Image: Russell Colvin.

Australian wildcard Matt Barton made it home for a 20th-place result in the Moto3 World Championship race at Phillip Island on Sunday, impressing on-board his privateer Suus-supported entry.

After experiencing a DNF on debut last year, Barton managed to finish on the lead lap this year in what was a two-part race, capping off what was a difficult weekend in mixed conditions as the lone local in Moto3.

“I would like to think that we lost speed to due to just straight-line speed, because we found in this morning’s warm up we had the corner speed on them, we were with them when we were with the pack,” Barton explained. “It was pretty comforting to be able to stick to the rear wheel of riders, it gave me good confidence.

“In the restart it was just the speed in the initial first part of the straight. I managed to catch up to them a little bit in turn one and two and then along the back straight they pulled too much of a bike length. It was a good race and I finished 20th, which is always good. I was the second wildcard to ever finish on the lead lap, so it was pretty awesome and I am really proud.”