00:37
Takaaki Nakagami has a technical problem on his LCR Honda, while Pedro Acosta runs off.
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
00:30
The last few corners look almost dry now, Jack Miller's prediction of a dry qualifying looks spot on.
10mins of FP3 to go.
00:29
The sunshine is breaking through the clouds, casting shadows from the bikes. The track is still to wet for slicks, but some riders are switching over from the soft to medium wets.
00:24
20mins of FP3 to go and local star Miller heads out, again on wets.
Marc Marquez, Pedro Acosta, Maverick Vinales, Franco Morbidelli and Fabio di Giannantonio are leading the timesheets, but - fingers crossed - this could be the last session to see wet tyres this weekend.
00:22
The track is visibly drying despite the air temperature being a chilly 13 degrees.
00:20
KTM team manager Francesco Guidotti tells Jack Appleyard in pit lane that Jack Miller thinks it will be dry enough for slicks in Qualifying 1...
00:18
Good morning! The extended final MotoGP practice is underway at a damp Phillip Island. Friday leader Marc Marquez is currently quickest from Pedro Acosta, with al riders are on soft wet tyres but with the track slowly drying.
