Moto3: Deniz Öncü Takes the Victory at a Sketchy Phillip Island.
By Dawn Hammersley
Deniz Öncü takes his third victory of the season in a very wet race at Phillip Island.
Ayumu Sasaki was on pole position for the Moto3 Australian Grand Prix, home rider Joel Kelso qualified in second place with Stefano Nepa rounding out the front row. The weather conditions were very treacherous, a few of the riders crashed on the sighting lap.
Lights out and Sasaki got the holeshot, conditions were terrible, the amount of spray on the circuit and strong winds!
Adrian Fernandez took the lead on lap two, David Alonso crashed at turn four. After just two laps there was a leading group of four riders from Fernandez to Deniz Öncü.
Colin Veijer and Mario Aji were catching the leading the group as Aji was the faster rider on track. Home rider Joel Kelso was in fourth place putting pressure on Sasaki, Öncü was now in second place.
By lap six Fernandez was extending his lead at the front of the field, Kelso was in third place and was the fastest rider on track. Championship leader Jaume Masia was down in 15th place, just in front of Daniel Holgado.
Colin Veijer was now with the leading group after nine laps, Ivan Ortola and Filipo Farioli both crashed out at separate corners.
David Munoz crashed at turn 11 on lap 10. Masia was running in tenth place but it was looking unlikely that the Spaniard could catch the leading group. Fernandez had a 0.3 second lead at the front from Oncu.
Mario Aji crashed out at turn eight whilst running in sixth place. David Salvador also crashed at turn eight a lap later.
Öncü had a moment coming out of Miller Corner, the Turkish rider was now in fourth place. Kelso was now in a podium finishing place in third. Fernandez was extending his lead from Sasaki, until he crashed out at turn 11 with just four laps remaining to the race, he rejoined the race and was running in fifth place.
On the final lap Sasaki and Öncü were battling for first place, Öncü made his move at turn 10 and made the move stick to take his third victory of the season, Sasaki was second with home rider Kelso finishing in third place, Veijer was fourth with Fernandez finishing in fifth place, championship leader Masia finished in eighth place.
Featured Images: KTM Ajo, MotoGP.com