Source: MotoGP.

The Moto3 race at the Tissot Australian Grand Prix was won by Jack Miller in front of an ecstatic home crowd, with Alex Marquez and Alex Rins also on the podium.

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Miller rode brilliantly from eighth on the grid to cross the line 0.029s ahead of championship rival Marquez, with Rins just 0.003s behind his Estrella Galicia 0,0 colleague in third. With the victory Miller reduced the standings deficit to 20 points with two races to come at Sepang and Valencia.

The Australian fans were treated to another tense Moto3 contest with Miller, Marquez and Rins running in a large front group of nine and with the race lead changing constantly throughout the 23-lap battle.

Efren Vazquez (SaxoPrint-RTG) was part of that front group and he was unlucky to miss the podium, finishing just 0.012s behind Rins. John McPhee (SaxoPrint-RTG) was less than a tenth of a second behind Vazquez in fifth, with Alexis Masbou (Ongetta-Rivacold) just 0.108s behind the Scotsman in sixth.

All the riders except Miguel Oliveira (Mahindra Racing) raced with medium front and rear tyres, Oliveira selecting a hard front and crossing the line seventh. Jakub Kornfeil (Calvo Team), Niklas Ajo (Avant Tecno Husqvarna Ajo) and Niccolo Antonelli (Junior Team GO&FUN) completed the top 10.

Andrea Locatelli (San Carlo Team Italia) and Zulfahmi Khairrudin (Ongetta-AirAsia) both fell at the start of the second lap.

Juanfran Guevara (Mapfre Aspar Team Moto3) and Isaac Viñales (Calvo Team) came together while fighting with the front runners and they were both able to initially rejoin but Viñales ultimately could not finish.

Enea Bastianini (Junior Team GO&FUN Gresini) pulled off whilst fighting for points with a technical problem at Lukey Heights.

The closing laps saw Romano Fenati (SKY Racing Team VR46) crash out, soon after Danny Kent (Red Bull Husqvarna Ajo) and Brad Binder (Ambrogio Racing) collided. Kent and Binder were able to rejoin, the latter gaining a single point in 15th.

Wildcards Remy Gardner (Team Laglisse Calvo KTM) finished 26th after a bike malfunction on the warm-up lap forced him to start from pit lane, and Olly Simpson (KTM) rounding out the talent-packed field in 28th.

2014 MotoGP World Championship
Round 16 – Phillip Island, Australia

Moto3 race results:
1. Jack MILLER (AUS)
2. Alex MARQUEZ +0.029s
3. Alex RINS +0.032s
4. Efren VAZQUEZ +0.044s
5. John MCPHEE +0.134s
6. Alexis MASBOU +0.242s
7. Miguel OLIVEIRA +2.753s
8. Jakub KORNFEIL +3.455s
9. Niklas AJO +18.118s
10. Niccolò ANTONELLI +18.119s
26. Remy GARDNER (AUS) +56.274s
28. Olly SIMPSON (AUS) +57.340s

Moto3 championship standings:
1. Alex MARQUEZ 251
2. Jack MILLER (AUS) 231
3. Alex RINS 210
4. Efren VAZQUEZ 187
5. Romano FENATI 174
6. Alexis MASBOU 150
7. Isaac VIÑALES 121
8. Enea BASTIANINI 116
9. Danny KENT 103
10. Brad BINDER 102

Click here for detailed results