THE 2024 Qatar Australian MotoGP Championship round scheduled for the picturesque Phillip Island circuit on October 19-20 looms as a mouthwatering contest that will bring motorcycle racing fans from all over Australia.
For much of the season to date, it has been Ducati, Ducati, Ducati who have dominated the event from a manufacturers’ viewpoint with daylight between the Italian bikes and the pursuing pack.
In the previous round in Motegi, Japan, Ducati riders filled eight of the first 10 placings in the longer race.
Like two heavyweight prizefighters exchanging blows, riders Jorge Martin and reigning 2023 champion Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia have been involved in a seesawing bout to sort out the title that has gone on for most of the season.
With Martin establishing a 10-point buffer over Bagnaia after the latest round in Motegi, the Spaniard has a tenuous grip on the title.
Jorge Martin has the added incentive to win due to being rejected as the preferred rider for the Lenovo Factory Ducati team in 2025. He will be desperate to send a message to team Ducati that they have made an error of judgement in their choice of riders, preferring Marc Marquez.
The closeness of the contest sets up a thrilling round at the Island circuit, which is sure to attract thousands of diehard fans.
The tactics and strategies used by riders and their teams will provide a fascinating spectacle as the pressure builds in the chase for the crown against a backdrop of unpredictable spring weather at the seaside circuit.
Gresini Racings, one Marc Marquez, who has notched up consecutive wins in Aragon and Misano, cannot be discounted as he provides a significant threat to the leading riders.
The eight-time world champion has found his rhythm on the Ducati and he has a distinct liking for the Phillip Island circuit, at which he has been more than competitive in past races.
KTM rider and sole Australian representative Jack “Thriller” Miller, who has had to contend with a number of handling problems with his bike, will be ‘bringing it’ for the local fans.
Jack has had some encouraging results in the latter half of the season, both in the Sprint and longer forms of racing, and he will be fired up to deliver on the circuit that has a corner named after him.
Thrown a career-saving blood transfusion in the form of a one-year deal with Pramac Yamaha for 2025, Jack will endeavour to get the best out of the KTM machine, which has handled like a unicycle with a flat tyre for the greater part of the season.
The race weekend program will start on Friday, October 18, with practice and qualifying in all three classes of racing before a 12-lap sprint race on Saturday and the main 25-lap race on Sunday.
Moto2
A congested leaderboard in the Moto2 Championship standings will keep fans glued to the duelling and dicing that goes on in the Moto2 class, as any number of riders can stake their claim for the title.
Japanese rider Ai Ogura, who steps up into MotoGP class in 2025, will have his hands full with the likes of Sergio Garcia, Joe Roberts, Alonso Lopez and Jake Dixon all in the hunt for a podium position.
This exciting class of racing promises to provide some stunning outcomes with bikes weighing 215 kilograms, producing 140hp and speeds of 290kmph.
The riders are a skilled bunch of competitors.
Moto3
It’s not unusual to see 10-plus riders at the front of the field jostling for position in Moto3 racing.
It depends on riders slipstreaming and being able to carry corner speed from entry to exit.
The bikes in Moto3 weigh 80 kilograms, put out 60 horsepower and reach speeds of 240kmph.
David Alonso has one hand on the title, but will face significant challenges from Daniel Holgado, Collin Veijer, Ivan Ortola and Aussie Joel Kelso, who placed third in this event in 2023.
Fellow Australian rider Jacob Roulstone will be looking to take things up a notch on his home track.
