Marc Marquez started the Australian MotoGP with a mosquito in his visor. He still won

Even the Australian wildlife could not keep Spain’s Marc Marquez from claiming his fourth MotoGP victory Down Under in an all-time classic at Phillip Island on Sunday.

Marquez slipped as far back as 13th from second on the grid after a mosquito infiltrated his visor and botched his start.

But the six-time world MotoGP champion quickly recovered and finally overtook countryman Jorge Martin with four laps to go to claim his third race win of the season.

Marc Marquez atop the podium at Phillip Island on Sunday.Credit: Getty Images

Martin fought back in a tense duel to the finish line, but the experienced Marquez held him off to close the gap on the 26-year-old and Italian Francesco Bagnaia at the top of the world championship standings.

Waiting for the starting lights to turn green, Marquez said he noticed a large mosquito in his visor and removed the tear-off film to clear his vision.

“This one was a big one, and I said I will arrive on the first corner and I will not see anything, so I need to remove it,” he told broadcaster Fox Sports after the race.

“Yeah, it was unlucky.”

Replays showed the plastic strip floating down and landing under his rear tyre, causing a monster wheelspin as he accelerated off the line.

But in one of the best rides of Marquez’s accomplished career, he quickly hauled down the pack, setting a Phillip Island MotoGP lap record of 1.27.900 along the way.

Arriving in Australia with a 10-point lead at the top of the standings, Martin (424 points) held off Bagnaia in third to widen his gap over the reigning champion to 20 points, building on the six-point boost from winning Saturday’s sprint race.

Marquez’s win keeps his title hopes alive, if only mathematically. He trails Martin by 79 points with three race weekends left.

Italian trio Fabio Di Giannantonio, Enea Bastianini and Franco Morbidelli rounded out an all-Ducati top six.

Australian favourite Jack Miller improved from 15th on the grid to finish 11th.

Luck was not on the Queenslander’s side during the weekend as he also fell foul of the local wildlife.

Miller suffered his worst qualifying result at the Victorian racetrack after hitting a rabbit.

A seagull strike then hampered his bike before he eventually crashed out in the sprint.

It wasn’t all misfortune for local riders, with Australian Senna Agius earlier coming from 13th on the grid to claim a third-placed finish in the Moto2.

“It’s not been the easiest of seasons and to get my first podium today, I’m actually a bit emotional,” he said.

“I just can’t believe it, honestly.”

Maverick Vinales made a miraculous recovery to finish eighth after he was airlifted to hospital following a horror high-speed crash with Marco Bezzechi in Saturday’s sprint.

Bezzechi was handed a long lap penalty by stewards for running into the back of Vinales then crashed out of Sunday’s race on lap five, this time without taking any rivals out with him.

Spaniard Pedro Acosta did not start after injuring his shoulder in a scary highside earlier in the weekend.

AUSTRALIAN MOTORCYCLE GRAND PRIX RESULTS

1. Marc Marquez (Ducati) 39 minutes 47.702 seconds

2. Jorge Martin (Ducati) +0.997s

3. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) +10.100s

4. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati) +12.997s

5. Enea Bastianini (Ducati) +13.310s

6. Franco Morbidelli (Ducati) +15.434s

7. Brad Binder (KTM) +15.450s

8. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia) +16.636s

9. Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) +18.757s

10. Raul Fernandez (Aprilia) +19.345s

11. Jack Miller (KTM) +19.932s

12. Johann Zarco (Honda) +20.295s

13. Alex Rins (Yamaha) +22.210s

14. Luca Marini (Honda) +24.239s

15. Alex Marquez (Ducati) +24.591s

16. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) +30.499s

17. Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS) +30.533s

18. Takaaki Nakagami (Honda) +30.765s

19. Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati) +45.393s

20. Joan Mir (Honda) DNF

21. Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia) DNF

AAP

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