Vinales shocker for Rossi
MAVERICK VINALES claimed his first MotoGP win of the season to leave Valentino Rossi sweating.
The Spaniard took a heroic victory at Phillip Island in Australia yesterday to give Yamaha its first win in more than a year.
Although the championship has already been won by Marc Marquez, the fight rumbles on for runner-up honours with Andrea Dovizioso leading Rossi by 15 points with 50 still available in the final two races.
Rossi could only finish in sixth Down Under and knows he’s now under pressure from his teammate for third place.
Rossi said: “Of course it’s good for Yamaha, but not for me. The championship is looking bad for me because not only did I lose points to Dovi but I also lost points to Maverick.
“Now he is not so far behind. I’m concerned and I think that the battle for second is now going to be the fight for third.”
Collision
Vinales suffered a bad start from the front row and dropped back to ninth.
But he was soon on the charge and crossed the line more than 1.5 seconds ahead of Andrea Iannone with Dovizioso third.
Newly-crowned champion Marquez began on pole but was forced to retire after a high-speed collision with Johann Zarco on lap six.
Marquez sealed his fifth world title in Japan a week ago but now has the bizarre record of failing to finish in Australia on three occasions after winning the world title in Asia.
But Marquez had no issues with the Frenchman and said: “I feel very lucky. I will not complain because it was a racing incident.”
Briton’s Cal Crutchlow missed the race after surgery on his broken ankle sustained in Friday’s second practice.
Crutchlow will be replaced by test rider Stefan Bradl at next weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix but is targeting a return in the final race of the season in Valencia on November 18.
LCR Honda team-mate Oscar Haro said: “He wants to ride in Valencia.
“It will be complicated for him and we should be thinking about Jerez to test the new 2019 bike because this year is complicated.”
Bradley Smith was first Brit home in 10th aboard his Red Bull KTM as Scott Redding crossed the line 13th for Aprilia Racing Gresini.