MotoGP Australian GP: Raul Fernandez scores underdog win, Ma...

Raul Fernandez dominated the Australian Grand Prix to score his maiden MotoGP victory, as pre-race favourite Marco Bezzecchi salvaged a podium finish after his penalty.

Trackhouse rider Fernandez emerged on top in an early battle with Pedro Acosta and then capitalised on Bezzecchi’s double long lap penalty to take the chequered flag with a 1.4s at Phillip Island.

VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio led Ducati’s charge in second, with Alex Marquez completing the podium spots on a Gresini GP24.

At the start of the race, Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo made another poor launch from pole position, allowing Bezzecchi and Fernandez to establish a 1-2 for Aprilia, with Pedro Acosta also getting through to grab third.

As expected, Bezzecchi turned up the wick to pull out an early advantage, aware he had to serve a double long lap penalty for crashing into Ducati’s Marc Marquez at the Indonesian Grand Prix.

The Italian took the long loop for the first time on lap 5, slotting into third behind the battling Fernandez and Acosta. Serving the long lap penalty cost him more track positions, leaving him in sixth place and almost four seconds off the race lead.

With Bezzecchi virtually out of contention, Fernandez began eking out his advantage at the front, putting 1.5s between him and his nearest rival Acosta.

Acosta upped the pace on lap 12 to put Fernandez under pressure, but the Trackhouse rider quickly responded and extended his advantage to over two seconds.

Fernandez wouldn’t be threatened thereafter, scoring a maiden win for MotoGP’s newest team, as well as the second for Aprilia in 2025.

While the Spaniard’s victory was already certain by the halfway point, the other two spots on the podium wouldn’t be decided until late in the race.

Acosta, who had briefly run ahead of Fernandez early in the race, was forced to turn his attention to Alex Marquez, who had already shot up to third after starting the race from sixth on the grid.