Euphorically heading on to Down Under
The battle for points enters the next round in Australia, which will be particularly special for Senna Aigus, the local hero of the LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP team. But Moto2 team-mate Darryn Binder is also aiming to move back deeper into the top 15 in the 17th round of the season. In Moto3, Collin Veijer is still fighting for the runner-up title, while Tatsuki Suzuki is striving for the top 10 in the world championship with more points.
The Australian Grand Prix is one of the most spectacular venues on the calendar, not least because of the unique layout and unrivalled backdrop of the Phillip Island Circuit. The 4.45-kilometre race track off the south coast of Australia is also one of the fastest circuits on which the Motorcycle World Championship is held and, year after year, it provides some of the most exciting battles of the season, even when the weather is capricious.
In Moto3, the next battle can certainly be expected on Sunday at 04:00 (CEST), because even though David Alonso was crowned world champion in the last race at the Japan Grand Prix, Collin Veijer, last year's rookie of the German racing team, is still in contention for the runner-up world title. His second place in Japan brought the ambitious Dutchman a step closer, but the competition is not sleeping. Only three points separate the 19-year-old from the current world championship runner-up, Daniel Holgado. There are only four races left in this extremely exciting season and Tatsuki Suzuki is still aiming for the top 10, not only in the 21-lap race but also to make the step from P12 in the championship standings into the top 10.
As things stand, a dry race weekend could be on the cards, but nothing is as unpredictable as weather forecasts on Phillip Island. Senna Agius is looking forward immensely to his first home Grand Prix as a regular Moto2 rider, regardless of the possible changeable weather conditions. The 19-year-old aims to make himself and his local supporters proud by paving the way to Q2 on Saturday with precise groundwork on his Kalex, where he will attempt to secure an optimal grid position for Sunday's 23-lap battle at 05:15 (CEST). Darryn Binder will also roll onto the grid with the same ambitions after he and his Australian team-mate lost out in the tyre poker in Japan. The South African now wants to significantly increase the one point he salvaged from Motegi on Phillip Island in order to go into the last three races of the season in a stronger position.
German-speaking fans will have to get up very early again if they don't want to miss any of the live-action because, with a nine-hour time difference to Australia, the Moto3 race starts at four o'clock in the morning, followed by Moto2 at 05:15 (CEST).
Schedule (acc. to CEST)
Friday, 18th of October
01:45 - 02:20 Moto3 Free Practice
02:35 - 03:30 Moto2 Free Practice
03:45 - 04:30 MotoGP Free Practice 1
06:15 - 06:50 Moto3 Practice 1
07:05 - 07:45 Moto2 Practice 1
08:00 - 09:00 MotoGP practice
Saturday, 19th of October
01:40 - 02:10 Moto3 Practice 2
02:25 - 02:55 Moto2 Practice 2
03:10 - 03:40 MotoGP Free Practice 2
03:50 - 04:05 MotoGP Q1
04:15 - 04:30 MotoGP Q2
05:50 - 06:05 Moto3 Q1
06:15 - 06:30 Moto3 Q2
06:45 - 07:00 Moto2 Q1
07:10 - 07:25 Moto2 Q2
08:00 MotoGP Sprint (13 laps)
Sunday, 20th of October
02:40 - 02:50 MotoGP Warm-up
04:00 Moto3 race (21 laps)
05:15 Moto2 race (23 laps)
07:00 MotoGP race (27 laps)