RAUL FERNANDEZ CLAIMS FIRST MOTOGP WIN AS APRILIA SHINES IN AUSTRALIA

Raul Fernandez turned a strong weekend into a landmark victory at Phillip Island, leading Trackhouse to its first MotoGP win after finishing second in Saturday’s sprint. Aprilia’s growing strength was evident throughout the Australian Grand Prix, while Jack Miller’s home race swung from a front-row high to an early crash.

The Noale manufacturer had already shown its progress in Indonesia, where Marco Bezzecchi won the sprint before a collision took both him and newly crowned 2025 champion Marc Marquez out of the Grand Prix. At Phillip Island, Aprilia again set the pace: Bezzecchi and Fernandez topped Friday’s crucial session for direct passage to Q2. Marquez, meanwhile, was back in Spain under continued medical observation.

Miller narrowly missed Q2 in Friday’s session, but recovered in qualifying to take third on the grid. Fabio Quartararo claimed pole for Yamaha, with Bezzecchi between the two. Fernandez qualified fourth, ahead of Pedro Acosta and Alex Marquez, while KTM replacement Pol Espargaro secured eighth. Acosta had also been competitive from the outset, making Q2 by a narrow margin before qualifying fifth.

The sprint offered a preview of Sunday. Fernandez led early, but Bezzecchi took over on lap nine and pulled away to win by more than three seconds. Acosta claimed third with a late charge, leaving Ducati without a podium. Miller delighted the home crowd by finishing fourth, while pole-sitter Quartararo ended the race seventh.

Bezzecchi began Sunday’s 27-lap Grand Prix with a double long-lap penalty, imposed for his collision with Marquez in Lombok. He initially surged to the front, then rejoined in third behind Fernandez and Acosta after serving the first penalty. The second dropped him to sixth, but he worked his way back past Alex Marquez, Quartararo and Acosta to finish third. He crossed the line one second behind Fabio Di Giannantonio, whose result marked a welcome return to form for Ducati.

Fernandez, however, was the day’s standout. After his sprint runner-up finish, he delivered a clean performance to secure his first premier-class Grand Prix victory. The result sparked unrestrained celebrations at the American Trackhouse team.

Miller’s weekend ended in disappointment. After his front-row start and fourth place in the sprint had made him a crowd favourite, the Australian crashed in the early stages of the main race. The home fans had already enjoyed a victory earlier in the day, as Senna Agius won the Moto2 race convincingly, but Miller’s fall left many heading away from the circuit downcast.