Marquez wins Australian sprint, takes 10-point lead

Marc Marquez won the Australian Grand Prix sprint at Phillip Island on Saturday, returning to the top of the MotoGP championship standings with a 10-point lead after title rival Jorge Martin crashed while chasing him. Marquez started from pole position and held the lead through the opening corner. Martin moved from fourth to second and repeatedly challenged the Ducati rider, with the pair trading places during a close contest. Alex Marquez also moved into contention before settling into third behind them. The decisive incident came on lap 8. Martin was pursuing Marquez when he crashed at Turn 8 and slid into the gravel. Marshals took him away on a stretcher and brought him to the medical centre, where doctors were expected to assess him. The reports did not give the outcome of that assessment. With Martin out, Marquez maintained his advantage to the finish. Alex Marquez took second, completing a one-two finish for the brothers, and Fabio Di Giannantonio placed third. The sprint victory was Marquez’s ninth of the season, and the result put him 10 points ahead in the championship standings. Marco Bezzecchi was fourth, the highest-finishing Aprilia rider, followed by Pedro Acosta...