The second of the three-strong South East Asian leg of the MotoGP World Championship is taking place this weekend (25th to 28th of October) with the Australian MotoGP 2019, seventeenth appointment in the season’s calendar. 

Marc Márquez arrives at the Philip Island Circuit with new challenges but the same thirst for victory. Maverick Viñales, Fabio Quartararo and Andrea Dovizioso, however, will do their best to trump Marquez’ intentions. Another pilot to watch out will be Johann Zarco, who will be driving a Honda from the LCR team after abandoning KTM in September. 

Márquez, after Doohan’s record

After having secured both the pilot and manufacturer titles, the Spanish rider wants to beat local hero Mike Doohan, and his 54 MotoGP victories at the Australian MotoGP 2019. If he manages to do so, he would become the most successful Honda driver of all times. At the same time, he would continue with an incredible winning strike of thirteen consecutive podiums! In fact, this season the Spaniard has only been absent from the podium in Austin.

But that is not all, Marquez also has one other challenge pending: The Triple Crown. In order to conquer such a prestigious honour, he must also win the team title … pretty much single-handedly. The contribution of his teammate Jorge Lorenzo is everything but negligible.

The Catalan genius is like a predator that feeds on his own successes and records, wreaking havoc in the morale of the rivals inthe process. With his mind already set in 2020, he wants to maintain his hegemony during the four remaining races of the season.

One of his goals will be to deprive rookie of the year, Fabio Quartararo, of his first MotoGP victory. Marquez is well aware that the Frenchman from the Petronas SRT team has become one of his greatest threats. And so he wants to curb his aspirations.

Yamaha: Márquez’ rivals

The Yamaha could play a prominent role in a track which has been traditionally kind to them at the at the Australian MotoGP 2019. A prime example of this is Maverick Viñales triumph in 2018 which ended a long winning drought for the Iwata manufacturer.

The pilot form Rosas is in a clear upward trajectory with three podiums (Great Britain, San Marino & Thailand) over the last five races. He is also currently sharing the third positions of the standings with Alex Rins, both with 173 points.

As for his partner, Valentino Rossi, everything points out to another disappointing performance. He is seventh in the standings, 4 places and 31 points below his teammate. And he still doesn’t seem to be completely at ease on his bike.

Still with Yamaha, but in this case with the Petronas SRT satellite team, Fabio Quartararo will once again pursue that longed-for triumph that never seems to come. The Frenchman has touched the glory in three of the past four races, only for this to slip through his fingers in the end. Defeating Marquez will finally prove to himself and the world that he is capable of doing so. Why not at the Australian MotoGP 2019?

Dovi, in no one’s land

After surrendering to the overwhelming superiority of the combo Márquez-Honda, the Ducati #4 of Andrea Dovizioso will be fighting again for a new podium. After climbing up the box in two of the last three races, the pilot form Forli wants to do so again for the ninth time in 2019.

From his comfortable second position in the standings, 55 points ahead of Viñales and Rins, he will have to face a traditionally adverse appointment. Dovi has never won in MotoGP on ‘the island’ and his machine, the Desmosedici, hasn’t done so since 2010 at the hands of local pilot Casey Stoner.

Images of ‘Australian MotoGP 2019’: Repsol Honda Team