Márquez retakes MotoGP lead as injured Martín misses Australian Grand Prix

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Marc Márquez reclaimed the MotoGP championship lead by winning Saturday’s Australian Grand Prix sprint, while title rival Jorge Martín was ruled out of Sunday’s main race after suffering a forearm injury in a crash.

The Ducati rider finished the 13-lap contest at Phillip Island ahead of his younger brother Álex Márquez, with Fabio Di Giannantonio completing an all-Ducati podium. Martín had arrived at the sprint two points in front; he leaves Saturday 10 points behind.

Martín ruled unfit for Sunday

MotoGP confirmed that X-rays at the circuit medical centre revealed a fractured radius and a suspected fracture of the distal ulna, near the wrist. Further examinations are planned to establish the full extent of the injury. Martín has already been declared unfit for the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday 25 October.

The confirmed absence means the Aprilia rider cannot respond on track in the weekend’s longer race. No return date has been announced, and the initial medical update does not establish whether he will miss any subsequent rounds.

Lead changes before the crash

Martín started fourth but quickly reached second and challenged Márquez at the front. Their contest included repeated changes of position before Martín fell at Turn 8 on the eighth lap while pursuing his rival.

Márquez then held off Álex by 0.323 seconds to secure his ninth sprint victory of the season. Di Giannantonio finished 0.590 seconds behind the winner, with Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi fourth and KTM’s Pedro Acosta fifth.

Saturday’s result gives Márquez the advantage heading into Sunday, when the main Grand Prix remains to be contested. He will also start that race from pole position after leading qualifying earlier in the day.