(CNN) -- Valentino Rossi celebrated his 250th MotoGP with a memorable victory at the Australian Grand Prix Sunday -- taking full advantage after 2014 champion Marc Marquez crashed out. Yamaha's Rossi took control at Phillip Island when Marquez went off on his Honda at the Lukey Heights turn at Phillip Island with 10 laps remaining. Spain's Marquez, who wrapped up a second straight title in Japan last weekend, was looking set for his 12th win of the season. But after his error and with a substantial four second lead, he still needs one more to equal Australian Mick Doohan's all-time record from the 1997 season. "As I had no pressure on me I tried a different approach, pushing hard from the start to try to open the largest gap possible," Marquez later admitted. "We were having a good race, right up until the crash. It was a pity that I went down at a time that I was not riding on the limit or faster than the lap before." The 35-year-old Rossi has virtually ever other MotoGP record in his possession and victory was his 82nd at motorcycling's highest level and second of the season. "When I saw Marc crash it was a surprise, and to finish first at Phillip Island after my last victory here in 2005 is a great achievement," Rossi told the official MotoGP website. "I love this track and I've won the two most important world championships of my career in 2001 and 2004. "I won again here in 2005 but I have done a lot of podiums since then and never won." His teammate Jorge Lorenzo of Spain took second place -- over 10 seconds adrift -- with promising young British rider Bradley Smith in third, his first podium in MotoGP. Smith's compatriot Cal Crutchlow looked set for his best finish of the season for Ducati, but he crashed out when lying second on the final lap. Crutchlow's teammate Andrea Dovizioso finished fourth. It meant a first all-Yamaha podium for the first time since the Le Mans race of 2008. Marquez's Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa was one of nine riders who either crashed out or failed to finish an incident-packed race and the Spaniard's chances of finishing second in the overall standings have diminished. Rossi's victory has given him an eight-point lead over Lorenzo in the battle for second place with two races remaining in Sepang and Valencia. Pedrosa trails by a further 18 points.
Valentino Rossi wins Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island .
Second win of season for legendary Italian .
Champion Marc Marquez goes off while leading .
Rossi was securing his 82nd win at motorcycling's highest level .
(CNN) -- Valentino Rossi celebrated his 250th MotoGP with a memorable victory at the Australian Grand Prix Sunday -- taking full advantage after 2014 champion Marc Marquez crashed out. Yamaha's Rossi took control at Phillip Island when Marquez went off on his Honda at the Lukey Heights turn at Phillip Island with 10 laps remaining. Spain's Marquez, who wrapped up a second straight title in Japan last weekend, was looking set for his 12th win of the season. But after his error and with a substantial four second lead, he still needs one more to equal Australian Mick Doohan's all-time record from the 1997 season. "As I had no pressure on me I tried a different approach, pushing hard from the start to try to open the largest gap possible," Marquez later admitted. "We were having a good race, right up until the crash. It was a pity that I went down at a time that I was not riding on the limit or faster than the lap before." The 35-year-old Rossi has virtually ever other MotoGP record in his possession and victory was his 82nd at motorcycling's highest level and second of the season. "When I saw Marc crash it was a surprise, and to finish first at Phillip Island after my last victory here in 2005 is a great achievement," Rossi told the official MotoGP website. "I love this track and I've won the two most important world championships of my career in 2001 and 2004. "I won again here in 2005 but I have done a lot of podiums since then and never won." His teammate Jorge Lorenzo of Spain took second place -- over 10 seconds adrift -- with promising young British rider Bradley Smith in third, his first podium in MotoGP. Smith's compatriot Cal Crutchlow looked set for his best finish of the season for Ducati, but he crashed out when lying second on the final lap. Crutchlow's teammate Andrea Dovizioso finished fourth. It meant a first all-Yamaha podium for the first time since the Le Mans race of 2008. Marquez's Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa was one of nine riders who either crashed out or failed to finish an incident-packed race and the Spaniard's chances of finishing second in the overall standings have diminished. Rossi's victory has given him an eight-point lead over Lorenzo in the battle for second place with two races remaining in Sepang and Valencia. Pedrosa trails by a further 18 points.
(CNN) -- Valentino Rossi celebrated his 250th MotoGP with a memorable victory at the Australian Rossi took control at Phillip Island when Marquez 12th win of the season. But after his error and possession and victory was his 82nd at motorcycling's highest level and second of the