of five victories out of the last six races held Down Under. But with a strong pace around the 4.4km circuit, Melandri stamped is dominance in Australia and was able to take two strong victories in the opening round of the season.
The last and only time the Italian led the title charge was in 2012 after the Moscow Round, and he now leaves Phillip Island in such a strong position, taking maximum championship points from the first round.
Whilst Rea now sits in third position in the standings, with 31 points after two races he is feeling positive and ready for the trip to Thailand and to a circuit he has performed so well around in the past.
Putting a stop to Rea’s run of form will no doubt welcome a positive boost to Melandri’s mindset ahead of round two of the season at the Chang International Circuit and the battle will well and truly be on from 23rd- 25th March.
Australia was certainly a competitive weekend, with the spectacle provided by pitstops in race two adding to the excitement due to tyre safety concerns.
With riders free to ride at the absolute limit for both stints of nine laps, the race the pace was incredible, the lap record was shattered and the leading group of riders traded places on every lap.
If the opening round is a snapshot of what to expect in 2018, we're in for a treat!
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