MotoGP star Marco Bezzecchi taken to hospital after scary crash at Phillip Island

MotoGP star Marco Bezzecchi has been taken to hospital after he was involved in a spectacular crash with Maverick Vinales during the sprint race at Phillip Island on Saturday.

Vinales overtook Bezzecchi for fifth place when the latter rocketed into the back of Vinales at the first corner at 230km/h.

Both riders went hurtling into the gravel trap in scary scenes.

“That is a massive crash, that is horrible to watch,” one commentator said.

“That’s about as scary as it can get here,” another added.

Bezzecchi was taken from the track on a stretcher.

In positive news, MotoGP later revealed Bezzecchi suffered no fractures, but was taken to hospital for a full check up.

Meanwhile, Spain’s Jorge Martin has extended his world championship lead heading into the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix with a dominant performance in the sprint race.

Martin snared pole position in qualifying for the third consecutive year and led from start to finish in Saturday’s sprint, finishing 1.520 seconds clear of second-placed Marc Marquez.

Enea Bastianini was third, earning a fourth consecutive sprint podium, while Australia’s Jack Miller, who was 16th in qualifying, was one of several riders who crashed out.

Martin (404 points) picked up 12 points for his sprint race win, increasing his margin over title rival Francesco Bagnaia from 10 points to 16.

Reigning world champion Bagnaia (388 points) finished fourth, earning six points.

More points are up for grabs in Sunday’s grand prix, with only three race weekends left after this.

Martin was in control throughout the sprint after Marquez dropped from second to eighth in a poor start before clawing his way back onto the podium.

“I thought it was going to be much more difficult with Marc (Marquez) really close behind me, but I don’t know what happened in the first few laps,” Martin said.

“I saw it was increasing a lot, the gap, so I was trying to keep a really fast pace.

“When I saw I had a big gap already then I managed a bit to make it until the end.

“It wasn’t easy. The wind was a lot and it wasn’t constant, it was like coming and going out.

“So finally winning again I am super happy and we have to be focused on tomorrow, it’s going to be a really long race.”

Marquez appeared the only rider who had the pace to fight with Martin, but he was made to pay for his early error.

“I didn’t calculate well and I nearly touched him and then I picked up the bike, and with the wind and everything I went wide ... but the pace was there,” Marquez said.

“Let’s see if tomorrow I can avoid the mistake of that first corner.

“But the feeling of the bike was good and the pace was very similar to Jorge (Martin), so let’s see if tomorrow we can fight with him.”

It was the first MotoGP sprint race at the famous Victorian circuit, after last year’s planned sprint was postponed and then cancelled because of bad weather.

Early on Saturday, wet conditions made racing difficult for Moto3 riders, with Spainish duo Joel Esteban and Xabi Zurutuza among those who crashed in practice.

There is only a slight chance of rain forecast for Sunday’s grand prix.

- With AAP