With Phillip Island basking in sunshine and a crowd of more than 35,000, the MotoGP race was a four-way battle of wits and horsepower over 27 laps, culminating in what may have been the best lap of Marc Marquez’s life.

The Repsol Honda rider broke his Phillip Island duck in spectacular style, shutting down Movistar Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo’s six-tenths lead before they reached the top of Lukey Heights, then pouncing under brakes into the first-gear Turn Ten (the old MG Corner). It was the fastest lap of the race, and gave him his fifth win of the year by a quarter of a second.

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Just behind, front-row starter Andrea Iannone used all his guts and all his factory Ducati’s considerable horsepower to get the better of championship leader Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) by inches. Rossi’s comment? “It’s a shame.”

Fourth to Lorenzo’s second meant he lost seven of the 18-points advantage he brought with him to the track.

The title has been in the balance for most of the year. Now with just two races left, it is all the more so. 2015 is speeding headlong toward a cliff-hanger.

Results: Phillip Island, Sunday, October 18, 2015
Pos. Points Num. Rider Nation Team Bike Km/h Time/Gap
1 25 93 Marc MARQUEZ SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 177.6 40’33.849
2 20 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 177.6 +0.249
3 16 29 Andrea IANNONE ITA Ducati Team Ducati 177.5 +0.930
4 13 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 177.5 +1.058
5 11 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 177.2 +5.0621
6 10 25 Maverick VIÑALES SPA Team SUZUKI ECSTAR Suzuki 177.1 +6.800
7 9 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR LCR Honda Honda 176.9 +9.375
8 8 44 Pol ESPARGARO SPA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 176.3 +18.401
9 7 41 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Team SUZUKI ECSTAR Suzuki 176.1 +20.039
10 6 38 Bradley SMITH GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 176.1 +20.657
11 5 45 Scott REDDING GBR EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda 176.0 +21.846
12 4 9 Danilo PETRUCCI ITA Octo Pramac Racing Ducati 175.9 +22.840
13 3 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Ducati Team Ducati 175.5 +29.168
14 2 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 174.9 +37.244
15 1 43 Jack MILLER AUS LCR Honda Honda 174.7 +40.192
16 8 Hector BARBERA SPA Avintia Racing Ducati 174.1 +48.263
17 68 Yonny HERNANDEZ COL Octo Pramac Racing Ducati 174.1 +48.572
18 76 Loris BAZ FRA Forward Racing Yamaha Forward 174.1 +48.677
19 50 Eugene LAVERTY IRL Aspar MotoGP Team Honda 174.0 +50.201
20 63 Mike DI MEGLIO FRA Avintia Racing Ducati 174.0 +50.262
21 6 Stefan BRADL GER Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 174.0 +50.277
22 24 Toni ELIAS SPA Forward Racing Yamaha Forward 171.9 +1’20.942
23 13 Anthony WEST AUS AB Motoracing Honda 171.7 +1’23.454
Not Classified
69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Aspar MotoGP Team Honda 173.5 18 Laps
55 Marc MARQUEZ SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 156.1 13 Laps
76 Loris BAZ FRA Forward Racing Yamaha Forward 132.6 18 Laps
29 Damian CUDLIN AUS E-Motion IodaRacing Team ART 107.8 18 Laps