Crutchlow becomes first Briton to win Australian MotoGP

New world champion Marc Marquez made major error, costing him the title, allowing Cal Crutchlow to beat at Australia's Phillip Island on Sunday.

Cal Crutchlow powers his bike during the Australian MotoGP AFP

The Briton, who turns 31 next week and was competing in his 103rd MotoGP, capitalised on a mistake made by Marquez and crashed out on lap 10 while holding a big lead, thus winning only his second MotoGP.

He is the first Briton since Barry Sheene in 1979 to win more than once race in a season and the first British winner of the Australian MotoGP.

Crutchlow maintained a solid race pace on his LCR Honda to beat Italian great Valentino Rossi on his Movistar Yamaha by 4.218secs, with Spain's Maverick Vinales third on a Suzuki Ecstar.

The race turned dramatically when Marquez, who claimed his third premier-class world crown with victory in Japan last weekend, slid off his Repsol Honda into the gravel on Turn Four when in command.

Crutchlow swept to the front and held off the nine-time world champion Rossi until the chequered flag as Vinales and Andrea Dovizioso battled for third.

Marquez acknowledged that he was to blame for the crash.

"It was completely my mistake. During the whole season I've been very careful on the braking points and this time I risked more so this crash has nothing to do with the Michelin tyres," he admitted.

Second victory in premier class

It was Crutchlow's second victory in premier class after beating Rossi and Marquez in this season's Czech MotoGP in August.

"Someone asked me last week what I thought about going to Phillip Island and I said I planned to come and win ... it's nice to win one in the wet and the dry because people only think you can ride in the rain when you win in it," Crutchlow said.

Rossi greatly improved his chances of finishing runner-up this season with his second placing. He now leads teammate Jorge Lorenzo by 24 points heading into the final two races.

Rossi has now finished 16 times on the podium in 20 trips to Australia amid his eight wins across all classes at Phillip Island.

"This morning we discovered that we have good pace and step by step I came back and I try to reach Cal but today he was too fast and too strong for me," Rossi said.

"Cal is always very fast around Phillip Island, he can interpret the track and for me the second half of the race was difficult and I could not do."