Maverick Vinales tops wet and windy morning ‘warm up’ at Phillip Island

news7g10/21/2023

2 1 minute read

Maverick Vinales tops wet and windy morning 'warm up' at Phillip Island

MotoGP 2023

Round 16 – Australia Grand Prix
Sunday Morning Warm Up

Warm up is probably not the correct descriptor to use here at Phillip Island this morning… Nonetheless riders exited pit-lane at 0900 this morning with an ambient temperature approaching 13-degrees with wind gusts up to 35 km/h as a hefty mist of rain cloaked the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, masking the normal sea views, amongst other things.

Riders exit pit-lane for morning warm up at Phillip Island – Image RbMotoLens

Despite weather more suited to ducks, Maverick Vinales managed to put down a 1m39.036 to top the short ten-minute session, the Spaniard the only rider to dip under the 1m40 mark, ahead of countrymen Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez.

Jack Miller was fourth in a session where most riders got in six laps. There were no crashes.

Jorge Martin during morning warm up at Phillip Island – Image RbMotoLens

The conditions this morning would be suitable to race in, however if the forecast wind gusts increase dramatically, as is the forecast, then it could make conditions too dangerous to race this afternoon. The rain is not an issue, it is if the wind gets up that will force organisers to make a difficult call. Time will tell.