Phillip Island's final MotoGP: Marc Marquez chases two-point gap to Jorge Martin as Ducati fear Aprilia speed

The MotoGP title fight heads to Phillip Island for the final time next week, with Jorge Martin holding a two-point lead over Marc Marquez and Ducati openly admitting that Aprilia's machine may be the bike to beat on the fast, flowing Australian circuit. The Australian Grand Prix runs from Friday, 23 October to Sunday, 25 October and is the 18th of 22 rounds, before the series moves on to Sepang for the Malaysian Grand Prix on 1 November.

The championship picture

Martin, riding for Aprilia, sits on 355 points to Marquez's 353 after a dramatic Indonesian round at Mandalika. Marquez won the sprint there to briefly retake the lead, but could only finish sixth in Sunday's grand prix as Aprilia filled the top four places, led by Marco Bezzecchi. Bezzecchi is third in the standings, 46 points behind his team-mate.

Each remaining weekend offers a maximum of 37 points, 12 for a sprint win and 25 for a grand prix win. With a two-point gap, Marquez needs to outscore Martin by at least three points in Australia to go back to the top of the table outright.

Ducati wary of the Aprilia threat

Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi described Indonesia as a success of sorts because Marquez left Mandalika still within two points, despite Aprilia being clearly quicker. He has identified Phillip Island as the next big test, pointing to its long corners, which could favour the Aprilia RS-GP's mid-corner grip. If Ducati can limit the damage there, Tardozzi believes the title remains well within reach.

Marquez's younger brother Alex has gone further, suggesting the Ducati star will need his "usual tricks" to beat the Aprilias at Phillip Island, Lusail and Portimao, three of the remaining venues he sees as strong for the Italian manufacturer. Aprilia chief executive Massimo Rivola, by contrast, has tipped Marquez to be the strongest rider in Australia.

Why Phillip Island could suit Marquez

The circuit runs anti-clockwise, and seven of its 12 corners are left-handers, a layout that has traditionally played to Marquez's strengths. He won the Australian Grand Prix in 2024 for Gresini but missed last year's race through injury, when Raul Fernandez took victory for Aprilia's Trackhouse squad.

This year's race is also the end of an era. MotoGP confirmed in February that the Australian round will move to a new street circuit in Adelaide from 2027, making this the last grand prix on the island circuit near Melbourne after decades on the calendar.

Australian GP 2026 schedule in Malaysia time

Phillip Island is three hours ahead of Malaysia during Australian daylight saving time.

• Friday 23 October: Free Practice 1 at 7.45am; Practice at 12pm
• Saturday 24 October: Free Practice 2 at 7.10am; Qualifying 1 at 7.50am; Qualifying 2 at 8.15am; Sprint (13 laps) at 12pm
• Sunday 25 October: Warm-up at 7.40am; Australian Grand Prix (27 laps) at 11am

After Australia, the season continues with Malaysia (1 November), Qatar (8 November), Portugal (22 November) and the Valencia finale (29 November).

Key takeaways

• Jorge Martin leads Marc Marquez 355-353 with five rounds left.
• The Australian GP at Phillip Island on 23-25 October is the last before the event moves to Adelaide in 2027.
• Ducati's Davide Tardozzi expects Aprilia to be strong on the circuit's long corners.
• Marquez needs to outscore Martin by three points in Australia to retake the lead outright.
• The sprint starts at 12pm and the grand prix at 11am Malaysia time.

FAQ

When is the 2026 MotoGP Australian Grand Prix? It runs from 23 to 25 October at Phillip Island, with the sprint on Saturday and the main race on Sunday, 25 October.

What time is the Australian MotoGP race in Malaysia? The 27-lap grand prix starts at 2pm local time, which is 11am in Malaysia on Sunday, 25 October.

Is this the last MotoGP race at Phillip Island? Yes. The Australian Grand Prix moves to an Adelaide street circuit from 2027.

Sources: Grande Premio, MotoGPNews, Crash.net, Motorcycle News, Sportcal