MotoGP™: Rins fights back from 10th to steal Australia laurels!

Alex Rins (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) scored a sensational victory at the Animoca Brands Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, Round 18 of the 2022 MotoGP^TM World Championship. The Suzuki rider started from the middle of the grid but was able to count on the grip and consistency of his MICHELIN Power Slicks on his way to beating Marc Márquez (2nd, Repsol Honda Team). Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) made it three different bikemakers on the Phillip Island podium in a further example of the exceptional versatility the MICHELIN Power range has provided all season.  

The long trip to Australia delivered a spectacular race in dry but cool conditions that permitted a fast pace and plenty of overtaking, from lights out all the way to the checkered flag. The different tire combinations selected for the grand prix contributed to the second-closest top-10 in MotoGPTM history, with Rins clinching victory on the final lap!

Having qualified 10th, the Suzuki rider made a last-minute switch on the grid to medium and hard MICHELIN Powers front and rear that gave him the confidence he needed to stage a thrilling comeback.

By the 11th of the afternoon’s 27 laps, he had fought his way to second spot, emerging as a surprise challenger for the win. Third into the last lap, he succeeded in passing the then leader Bagnaia and Márquez to earn his first success of the campaign. He is the year’s seventh different victor, while Suzuki is the fifth different manufacturer to have claimed a grand prix.

Márquez (hard/soft MICHELIN Powers front and rear) came second to celebrate the 100th podium-finish of his career in motorcycle racing’s premier class.

Bagnaia took third place to boost his title chances, followed by Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) who bagged fourth to make sure of the season’s Rookie of the Year prize.

Enea Bastianini (Gresini MotoGP), Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) rounded out the top seven.

Michelin’s tires helped both Márquez and Martin to beat the track lap-record in qualifying, with the latter securing pole position thanks to a time that bettered the previous benchmark – posted by Jorge Lorenzo in 2013 – by 0.132s. All three rear tire-specs were chosen for the race, but Márquez was the only rider to opt for the soft rear. “It proved strong – a good choice,” he declared afterwards. “I loved the race. The last laps were incredible and there was lots of overtaking.”

Bagnaia (233 points) now tops the provisional Riders’ standings, respectively 14 and 27 points clear of Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who failed to finish at Phillip Island, and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing).

Next round: Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia, Sepang International Circuit (October 21-23).