Phillip Island was prepared to host the last Australian GP for the moment, but the weather had other plans and “decided” to deprive us of our plans to take center stage. What could not help is that Saturday was tremendously immense and, perhaps, a turning point in the resolution of the championship.
And the time that we were able to enjoy the 2026 Australian GP left a marked path that changes the dynamics that we had seen to date. And for the first time this year we have been able to see a confrontation between Marc Márquez and Jorge Martín that, unfortunately, has had consequences beyond what is the definition of a race.
Jorge Vs Marc, the gift that Phillip Island left us
WHAT A FIGHT AT PHILLIP ISLAND 🤩
@88jorgemartin is trying everything but @marcmarquez93 still holds P1 🔥
#AustralianGP 🇦🇺 https://t.co/4D2bEO7bMR
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) October 24, 2026
Although the forecast called for rain for Saturday and it did, when it was time for the Sprint to start, the asphalt was dry. Starting from pole, Marc changed his usual caution in the first laps to try to keep Jorge Martín behind him. The Ducati rider, yes, did not seem to have as much pace as Martín at first glance and that helped the Madrid native to pass him and stay in first position.
That was, at least, what it seemed from afar because looking at the details we could see a much more aggressive Martín and in fight with his Aprilia RS-GP than Márquez, who took advantage of the Madrid native’s mistakes to regain first position. Of course, in the seven and a half laps that the Sprint Race lasted we were able to enjoy a recital by both that, unfortunately, ended early.
Phillip Island does not forgive and a small error in the line caused Martín to enter more open than normal in the next turn, turn eight, which ended up causing him to force the trajectory with an excess of inclination and the motorcycle somewhat broken and which resulted in a spectacular fall that ended, as would be confirmed hours later, with a clean fracture in the radius of his right arm.
NOOOOOOOOO 😢
Jorge Martín falls to the ground when fighting for victory with Marc Márquez
#AustralianGP 🇦🇺 #MotoGP 🏁 https://t.co/vtxu6Op67T
— DAZN Spain (@DAZN_ES) October 24, 2026
With Martín gone, Marc became more conservative, so much so that Álex reached his wheel although without launching the attack out of, as he would later admit, caution. Fabio Di Giannantonio achieved third place, completing a podium that, for the first time in a long time, was 100% Ducati.
Marco Bezzecchi finished fourth behind them, just over a second behind Marc and with a notable advantage over Pedro Acosta, who spent much of the race in no man’s land. Brad Binder, Jack Miller, Diogo Moreira and Iker Lecuona completed the top9 that gives the right to points in the Sprint.
Rain appeared and the last Australian GP at Phillip Island was canceled
If there was a truce on Saturday, there was not on Sunday. After confirming that Martín would not race due to the injury on Saturday and Fernández due to the one he sustained in Indonesia, the grid was reduced to only 18 riders in the absence of the two Honda Repsol Team riders.
But the most important absence was going to be that of Martín. Despite the rain, the window opened for Marc Márquez to be able to “pass on” a good handful of points and gain an advantage that would allow him to face the end of the season more calmly.
The problem was that the weather conditions not on Phillip Island itself, where they were not optimal, but on the air route to Melbourne did not allow the helicopter to fly if necessary. That was the non-negotiable reason that first caused the entire activity to be delayed and finally cancelled.
😎 @jackmilleraus ends his final lap around Phillip Island on a #MotoGP bike with a MASSIVE WHEELIE
#AustralianGP 🇦🇺 https://t.co/uMkYWl1Nze
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) October 25, 2026
The cancellation of the race left us without a spectacle, beyond two farewell laps, and although it was the correct decision, it may have greatly influenced the resolution of the title. We do not know if Marc would have finished the race or not and in what position, nor does Bezzecchi, but what we do know is that both finally added zero points and, therefore, the distance that both of them (above and below) separates the two from Martín was not modified at all.
Another question is whether the organization, knowing that Sunday had a worse prognosis than Saturday, should not have moved the main race to Saturday as happened a few years ago, sacrificing the Sprint, but what’s done is done.
The reason why the race was not held on Monday as planned in the regulations is also questioned, but the logistics of transporting the entire caravan and personnel to Malaysia on time did not allow it or not without major disruptions.
Now it’s time to think about the next GP, the Malaysian GP precisely, which is this weekend and which raises the question of whether Jorge Martín will be able to arrive on time or not and under what conditions. The man from Madrid does not need surgery and will receive treatment these days with the intention of being on the track in Sepang. Whether or not he gets the go-ahead from the championship doctors and, if so, under what conditions he gets on the bike is something for which we will have an answer in four days maximum.
