MotoGP Australian GP in Malaysia time: Martin leads Marquez by two points at Phillip Island
Jorge Martin leads Marc Marquez by two points with five rounds left as MotoGP heads to Phillip Island on 23-25 October. Sprint is at noon and race at 11am Malaysia time.
MotoGP arrives at Phillip Island for the Australian Grand Prix this weekend, with the 2026 world championship nearly deadlocked. Aprilia's Jorge Martin leads Ducati's Marc Marquez by just two points with five rounds remaining.
The Australian round is the 18th of 22 on the calendar and runs from 23 to 25 October. It is the first race of a triple-header that continues at Sepang in Malaysia on 30 October to 1 November.
Schedule in Malaysia time
Phillip Island is on Australian Eastern Daylight Time, three hours ahead of Malaysia. The two timed headline sessions are:
- Sprint: Saturday 24 October, 3pm local, which is 12pm Malaysia time
- Grand Prix: Sunday 25 October, 2pm local, which is 11am Malaysia time
Practice and qualifying take place on Friday and Saturday morning in Malaysia, with sessions starting from roughly 7.45am. Check the official timetable for exact times.
How the title fight got here
The last round, in Indonesia on 11 October, tightened the picture again. Marco Bezzecchi won the Mandalika Grand Prix for Aprilia. Raul Fernandez was second and Martin third, with Ai Ogura fourth and Pedro Acosta fifth. Reports say Aprilia bikes took the top four places. Marquez finished sixth.
A day earlier, Marquez had won the Saturday sprint after Martin finished fourth. Bezzecchi and Fernandez crashed out at the first corner. That result briefly put Marquez four points clear before Martin recovered the lead in the main race.
Bezzecchi still in the picture
Bezzecchi sits 46 points behind Martin. That is a big gap, but with sprint races worth points at every round, a bad weekend for the leaders could keep him alive. Acosta and Ogura are also fighting over fourth place in the standings.
A fast, flowing circuit
Phillip Island is known for its sweeping, high-speed corners and changeable weather. Any rain could shuffle the order and affect both the sprint and the race.
What to watch for
Martin and Marquez both need consistent points over the weekend, because the sprint on Saturday and the Grand Prix on Sunday are each worth points. A crash or a technical problem for either rider could change the order at the top. Marquez won the sprint in Indonesia but finished sixth in the main race, while Martin's podium in the race was enough to take the lead back.
Bezzecchi has momentum after his win in Indonesia, where he took the chequered flag for Aprilia. Acosta of KTM finished fifth in that race and is among the riders trying to break up the Aprilia group.
The run-in
After Australia, the series moves to Sepang for Round 19. That is followed by Qatar from 6 to 8 November, Portimao from 20 to 22 November and the Valencia finale from 27 to 29 November.
For fans in Malaysia, the Phillip Island race falls on a Sunday late morning, so it can be watched live before lunch. The Sepang round is one week later.
Key takeaways
- Martin leads Marquez by two points with five rounds left.
- Bezzecchi won in Indonesia and trails Martin by 46 points.
- The sprint is at 12pm and the race at 11am Malaysia time.
- Sepang hosts the next round, from 30 October to 1 November.
FAQ
Q: What time is the MotoGP Australian GP in Malaysia? The Sunday race starts at 2pm local time at Phillip Island, which is 11am in Malaysia. The Saturday sprint is at 12pm Malaysia time.
Q: Who leads the MotoGP championship? Jorge Martin of Aprilia leads Marc Marquez of Ducati by two points after 17 rounds.
Q: When is the Malaysian MotoGP? The Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang is round 19, scheduled for 30 October to 1 November.
Sources: Crash.net, MotoGP.com, Sport-Flash, Auto India Daily