Marquez on top despite FP3 fall

Full MotoGP FP3 results from Phillip Island

Marc Marquez has topped the third practice session at Phillip Island despite a small off midway through the session.

The Repsol Honda rider, who crashed during FP2 yesterday, bolted to the top of the times after shaking off an unusual tumble at Turn 4 during an out-lap. In windy and cooler conditions compared to Friday’s action, the majority of riders failed to better their outright lap time meaning the top ten retained their automatic Q2 spots ahead of qualifying.

Marquez edged out Movistar Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales for top spot honours in FP3 by just 0.042s with his 1m 29.714s which fractionally edged out Andrea Iannone’s leading effort on the combined practice times from Friday.

Jack Miller rounded out a tightly-contested front three for Pramac Ducati just ahead of Iannone, who failed to better his Friday time, with Valentino Rossi acting as the best improver to move up to fifth for the factory Yamaha squad.

Pol Espargaro demonstrated Red Bull KTM’s encouraging pace in Australia with sixth place in FP3 but it wasn’t enough to displace Hafizh Syahrin from the final automatic Q2 spot despite seeing the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rider miss the majority of the session following a heavy crash at Turn 1.

Syahrin was gifted his top ten place following Cal Crutchlow’s injury sustained in his crash in FP2, in which he suffered a fractured right ankle and will miss the remainder of the Australian round after undergoing surgery in Melbourne.

Dani Pedrosa also improved but failed to reach the combined top ten for Repsol Honda, ending FP3 in seventh, ahead of Johann Zarco (Tech 3) and Alvaro Bautista (Ducati). Andrea Dovizioso rounded out the top ten in FP3 having opted not to go for a late time attack in unfavourable conditions.