MotoGP Qualifying cancelled as winds batter Phillip Island
High winds brought out the red flag |
Conditions were deemed too dangerous to continue running at the Australian GP, Qualifying rescheduled for Sunday morning should weather allow it.
Morning running on Saturday at the Australian Grand Prix was limited to just a few laps as high winds and rain hit the Phillip Island Circuit.
While the rain eased in the afternoon, strong gusts of wind persisted. Riders attempted to run during Free Practice 4 but an emergency Safety Commission meeting between the MotoGP class riders ruled it was too dangerous to continue running today.
Before the red flag, Marc Marquez managed a 1’31.185 to lead Free Practice 4 from Maverick Vinales. Jorge Lorenzo completed a best lap of 1’35.589 while working on setup changes during the session and was 20th as the red flag came out.
Marquez fastest in final practice |
Sunday’s provisional schedule will see MotoGP Warm Up held at 09:50 Local Time with Qualifying starting immediately after the session at 10:20. The 27-lap Australian Grand Prix is still scheduled to run at 15:00 Local Time, weather permitting.
Marc Marquez 93
"In my opinion it was very dangerous, the wind was there and with the speed on this circuit, you feel it a lot. I was riding alone and you could feel the wind, but it looks like when you overtook another rider like with Zarco and Oliveira, you feel it a lot more. For safety reasons we decided to cancel it. There was no need to risk that much in Qualifying, we were right on the limit of being able to ride and in the end we have another day to do it tomorrow. It will be a busy day with Warm Up, Qualifying and race but it's not the end of the world."
Combined Practice Times so far
Pos. | Rider | Num | Nation | Team | Constructor | Time/Gap |
1 | VINALES Maverick | 12 | SPA | Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 1'28.824 |
2 | DOVIZIOSO Andrea | 4 | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 0.496 |
3 | CRUTCHLOW Cal | 35 | GBR | LCR Honda | Honda | 0.501 |
4 | PETRUCCI Danilo | 9 | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 0.503 |
5 | MILLER Jack | 43 | AUS | Pramac Racing | Ducati | 0.520 |
6 | MARQUEZ Marc | 93 | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 0.597 |
7 | ROSSI Valentino | 46 | ITA | Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 0.612 |
8 | RINS Alex | 42 | SPA | Team Suzuki Ecstar | Suzuki | 0.648 |
9 | MORBIDELLI Franco | 21 | ITA | Petronas Yamaha SRT | Yamaha | 0.894 |
10 | ESPARGARO Aleix | 41 | SPA | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 0.967 |
11 | MIR Joan | 36 | SPA | Team Suzuki Ecstar | Suzuki | 1.051 |
12 | ABRAHAM Karel | 17 | CZE | Reale Avintia Racing | Ducati | 1.173 |
13 | IANNONE Andrea | 29 | ITA | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 1.346 |
14 | BAGNAIA Francesco | 63 | ITA | Pramac Racing | Ducati | 1.602 |
15 | ZARCO Johann | 5 | FRA | LCR Honda | Honda | 1.617 |
16 | LORENZO Jorge | 99 | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 1.882 |
17 | ESPARGARO Pol | 44 | SPA | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 2.035 |
18 | KALLIO Mika | 82 | FIN | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 2.041 |
19 | SYAHRIN Hafizh | 55 | MAL | Red Bull KTM Tech 3 | KTM | 2.116 |
20 | OLIVEIRA Miguel | 88 | POR | Red Bull KTM Tech 3 | KTM | 2.580 |
21 | RABAT Tito | 53 | SPA | Reale Avintia Racing | Ducati | 2.635 |
22 | QUARTARARO Fabio | 20 | FRA | Petronas Yamaha SRT | Yamaha | 6.020 |