Starting from second on the grid, Bezzecchi converted to a dominant sprint win over Aprilia stablemate Raul Fernandez by 3.149 seconds. Fernandez led for much of the sprint before being overhauled by Bezzecchi on lap ten of 13.

KTM’s Pedro Acosta completed the podium, bringing to an end Ducati’s streak of scoring a rostrum in sprints since this era began. Fabio Di Giannantonio was the brand’s top representative in fifth for VR46, while factory Ducati rider Pecco Bagnaia was 32.408 seconds off the lead in second-to-last.

Marquez was sixth for Gresini, while Quartararo faded to seventh from Honda’s Luca Marini and KTM test rider Pol Espargaro.

Pecco Bagnaia’s struggles at Phillip Island continued, with the factory Ducati rider dropping down the order to 19th to head only temporary team-mate Michele Pirro.

‘Brad Binder crashed out’

Gresini’s Fermin Aldeguer and KTM’s Brad Binder crashed out in separate incidents. After the race, Bezzecchi told the media the incident with the bird unnerved him.

“It was pretty hard because at the beginning I hit a big bird, unfortunately for him, especially, but also for me, because I got scared. “But fortunately, nothing was broken on the bike. Then, when we started the sprint, I had a lot of fun.”

His exploits came in the absence of newly-crowned world champion Marc Marquez, who needed shoulder surgery after the Italian slammed into him in Indonesia a fortnight ago.

Bezzecchi must serve a double long lap penalty, essentially five-to-six seconds, on Sunday for causing the incident, making his chances of winning the race much harder.

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger dg