In a weekend marked by adversities, only 18 riders will take the start at the Australian MotoGP Grand Prix, which will be held this Sunday at the iconic Phillip Island Circuit, near Melbourne. The race, which promises excitement, will have a significantly reduced starting grid due to injuries and illnesses that have left several competitors out.
In the front row, Ducati rider Marc Márquez achieves pole position, expanding his lead in the championship by 10 points after his victory in the sprint race held on Saturday. The veteran rider demonstrated his superiority in wet track conditions, setting a time that surpasses his rivals by nearly 1.5 seconds.
Next to him on the grid will be his brother, Álex Márquez, who will ride a Gresini Ducati, and Johann Zarco, representing LCR Honda, will complete the front row after an impressive advance from Q1.
Local rider Jack Miller will also make his final appearance at Phillip Island as a MotoGP rider, starting fourth with a special livery that highlights yellow and green colors on his Yamaha Pramac.
Following on the grid will be Pedro Acosta with the KTM, accompanied by Fabio di Giannantonio, who has achieved a good qualifying position, starting from sixth. In seventh position, Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi will lead the Italian brand’s representation in a weekend in which it will only have two riders.
Both Jorge Martín and Raúl Fernández will be absent from the race due to injuries. Martín has suffered a fracture in his arm during the sprint race, while Fernández has aggravated a finger injury during practice. Both absences leave Aprilia with only two representatives, Bezzecchi and Ai Ogura, who will start from the tenth position.
The situation becomes more complicated with the total absence of the Honda team, with Joan Mir affected by an illness and his teammate Luca Marini withdrawing after just two laps during practice due to a virus. The team will not participate in the race, leaving a significant void in the competition.
Additionally, other riders such as Fermín Aldeguer and Toprak Razgatlioglu will also not compete due to their injuries from earlier races, with Iker Lecuona and Augusto Fernández taking their respective places.
Complete Starting Grid – Australian Grand Prix 2026
| Position | Rider | # | Bike | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M. Márquez (Ducati Team) | 93 | Ducati | 1’34.203 |
| 2 | A. Márquez (Gresini Racing) | 73 | Ducati | +1.494 |
| 3 | J. Zarco (Team LCR) | 5 | Honda | +1.503 |
| 4 | J. Miller (Pramac Racing) | 43 | Yamaha | +1.781 |
| 5 | P. Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) | 37 | KTM | +2.297 |
| 6 | F. Di Giannantonio (Team VR46) | 49 | Ducati | +2.303 |
| 7 | M. Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing Team) | 72 | Aprilia | +2.317 |
| 8 | D. Moreira (Team LCR) | 11 | Honda | +3.681 |
| 9 | E. Bastianini (Tech 3) | 23 | KTM | +4.444 |
| 10 | A. Ogura (Trackhouse Racing Team) | 79 | Aprilia | +5.186 |
| 11 | B. Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) | 33 | KTM | +1.793 |
| 12 | I. Lecuona (Gresini Racing) | 27 | Ducati | +2.093 |
| 13 | M. Viñales (Tech 3) | 12 | KTM | +2.484 |
| 14 | F. Bagnaia (Ducati Team) | 63 | Ducati | +2.556 |
| 15 | A. Fernández (Pramac Racing) | 47 | Yamaha | +2.575 |
| 16 | A. Rins (Yamaha Factory Racing) | 42 | Yamaha | +2.708 |
| 17 | F. Quartararo (Yamaha Factory Racing) | 20 | Yamaha | +3.037 |
| 18 | F. Morbidelli (Team VR46) | 21 | Ducati | +3.701 |
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
SourceID: SRC_20fee211d0b2b29f2d9b13175292345fb7b37ad4