SCOTT Redding equalled his best result of the season in today’s Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, finishing as the first Open Class Honda in seventh place.

It was a difficult race, with the tricky conditions at Phillip Island causing a higher than normal number of crashers, with nine riders failing to see the chequered flag. Redding was lying fifth going into the final corner, but got caught by the factory prototypes of Hector Barbera and Alvaro Bautista within sight of the chequered flag.

Redding crossed the line just 0.004s behind his teammate Bautista’s full factory specification Honda RC213V, to extend his lead in the championship standings over fellow Open Class Honda rider Hiroshi Aoyama to seven points.

Redding said: “I was in fifth going into the last corner, but Barbera and Alvaro passed me to the finish line thanks to their more powerful bikes, so I’m a little bit gutted for that because it would have been nice to make a top five finish today, even though I know that many riders crashed.

"I made a mistake in the early stages of the race: I almost hit the back of Hernandez and I went straight on at turn four, losing four seconds, so I had to recover and catch up to the other Open Hondas.

"Then I started to find my rhythm and it was good battling with Hayden and Bautista. I managed to open a little gap, but in the end the more powerful Honda and Ducati bikes started to catch me, therefore we fought all the way until the last corner. It was a really good race and I enjoyed it a lot!”