The helicopter prevents Marc Márquez from sealing the World Championship in Australia

BarcelonaThe Phillip Island circuit did not deserve this ending after three decades of being a reference event in the Motorcycle World Championship. But, at the same time, this ending helps to understand why the MotoGP management decided to do without an iconic track. The rain, the wind and, above all, the fog have prevented the riders from competing in any of the three races scheduled for this Sunday. And, especially, the premier class one, where Marc Márquez had the opportunity to practically seal the title.

MotoGP's safety regulations are very strict and Phillip Island was a nest of problems, because the nearest hospital is in Melbourne and it cannot be accessed by road: one must go by helicopter. And the weather conditions made it impossible for the doctors to be able to act quickly in case of a serious accident. A quite probable hypothesis on a Sunday in which the climate was clearly adverse. That is why the organizers have suspended all the races (Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP) despite waiting a few hours in case the conditions changed. That was not the case. "Phillip Island did not deserve a final race with a cancellation," said Márquez. The riders, mind you, have done one last lap, for exhibition, to say goodbye to the fans who had traveled to the circuit.

It was supposed to be a favorable Sunday for Marc Márquez, the great favorite after his triumph in Saturday's sprint race. And, above all, because his rival in the championship, Jorge Martín, injured his wrist in a crash during the sprint and could not compete. Therefore, the rider from Cervera could have left Australian territory with a hypothetical 35-point lead with only four Grand Prix races left to go. A whole world. In the end, it is only 10. The question is whether Jorge Martín will be in a condition to ride next weekend in Malaysia. The rider from Madrid wants to try, and for that reason, he has not returned to Spain, but will stay with the entire MotoGP expedition. On Thursday, medical services will determine whether he is fit to ride or not.

Phillip Island, that twisty circuit with a view of the ocean, is dropping out of the World Championship. But that does not mean Australia will be left without a Grand Prix. Starting in 2027, the bikes will race in Adelaide, a 4.13-kilometer circuit with 15 turns and some sectors in an urban area. It will be a step forward logistically, and will put an end to the difficulties teams face in transporting equipment and also in finding accommodation for everyone on this island in the south of Australia. The contract with Adelaide, which has sparked controversy in the oceanian country due to its environmental impact, runs until 2032 and is part of the desire to associate MotoGP with major cities, with the promotional impact that this entails. A strategy that Formula 1 has also been following for years.

Saturday's sprint race, the farewell

Therefore, Saturday's sprint race ended up being, without knowing it, the farewell to Phillip Island. A day in which everything went in Marc Márquez's favor, as he first achieved pole position and then won the short race –a success that allowed him to regain the lead in the World Championship–. And in the process, he saw how his great rival, Jorge Martín, suffered a crash and a wrist injury.

The overtakes between Marc Márquez and Jorge Martín brought a lot of excitement to the sprint race, but on the eighth lap Martín made a mistake, crashed, and ended up in the hospital with a radius fracture and further injuries to his arm. "It hurts a lot, I lost control and couldn't pull my arm away," he said resignedly. In the coming hours, he will undergo further tests that will determine if he will miss more races in the next few weeks.

Marc Márquez was thus able to secure his ninth victory of the season in a sprint race, with his brother Alex in second position. A perfect celebration at the Márquez home, then. The Italian Di Giannantonio finished third. Marc Márquez regains the top position in the general classification and now has a ten-point lead over Martín and 50 over Marco Bezzecchi, who finished fourth on Saturday.