Sunday’s Australian MotoGP Sprint race cancelled

Warnings of gale-force winds combined with rain and cold temperatures meant the main Australian MotoGP race was moved to Saturday afternoon, swapping places with the Sprint.

Sunday’s schedule also began earlier to try and avoid the worst of the storm.

But while the three warm-up sessions and Moto3 race went ahead as planned, albeit in soaking wet weather, the following Moto2 Grand Prix was halted after ten laps due to the deteriorating conditions.

With strong winds continuing to hammer Phillip Island, and the weather expected to get even worse, a meeting took place between the teams and race management resulting in the 13-lap MotoGP Sprint, due to start at 1pm, being cancelled.

A statement from Dorna read: "Changes were made to the schedule to try and ensure the maximum track action in the safest possible conditions today, but the weather – forecast to worsen throughout the day – has obliged the cancellation of further track activity following the conclusion of the Moto2 race."

Swapping the Saturday Sprint for the main Grand Prix race thus proved an excellent decision, the full 27 laps taking place in dry conditions yesterday.

However, some might question if the MotoGP Sprint should then have been the first race on today's schedule, rather than after Moto3 and Moto2.

Following the cancellation, many riders, led by home star Jack Miller, walked from the pits to sign autographs for fans still braving the conditions at the side of the main straight.

• Australian MotoGP: Results
• Australian Moto2: Results
• Australian Moto3: Results

The Sprint cancellation means reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia takes a 27-point title lead over Jorge Martin into the final four rounds of the season, starting with next weekend’s Thai MotoGP at Buriram.

Martin dramatically dropped from first to fifth on the final lap of Saturday's dry race after gambling on the soft rear tyre, while Bagnaia finished runner-up to debut winner Johann Zarco.

12 points were available for victory if today’s Sprint had gone ahead.

Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales had been fastest from Martin and Marc Marquez in this morning’s wet warm-up, when Bagnaia was a cautious 20th.