Just a few days after an exciting Grand Prix of Japan, in which victory went to Andrea Dovizioso after a battle with Marc Marquez right down to the last corner, the Ducati Team has regrouped in Australia at the Phillip Island circuit, the venue for round 16 of the MotoGP World Championship and the second of the three challenging end-of-season fly-away races.
Following on from that fantastic win at Twin Ring Motegi, his fifth of the season, Andrea Dovizioso is now gearing up for another crucial race at the Island, with just three rounds to go in the championship battle.
Dovizioso has stepped onto the Phillip Island podium a total of three times in different categories, scoring a win in 125 in 2004 and a third place in MotoGP in 2011, while last year he was involved in a terrific scrap with Viñales, finishing in a good fourth place. In the nine editions of the Australian GP in which he has taken part, Jorge Lorenzo has won once and finished runner-up on four more occasions, while last year he finished the race in sixth place.
Situated close to the Bass Strait in the state of Victoria, the Phillip Island track runs in a counter-clockwise direction with a series of extremely quick curves that make it one of the fastest on the world championship calendar. Despite the fact that weather conditions in spring in the southern hemisphere are often unpredictable, the event is always a favourite for teams, riders and fans alike. Like Motegi, the Ducati Team has also notched up four wins at Phillip Island, all at the hands of Casey Stoner.
With three rounds remaining in the championship, Dovizioso is currently second overall with 233 points, 11 down on Marquez, while Lorenzo lies seventh on 116 points.
The weekend schedule at Phillip Island kicks off on Friday morning with the first free practice session at 10.55am local time (01.55 CET), while the 27-lap race is scheduled for Sunday at 4pm (07.00 CET).
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 2nd (233 points)
“For sure Phillip Island is one of Marquez’s favourite tracks, and the situation will probably be a bit more difficult for us, but last year we did a good race and so we must try and work in the best possible way throughout the weekend. There are now just three rounds left until the end and anything can happen: we must try and always be fast at every circuit and in every condition. On paper we are not favourites for the win in Australia but we’ll be fighting as hard as ever.”
Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team #99) – 7th (116 points)
“The race at Motegi didn’t go the way we had expected, but now we’re fully focused on Phillip Island. This year, in the races where we had high expectations we weren’t able to do a good race, and yet sometimes, where you least expect it, we have managed to make big improvements. In Australia we should make a step forward from the winter tests, where we simply didn’t have enough pace. We are coming back here better prepared than eight months ago and so we must continue to give our all if we want to improve”.
The Phillip Island Circuit
Phillip Island, which is situated around 150 km south of Melbourne, is steeped in motor racing tradition, with the first car races having been held there on public roads in the 1920s. The first motorcycle races took place in 1931 and a permanent track was built in 1956. The circuit fell into disrepair during the late 70s and early 80s until it was bought in 1985 and given a major facelift. MotoGP returned in 1989 and 1990 before becoming a regular fixture once more from 1997 onwards. The Phillip Island circuit is blessed with breathtaking scenery and beautiful ocean views and is one of the fastest tracks on the calendar.
Fastest Lap: Lorenzo (Yamaha), 1’27.899 (182.1 km/h) – 2013
Circuit Record: Marquez (Honda), 1’28.108 (181.7 km/h) – 2013
Best Pole: Lorenzo (Yamaha), 1’27.899 (182.1 km/h) – 2013
Top Speed: Dovizioso (Ducati), 348.0 km/h – 2015
Track Length: 4.4 km
Race Duration: 27 laps (120.1 km)
Corners: 12 (7 left, 5 right)
Race Start: 4pm (07.00 CET)
2016 Results
Podium: 1st Crutchlow (Honda), 2nd Rossi (Yamaha), 3rd Viñales (Suzuki)
Pole Position: Marquez (Honda), 1’30.189 (177.547 km/h)
Fastest Lap: Crutchlow (Honda), 1’29.494 (178.925 km/h)
Andrea Dovizioso
Bike: Ducati Desmosedici GP
Race Number: 04
Age: 31 (born on March 23rd 1986 in Forlimpopoli, Italy)
Residence: Forlì (Italy)
Races: 273 (175 x MotoGP, 49 x 250cc, 49 x 125cc)
First GP: 2001 Italian GP (125cc)
Wins: 16 (7 x MotoGP, 4 x 250cc, 5 x 125cc)
First Win: 2004 South African GP (125cc)
Pole Positions: 18 (5 x MotoGP, 4 x 250cc, 9 x 125cc)
First Pole: 2003 French GP (125cc)
World Titles: 1 (1 x 125cc)
Jorge Lorenzo
Bike: Ducati Desmosedici GP
Race Number: 99
Age: 30 (born on May 4th 1987 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain)
Residence: Lugano (Switzerland)
Races: 265 (171 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
First GP: 2002 Spanish GP (125cc)
Wins: 65 (44 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First Win: 2003 Brazilian GP (125cc)
Pole Positions: 65 (39 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
First Pole: 2003 Malaysian GP (125cc)
World Titles: 5 (3 x MotoGP, 2 x 250cc)
