MotoGP Phillip Island: ‘I didn’t expect this, my time will come’ - Dixon

A calm, confident Jake Dixon stepped on the Moto2 podium after fighting his Inde GasGas Aspar back from 14th on Sunday’s Australian GP grid.

Having led the way on Friday, Dixon’s progress was derailed on Saturday with a disappointing qualifying performance leaving him with work to do from the fifth row. However, the Brit proved he was well up to the task come race day as he scythed through the pack in the early laps.

Sixth by lap eight, the 26-year-old was firmly in the podium hunt by the halfway stage before completing the 25-lap race six seconds clear of his nearest rival at the flag, for his fifth rostrum finish of 2022.

“I know, another third position!” Dixon joked of his quintet of trophies.

“Obviously to come from 14th is never ideal - I want to say sorry to the team for that - but to come back to the podium repaid them in a good way today.

“It was a difficult race, windy, shaking a lot but I stayed calm,” he explained further. “We went back to the setting we had in FP2 and funnily enough, I don’t think it was better for the change that we made but still I was able to pull something out of the bag today. Those two rode great, I didn’t even know Alonso [Lopez] was in the race because he was so far ahead!

“Step by step we’re getting faster and faster and I just feel like my confidence is coming higher. Consistency obviously is the key to success. My time will come, like I keep saying, but anyway it’s good.

“I would like to congratulate Izan Guevara for winning the Moto3 title,” he concluded on his fellow Aspar rider’s success. “It’s a great day for the team. Now we have to focus on Malaysia and I will try to get back on the podium and get the victory.”