France's Johann Zarco has claimed his maiden MotoGP win with a thrilling last-lap steal in the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

His Pramac Racing teammate Jorge Martin led the 27-lap race all the way from pole after being comfortably the quickest rider at Phillip Island all weekend.

But Martin's tyres gradually wore out as his rivals ate away at his near four-second lead with three laps left.

Zarco attempted to protect Martin from the rest of the field, but had no choice but to pass his teammate halfway through the final lap.

The 33-year-old held off challenges from reigning MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia and unheralded Italian Fabio Di Giannantonio to secure a famous win.

Martin arrived in Australia second in the championship standings, 18 points behind Bagnaia, but now is 25 points adrift after looking set to cut the gap to about six points when he led.

During qualifying, Martin smashed the Phillip Island track record, clocking a scorching lap of 1:27.246.

Australian hero Jack Miller got up to third during a scorching first lap but quickly was passed and soon dropped to sixth.

Miller could not make up enough ground and finished seventh.

Alex Rins secured a memorable win at Phillip Island last year, but he was forced to pull out of the event due to lingering leg pain from a crash earlier in the season.

Rins raced in Indonesia last Sunday, finishing ninth, but his ongoing issues worsened after taking part in practice at Phillip Island on Friday.

The 27-year-old has headed to Melbourne for scans to determine where the pain is coming from.

AAP