MotoGP's Best Battles: No8 Phillip Island 2015

Our pick of the 10 greatest premier-class multi-rider dogfights of all time

he best MotoGP race in years, with Yamaha’s Rossi and Lorenzo fighting a bitter duel for the title.

Lorenzo led, Marquez (Honda) closed him down and grabbed the lead. But the effort had overheated his front tyre, so he had to back off to cool it down as prescribed by Bridgestone. That allowed Rossi and Iannone (Ducati) to get back with them. Lorenzo tried another breakaway as the other three squabbled.

But Marquez’s win-it-or-bin-it final lap put the world champ ahead at the flag. Afterwards Rossi and Iannone accused Marquez of messing with them, but so what? It’s an age-old tactic to split a group.

Words Mat Oxley