05:07
lap 4/13
Martin's lead is 0.958s across the line as Bagnaia fires his Ducati past Bezzecchi into Turn 1 for second. Marquez is now fourth at the start of lap four.
Marc Marquez, 2024 Australian MotoGP
2024 Australian MotoGP: Sprint as it happened
Updates from Saturday’s sprint at the 2024 Australian MotoGP as it happened.
Jorge Martin holds a slender 10-point lead over Francesco Bagnaia as the final triple header of the 2024 MotoGP World Championship begins at Phillip Island in Australia.
Always one of the most anticipated rounds of the season, the thrilling seaside circuit has been the scene of many epic battles, while the notoriously unpredictable weather is set to keep teams and riders on edge.
This year’s event comes with the added unknown of MotoGP’s very first laps on the new Phillip Island asphalt.
The last time the Australian track was resurfaced, in 2013, MotoGP required a shortened race distance and pit stops due to the overheating Bridgestone rubber.
The same fate then befell the WorldSBK Championship when it took to the latest tarmac in February of this year, meaning all eyes will be on Michelin’s chosen line-up of 2024 MotoGP compounds.
Whatever happens, MotoGP will be hoping for its first Phillip Island Sprint race this weekend, after storm warnings saw the Saturday race replaced by the full grand prix in 2023.
Martin came within a lap of glory last year, until a soft tyre gamble backfired and team-mate Johann Zarco swept to a long awaited first MotoGP win. The forecast storm then arrived on Sunday, cancelling the rescheduled Sprint.
Martin starts on pole for Saturday's 13-lap sprint, with Bagnaia fifth.
19 Oct 2024
05:06
Martin has been given a track limits warning already!
05:06
Lap 3/13
Martin's lead is up to 0.780s as he fires in the fastest lap of the race. Bezzecchi holds Bagnaia at bay in second. Marquez is now fifth.
05:04
Marquez's charge continues and he's ahead of Vinales.
05:04
lap 2/13
Martin leads by 0.8s across the line from Bezzecchi, Bagnaia, Binder, Bastianini, Vinales, M.Marquez, Morbidelli and A.Marquez.
05:03
Marquez has dropped to eighth.
05:03
Race start - lap 1/13
Martin gets a great start from pole and leads into Turn 1. Marquez is wide and drops right down. Bagnaia is up to fourth.
05:00
The warm-up lap is underway.
05:00
Joan Mir has made a late switch to the medium front tyre.
04:58
Martin leads the standings by 10 points ahead of this sprint. With Bagnaia fifth, Martin has a big opportunity to swell that advantage in this race.
04:55
Just five minutes till lights out!
04:54
tyre choice
Most have gone to the grid on the soft rear tyre. Bezzecchi, Zarco and Savadori are showing on the timing screens as being on the medium rear.
Everyone is on the hard front bar Rins, who is on the medium.
It's cold out there. Air temp is just 14 degrees C, with a track temp of 26 degrees.
04:52
starting grid
Row 1 - Martin, M.Marquez, Vinales
Row 2 - Bezzecchi, Bagnaia, R.Fernandez
Row 3 - Morbidelli, A.Marquez, Rins
Row 4 - Bastianini, Binder, Di Giannantonio
Row 5 - Marini, Zarco, Acosta
Row 6 - Miller, A.Fernandez, Mir
Row 7 - Quartararo, A.Espargaro, Savadori
Row 8 - Nakagami
04:46
It's dry conditions now for this sprint, which will be the first at Phillip Island as last year's was cancelled.
04:45
sprint build-up
Good morning and welcome back to our live coverage of the 2024 Australian Grand Prix!
The 13-lap sprint is just 15 minutes away. Pitlane has opened and the field is heading out onto the grid.
01:32
Qualifying over.
A dominant pole position for Jorge Martin ahead of Marc Marquez and Maverick Vinales!
01:31
Bagnaia salvages 5th on his final lap.
01:29
Martin brushes off the front-end slide to blast into pole position by a massive 0.695s from Vinales on his next lap!
01:28
Francesco Bagnaia has also joined Martin and Bastianini on the hard front tyre.
01:27
Martin has a front end scare through Lukey Heights and has to back off.
01:26
Enea Bastianini joins Jorge Martin in running the hard front tyre, delaying his exit from the pits.
The other riders stick with their previous soft or medium fronts.
