellow rookie Joan Mir behind him, celebrated the best result of his rookie season.
Iannone faded after his early-race heroics but still secured sixth, beating Andrea Dovizioso's Ducati by just 0.014s, as Rossi ended up eighth.
Alex Rins was a disappointing ninth despite running fourth at one point while the top 10 was completed by the second Aprilia of Aleix Espargaro.
Johann Zarco finished 13th on his debut with LCR Honda while Jorge Lorenzo finished dead last in 16th, over a minute behind Marquez.
Tito Rabat and Mika Kallio both failed to finish the race.
Cla | Rider | Bike | Laps | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | | Honda | 27 | - |
2 | | Honda | 27 | 11.413 |
3 | | Ducati | 27 | 14.499 |
4 | | Ducati | 27 | 14.554 |
5 | | Suzuki | 27 | 14.817 |
6 | | Aprilia | 27 | 15.280 |
7 | | Ducati | 27 | 15.294 |
8 | | Yamaha | 27 | 15.841 |
9 | | Suzuki | 27 | 16.032 |
10 | | Aprilia | 27 | 16.590 |
11 | | Yamaha | 27 | 24.145 |
12 | | KTM | 27 | 26.654 |
13 | | Honda | 27 | 26.758 |
14 | | Ducati | 27 | 44.912 |
15 | | KTM | 27 | 44.968 |
16 | | Honda | 27 | 01'06.045 |
| Yamaha | 26 | 1 lap | |
| KTM | 24 | 3 laps | |
| Ducati | 3 | 24 laps | |
| Yamaha | 0 | 27 laps | |
| Ducati | 0 | 27 laps | |
View full results |

Previous article
Australian GP - the race as it happened
Next article
Vinales would "rather end up on the ground than second"

About this article
Series | MotoGP |
Event | Australian GP |
Sub-event | Race |
Author | David Gruz |
Australia MotoGP: Marquez wins after last-lap Vinales crash
Trending
Repsol Honda Team - Pol Espargaró Q&A
Repsol Honda Team - Marc Marquez Q&A
Why Alex Marquez doesn't care about 'shutting up' MotoGP critics
Alex Marquez's form was one of MotoGP 2020's biggest surprises and, by firmly stepping out of his six-time world champion brother Marc's shadow, he proved a few people wrong. Not that he cares about this, as he tells Lewis Duncan
How Yamaha's new MotoGP era can unchain Vinales
After the electrifying start to his Yamaha MotoGP career in 2017, Maverick Vinales has struggled for consistency. Many anticipate that the arrival of Fabio Quartararo could spell disaster, but the departure of Valentino Rossi could be just the impetus he needs.
Does KTM really need 'super engine' for MotoGP title challenge?
Fears from rival MotoGP manufacturers that KTM would build a 'super engine' for 2021 have ultimately come to nothing with the revealation that the RC16 hasn't been radically changed over the winter. But does it really need that to win the title?
How Ducati's latest Aussie union can return it to MotoGP glory
Australians on Ducatis is an iconic partnership, the marque's last one yielding its sole MotoGP crown to date. But its latest Aussie union with the often underestimated Jack Miller can end this drought.
The "balls out" battle between MotoGP's true greats
Senna vs Prost is regularly cited as motorsport's greatest rivalry. But it can easily be argued Rainey vs Schwantz can stake that claim. That rivalry was in full swing during the 1991 500cc season, remembered fondly by both stars 30 years on...
The "warrior" MotoGP rookie KTM was right to back
The 2020 MotoGP campaign featured a standout pair of rookies, but one flew under the radar as he adjusted to a shock step-up armed with very little racing experience. However as his veteran team boss explains, the faith shown in him was not misplaced
Why Suzuki's Brivio replacement must come from within
With its charismatic leader Davide Brivio leaving for Formula 1, the Suzuki MotoGP squad he turned into a world championship-winning force in 2020 has a major recruitment headache that it needs to resolve carefully.
Why Alpine's latest signing could be its best hope of F1 glory
The return of Fernando Alonso to the renamed Alpine team is a sure sign of the team's ambition. But its latest appointment from MotoGP could be an even bigger coup as it seeks to end a barren run stretching back to Alonso's 2006 world title