MotoGP Australian Grand Prix 2015: Race Schedule, Live Stream and Top Riders
Valentino Rossi enters Sunday's Australian Grand Prix with an 18-point cushion over Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo as the manufacturer looks primed to complete an audacious one-two in 2015.
In fact, Yamaha could put the final touches on that achievement depending on how their riders fare against Honda's Marc Marquez, who holds onto the slimmest of hopes in claiming anything more than a bronze finish.
We provide all the essential viewing information for Sunday's race to ensure you don't miss out on any of the action at the Australian Grand Prix, complete with a look at who to keep an eye on in the third-to-last race of the season.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
| Friday, Oct. 9 | 12:55 a.m. - 1:40 a.m. | Free Practice 1 |
| Friday, Oct. 9 | 5:05 a.m - 5:50 a.m. | Free Practice 2 |
| Saturday, Oct. 10 | 12:55 a.m. - 1:40 a.m. | Free Practice 3 |
| Saturday, Oct. 10 | 4:30 a.m. - 5 a.m. | Free Practice 4 |
| Saturday, Oct. 10 | 4:10 a.m. - 5:25 a.m | Qualifying 1 |
| Saturday, Oct. 10 | 5:35 a.m. - 5:50 a.m. | Qualifying 2 |
| Sunday, Oct. 11 | 6 a.m. | Race |
| 1 | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha | ITA | 283 |
| 2 | Jorge Lorenzo | Yamaha | SPA | 265 |
| 3 | Marc Marquez | Honda | SPA | 197 |
| 4 | Andrea Iannone | Ducati | ITA | 172 |
| 5 | Dani Pedrosa | Yamaha | SPA | 154 |
| 6 | Bradley Smith | Ducati | GBR | 152 |
| 7 | Andrea Dovizioso | Honda | ITA | 150 |
| 8 | Cal Crutchlow | Ducati | GBR | 98 |
| 9 | Danilo Petrucci | Honda | ITA | 93 |
| 10 | Pol Espargaro | Yamaha | SPA | 88 |
Full schedule and standings available via the official MotoGP website.
All the action can be streamed via the BT Sport website.
Jorge Lorenzo
Lorenzo will need a couple of significant slip-ups from Rossi if he's to triumph in the standings this season.
However, he's returning to a fond hunting ground of his at the Australian Grand Prix this weekend, and the Spaniard has even insisted he's been the fastest rider this season after placing third at Motegi last Sunday, per Motorsport.com:
"I didn’t have the luck of circumstances, like some other races this year, which is why I have been losing points. I have been the fastest [rider] this year, because of the bike and my own speed, but circumstances haven’t helped."
Inconsistent conditions were the reason behind his stumble in Japan, but Lorenzo can take some comfort in knowing he's placed first or second at each of the last two meetings at Phillip Island.
His sole Australian Grand Prix victory came in 2013, and the weather promises to make for a smoother ride this Sunday after even he admitted a front tyre issue didn't help his case last time out, per BT Sport:
Accounting for an injury that prevented him from taking part in 2011, Lorenzo has taken a podium spot at four of the last five clashes in Australian territory, but the necessity to pull back points on his stable-mate Rossi makes this a much more desperate duel.
Valentino Rossi
While Lorenzo's recent record in Australia may be impressive, there isn't an active rider who can compete with Rossi when it comes to this particular venue, boasting a joint-record six crowns Down Under.
Technically, the first of those came under the 500cc class in 2001 prior to MotoGP's transition, but an in-form Rossi is seeking to add to his collection and become the outright "Wizard of Oz" on Sunday.
The Italian comes into Sunday's race having failed to win in any of his last three outings, but a second-place finish in Japan last week was sufficient to rouse the support of Hollywood actor Ewan McGregor:
Rossi has reached this stage due to consistent podium form above anything else, having actually won two races fewer than Lorenzo in 2015.
However, this setting has been majorly hospitable to The Doctor in the past, and his bid to conjure the form that saw him seal five successive Australian Grand Prix wins between 2001 and 2005 is an irresistible tale.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
