Marc Marquez put himself on the brink of a fourth MotoGP title after prevailing in an epic Australian Grand Prix, which featured an eight-bike train for the lead for much of the race.
Marquez was in the thick of a fierce scrap for the bulk of proceedings with moments of contact between the leaders. He broke clear with five laps remaining, going on to triumph.
Marquez title quest was aided by a dismal display from primary title rival Dovizioso. He was off the pace all weekend, and managed only 13th.
Off the line it was local hero Jack Miller who thrust his Marc VDS-run Honda into the lead from fifth on the grid, as he initially pulled a near-second lead over his rivals.
Miller was soon in by the chasing pack. He triggered a battle with Marquez, Valentino Rossi, Maverick Viñales, Johann Zarco and Andrea Iannone, Crutchlow and Rins.
Viñales displaced Miller with a two-on-one pass along the pit straight. Then Rossi do the same.
However, Rossi went deep into Turn 4 a few laps later and ceded position to Márquez and Zarco, before gradually working his way past both once more.
Marquez hounded Rossi before shoving his way past through Turn 2. The pair brushing bikes as they battled, and the Spaniard soon overhauled Zarco. Viñales thrust himself back into contention with a move on Márquez for the lead. But the Honda rider reclaimed the position with a move into Turn 4.
Márquez was initially unable to break clear but with five laps left a frenetic paint-swapping fight between Rossi, Zarco and Iannone slowed the trio, enabling Márquez to pull a gap.
Iannone dropped back on the last lap while Viñales, who had slipped to seventh after taking evasive action against the charging Suzuki rider, re-emerged in the battle for the runner-up spot.
Rossi ultimately prevailed for second by just 0.027s, with Viñales edging Zarco for the final place on the podium, the pair split by 0.016s across the line.
However, with Marquez winning the race, Viñales is now mathematically out of title contention.
Crutchlow netted fifth from Iannone on the final lap. While Miller collected a fine 7th, upon his return from a leg fracture. Rins took a measured eighth.
KTM once more put in a solid performance. Pol Espargaró and Bradley Smith scrapped for 9th place, the Spaniard grabbing the position by a mere 0.011s.
Dovizioso, off the back of his superb Motegi victory, had his most lacklustre showing of the campaign. Dovi tried to make gains early on from 11th on the grid. But he slithered wide through Turn 1 and dropped to 20th place as a result.
Dovizioso made incremental progress to run in 11th spot. But he fell behind Scott Redding and Dani Pedrosa on the run to the line. He is now 33 points behind Márquez with only 50 to play for.
Karel Abraham took 14th position for Aspar. Jorge Lorenzo completed a colourless weekend – in which he sprained his ankle in a practice crash – in 15th place.
