MotoGP 2021 – Round 11 – Red Bull Ring
Bitci Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich Spielberg

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You know how it is, you wait all summer for a MotoGP race weekend… and then two come along at once! The venue remains the same as we race back-to-back at the emblematic Red Bull Ring, but there’s plenty to talk about on take two as we return for the Bitci Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, not least of all our first time winner: Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing).

A quick blitz through the stats: rookie, first Independent Team rider to win on a Ducati, first Pramac Racing win with Ducati, first rookie to win with an Independent Team, and only fifth rookie to win in MotoGP: Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and the legendary Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo are the other members of that club. And Martin did it from his second pole position of his rookie season, with little drama and a whole load of speed. That must make him a favourite as we return to the track, but likewise the man he just defeated: Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar).

The reigning Champion has a great record in Austria; it’s where he took his first Grand Prix win and later, his first premier class podium too. He’s added another to that in the Styrian GP, which is his best of the year so far, and he also set the fastest lap for the first time in MotoGP. So Mir will surely be a threat, but can he take another step forward to go one better on Sunday?

Joan Mir

“The team did amazing work during the summer break and the bike is feeling better than ever, especially with the new device. I was really satisfied with my performance on Sunday, the win was a little bit beyond my reach but second place was a nice way to repay the team and to kickstart the second half of the season. I’m looking forward to riding again this weekend and aiming for the win, we certainly have good information collected from last week’s race and that can help us. My performance is already good here, and if we can find those improvements in a few areas it could allow me to get to the top spot. Let’s see what we can do!”

His team-mate Alex Rins had a tricky time of it around the circuit on Sunday after struggling to find the feel under hard braking. This is something the Spaniard is confident of resolving ahead of this weekend. Nevertheless, his determination brought him a useful seventh place finish and moved him up one place in the championship.

Alex Rins

“It was a strange weekend for me at the Styrian GP, I had some really good pace over the practice and then I struggled a bit when it came to the race. But the team and I are working to find the best settings ahead of this next race weekend, and I’m sure I can achieve a good result. It is important that we analyse all the data to discover what happened during the first race in Austria to improve our performance for the second race. Usually the second race at the same circuit is pretty tight because everyone improves, so we will need to keep our focus. My seventh place finish last Sunday was OK but obviously I’m hungry for more and I hope to be much higher this time out, I know I can be fast in the corners and that’s important.”

Team Suzuki Ecstar made a promising step in their quest for glory at the Red Bull Ring last week when they debuted the new ride height device, this addition to the GSX-RR received good feedback from both sides of the garage and with work still to be done to fine-tune the device, strong results are expected again this time out.

Shinichi Sahara – Project Leader & Team Director

“Last weekend we were satisfied with the progress we made while using the new ride height adjuster. As we’ve said, it’s only the first prototype and it can still be improved upon, so we’re sure it will continue to help us in the coming races. Joan got a really nice podium on Sunday, which was a great way to restart the season. Alex struggled a bit with a few small issues but he was still able to bring home decent points and this is important. This is always one of the most unpredictable circuits of the season, not least because of the mountain weather, and we have seen that the other manufacturers can also be strong here, but we’re confident of another successful weekend.”

Ducati Lenovo Team duo Francesco Bagnaia and Jack Miller are the two key names recently shuffled down in the standings, and they’ll want to come back stronger on take two… especially having watched the Red Bull Ring remain Ducati territory, just not theirs. Bagnaia at least had a good qualifying and first start to set him up for more this time around, and Miller had a good weekend too – until he crashed. The Australian didn’t have the pace of the Martin-Mir duo in the lead, but he was stalking Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) for the podium and has made looking for redemption work for him before.

Francesco Bagnaia

“Last week at the Red Bull Ring, we had a great opportunity, and I hope we can have another one this Sunday. In the first start, before the red flag, I had a really good feeling with the bike, and I felt I could fight for the win, but then I didn’t find the same conditions in Race 2. Now we have a good base from which to set the work of this weekend, and certainly, the experience of last Sunday will come in handy. The weather will once again be the real unknown factor, but we’ll try to be ready to face the race in any condition. I’m very determined to finish the Austrian GP well.”

Jack Miller

“This weekend, we’ll race again at the Red Bull Ring, and it will be a chance for me to redeem myself after the crash I had here last Sunday. The podium was really within my reach: the team did a great job, and I felt really good on the bike, and when I crashed, I didn’t feel like I was asking too much from the front, although that was probably the case. These days, the team could analyse the data to understand what happened, and it will be an important reference to prepare in the best way for the Austrian GP. My goal is to finish this weekend on a high with a good result“.

Quartararo, meanwhile, already found some for Yamaha at a venue that’s usually a tougher one for the Iwata marque. When you’re leading the Championship and realise you can’t win, what do you do? The next best thing possible, which a podium more than fulfilled for the Frenchman – and he was ultimately a few places ahead of closest challenger Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) to compound the good day’s work. Can he do it again if the likes of Bagnaia and Miller come out swinging? Time will tell, and it will for former polesitter at the venue Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) after more bad luck for the Spaniard.

On the note of Zarco, however, the more veteran Pramac rider did start the last lap fourth and only one place behind Quartararo. He had a solid weekend and was the second Ducati home, after all. But he didn’t come home in fourth, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) saw to that, and he’ll want to figure out his team-mate’s secret to the Red Bull Ring and take back some ground on Quartararo as a minimum.

Having demonstrated good pace throughout the sessions at Spielberg last weekend and scoring valuable points in the race, Rossi will be aiming for more of the same this weekend. The Italian has identified areas for improvement and will be focused on making further progress at the Spielberg circuit. With the aim of recording another points-scoring finish, Valentino will also be hoping to join the fight for the top-ten.

Valentino Rossi

“It’s good to be at home for three days to train and prepare for the next round in Austria. It wasn’t a bad first race at Spielberg; I was able to fight with those around me and we managed to score points. We now need to look at how we can improve, primarily with the settings of the bike, try some small things with it and work to be stronger this weekend. The target will be to work well in the sessions and try to get a better position on the grid. Then on Sunday we will try to improve the start, have a good pace again and take some points. I would also like to be able to fight for the top-ten.”

Cal Crutchlow, who is deputising for the recovering Franco Morbidelli, completed his first race aboard the Petronas Yamaha SRT machine last weekend. The Brit rode a sensible race, making no mistakes, and was able to set several personal best sector times. With another GP at the Spielberg circuit this weekend, Cal will be aiming to use what he learned during the StyrianGP to increase his speed further and continue to make improvements.

Cal Crutchlow

“It was really good to be back racing again last weekend and physically I felt quite good. We need to look at the data and try to understand why we had problems with rear traction, especially as we didn’t have this problem before. I’m really looking forward to riding again and my main aim will be to improve upon my performance from the StyrianGP and go even faster this weekend. We have margin to improve and it will be interesting to continue working on the bike at the same circuit for three more days.”

So what about KTM and the aforementioned South African? The weekend was a rollercoaster for the Austrian marque from the off. Dani Pedrosa’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) wildcard put him top KTM on Friday, and drama hit early for Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as the Portuguese rider highsided and was left riding through the pain barrier thereafter. Meanwhile Binder spent the day, and the day after, MIA from the top ten… but the story changed somewhat on Sunday.

From P16 on the grid, taking fourth place is an impressive performance. Doing so in a race where there were no big dramas ahead on track and on a day that, despite the weather forecast, stayed dry, made it even more so. For a final flourish, the South African also managed to get past both Zarco and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) on just the final lap alone… so can he repeat his incredible race, and from a starting position giving him a little less work to do? It was a spectacular reminder of just how and why he was the most recent rookie winner before Martin.

So Binder could be one to watch, and Oliveira will have hopefully gained from some days off to heal and get some better Sunday luck to pick up where his form left off before summer. Both will likely be getting some more Pedrosa feedback as the MotoGP Legend returns to test duty too.

Following a rather tricky first round after the summer break, Danilo Petrucci and Iker Lecuona are very eager to improve on their results. While Petrucci aims to work on acceleration, Lecuona plans to refine his tyre consumption, but both Tech3 KTM Factory Racing riders together with their respective crews have some ideas on upgrading their performances in order to get closer to the top 10 this time.

Danilo Petrucci

“We will have another chance to prove ourselves this week. We knew this track is one of the most challenging for us. We need to work more on the acceleration, even if we have been doing a pretty good job during this last weekend. But my weight and my size are limiting the progress a bit. Acceleration and stopping the bikes in really slow corners are our main focus at the moment, so we will try to work even more in order to reduce the wheelie and trying to make the corners as fast as possible. It’s going to be a tough mission, but we will try to score some points this time.”

Iker Lecuona

“I think we need to work on the grip for this weekend, as we have been struggling quite a lot with that during the race. We did a very good race, but we still need to improve and continue to work. I’m pretty happy about my feeling on the bike, we just need to get better in some points and then I’m convinced we are there. We have to wait what the weather is going to do. In case it rains, we can for sure fight at the top. In the dry, we have a but more to do, but I think we can fight close to the top as well.”

Hervé Poncharal – Tech3 KTM Team Manager

“Just a couple of days off and then we start racing again here at the Red Bull Ring, which is a pleasure, because this is really a beautiful place with great facilities. Clearly, we were competitive last weekend, but the grid is so close, that the position doesn’t reflect the improvement in our two riders’ level and we are really determined and focused to try to find some small improvements, that will allow both, Danilo and Iker to fight for the top 10. We know we can do it, as I said it’s difficult as the grid is so competitive and everybody is so close to each other. But this is the target. It’s home ground for KTM. Stefan Pierer and Hubert Trunkenpolz are here and it is very important for me to give them the reward of their support and to give them what they are expecting, so it’s going to be full on next week for the Austrian Grand Prix!”

Honda, meanwhile, had a mixed bag too. Nakagami was top Honda on Sunday and whilst he did lose out to Binder, he gained on Zarco and the result was a top five. That’s encouraging after a tougher season at times, and likewise the performance of teammate Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) as he got back in the top ten and showed some serious pace. Can they build on that in the Austrian GP?

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) did pip Alex Marquez in the end and took eighth – via a couple of higher profile moments – but he’ll want more this time around.  And his team-mate Pol Espargaro too, after a late penalty compounded a tough weekend, as did the restart. Can they find more in the second run at it?

Marc Marquez

“We are back again in Austria and it’s the first time I will be racing at the same circuit two weekends in a row, so this will be interesting. Honestly speaking I don’t think it will change too much but we start from a very good base. Last weekend was good, apart from the restart on Sunday. I am confident we can do another good weekend.”

Pol Espargaro

“For this second weekend we need to improve. It was a really difficult weekend last time so we need to try something new to improve our situation because it’s not what should happen when you wear these colours. I know that if we can improve the rear grip that we can fight and keep improving. The important thing now is to keep focused and keep working.”

Finally, for Aprilia the promise was there but the luck was not. For Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) less than anyone as the Italian made contact with Pedrosa’s fallen bike and the results made for a dramatic Red Flag moment. He was up and ok after the incident, but an ankle fracture was found in further checks and after surgery, he’s sidelined. On the restart Aleix Espargaro then suffered a retirement, so he’ll be looking to restart his consistent run of form this season as we get back in business at the Red Bull Ring, alone in the Noale garage this weekend at least.

A rookie winner, a Ducati winner… a reigning Champion on a charge and a Yamaha locking out the podium was quite a spread of headlines. What will Spielberg deliver in the Bitci Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich?

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2021 MotoGP Championsip Points

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Moto2

There has been one constant for the vast majority of the 2021 Moto2 season so far: one or both Red Bull KTM Ajo riders on the podium. But in the Styrian GP it proved not so, with Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) ruling the venue once more and with some serious speed. As we head into the second back-to-back weekend in Austria, can the orange machines fight back?

Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KT Ajo), certainly, looked to have the raw speed – and took pole – but the Australian had a couple of uncharacteristic moments, one of which sealed his fate of a finish off the podium. But uncharacteristic is the key word, with the number 87’s form so far this season having been so imperious, and he took a good finish and some good points despite that run off. Bezzecchi also said he’d improved a couple of things in his riding from watching how Gardner attacked the venue, so the two surely lead the bets heading into the Austrian GP…

Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo), meanwhile, had a tougher weekend as he came home in seventh – his worst Moto2 finish to date. With plenty of talk around the Spaniard and his future it was a busy weekend on track and off, so will some serenity return at Spielberg this time around?

In the end, it was Aron Canet (Aspar Team Moto2) who emerged as the rider putting the pressure on Bezzecchi, so the Spaniard should be one to watch again. He’s also got a bowtie to explain too, which he says he’ll do when he wins. Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was also back on the podium and although he acknowledged a little luck playing its part there, the Spaniard backed up his speed from Assen. Is there more in the locker? And what about his teammate Sam Lowes, who, like Gardner, also paid the price for a run off and dropped down the order?

Finally, there is another rider who created a little Jaws music on Sunday for those ahead of him: Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia). The Japanese rookie fell foul of track limits, got a Long Lap penalty and then another that took him out of podium contention, but he was fast – fastest lap fast, and more than once. He’d also not only been homing in on a debut Moto2 podium, but the race lead… so with even more fire from feeling he could have left the Styrian GP with more, can Ogura get back in that fight for victory?

Moto2 Championship Points

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Moto3

The Moto3 race at the Styrian GP was an all-time great. Tricky conditions, a little tyre intrigue, and the top two in the Championship leaving the field in the dust for their own duel made for an electrifying contest – and a final lap and corner that will become legendary in the lightweight class. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Sergio Garcia (Santander Consumer Bank GASGAS Aspar) were in a league of their own on Sunday, and now we’re going to do it all again. Can they?

The first thing we learned from the Styrian GP is that Acosta only continues to deserve his hype. He didn’t need to win, but he put it on the line to do just that – and pulled it off. A few points would have been fine for the rider now 53 points clear at the top of the standings, but Pedro Acosta doesn’t really race for a few points. He also showed he’s still a master of the Red Bull Ring as the stakes rose from five Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup wins in a row to his first Moto3 appearance at the track. So heading into the Austrian GP, there’s a clear favourite at the top – and that gap is even bigger.

The second thing we learned, however, is that Garcia will also put it on the line… and the stakes for the Aspar rider were arguably even higher than those for Acosta. His lunge down the inside, squarely underlining a belief in rubbing sometimes very much being racing, was a statement in itself – even if it didn’t ultimately secure him the win. If he hadn’t remounted and managed to hold onto second, he could have ended up taking himself out of real contention for the crown, and he was still willing to go for it. Looking ahead to the Austrian GP, there’s no reason to expect him to turn down the chance on take two. And he and Acosta were already firm favourites in Free Practice in the dry…

A few more fast faces made a good mark in der Steiermark too though. Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) was back on the box, already has winning form there and went for a late move, also completing the PR dream to make it a KTM, GASGAS, Husqvarna podium. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was back in a frontrunning postcode after a tougher rollercoaster so far, and Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) returned from injury to get straight back into the top five, as ever aiming for more next time out.

Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing), meanwhile, somehow outpaced everyone else on slicks by the kind of margin that would normally contain the entirety of the points scorers… and took a top six. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) deserves a shoutout too for his pole position – the first for Turkey – and then taking the gamble, which on another day may have proven a masterstroke. But that’s racing, and that’s what we’re returning to the Red Bull Ring to do this weekend.

Moto3 Championship Points

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MotoE

Summer break was a little longer for the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup, but we’re back in business at the Austrian GP as the spectacular Red Bull Ring welcomes the electric runners for the penultimate round of the season. A venue the Cup has visited before, it’s familiar turf for those who competed in MotoE in 2019… but a new challenge for a few competitors.

Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE) is one of them, the Italian making his MotoE debut last year. But so far this season it hasn’t seemed to matter where we’ve raced or what his previous CV or track knowledge was like, the number 61 keeps getting the job done and often in style. Three races remain in 2021 and his advantage is only seven points, but his consistency has been rock solid so far and he has to remain the favourite heading into the Red Bull Ring.

Jordi Torres (HP Pons 40) is now the man on the chase, the Spaniard making up good ground at Assen to move into second. At Assen he also got his elbows out, as promised, and there seemed to be a switch from focusing on consistency above all else to laying a little more on the line. Can he keep that going? He may have to try if he’s to defend the crown, because Zaccone has been watertight so far.

Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP), meanwhile, arrives with the opposite conundrum. After a crash at Assen that’s sent him down to fourth and 17 points down, he can no longer wait for a mistake from his rivals and will need to go on the attack. Will that risk vs reward pay off? He’s not won a race so far this year, but now would be a good time to do it.

And then there’s Eric Granado (ONE Energy Racing), who is the opposite again. The Brazilian is now ahead of Aegerter in the standings, although equal on points, with two wins to his name. Two bouts of bad luck join them on his rap sheet, but when it comes together – like it did at Assen – Granado is hard to beat. When he’s needed to, he’s also found the perfect bounce back this season, including that spectacular final corner ballet against Zaccone in France, when the opposite outcome could have seriously dented his charge for the Cup. Can he bring the magic and avoid the bad luck again in Austria? He is one of those who raced here in 2019…

Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) is another and rekindled his solid points hauls at Assen, but he’ll be looking to move up as he’s now ten points off Granado and Aegerter, and only a single point ahead of Barcelona winner Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team). Pons had a tougher visit to the TT Circuit Assen and will be aiming for more in Austria.

Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE), meanwhile, got more at the Dutch GP. After a tougher start to the year the Italian took his best 2021 finish yet at Assen in fourth, and was the top Red Bull Ring finisher on the current grid back in 2019. He’s consistent as ever too, with a top ten finish in every race this season – something that only Zaccone, Torres and Yonny Hernandez (Octo Pramac MotoE) can join in claiming.

Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing), Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) and Fermin Aldeguer (Openbank Aspar Team) are waiting in the wings to fight it out for that top ten – as a minimum – too, and all three are covered by just eight points in the standings, with time left to make up some good ground. Mathematically, the 2021 Cup remains anyone’s to win… but the clock is ticking and crunch time is coming as we head into the penultimate round.

MotoE Championship Points

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2021

Bitci Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich Schedule (AEST)

Source: MCNews.com.au

2020 MotoGP Round Six
Styria Red Bull Ring

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MotoGP Qualifying

Pol Espargaro has qualified on pole position, which is his first pole position since he stepped up to MotoGP back in 2014 and his first since he was on pole at Valencia in Moto2 in 2013. He becomes the 10th different Spanish rider to qualify on pole in the premier class, and this is Spain’s 175th pole position (since 1974 when pole position begun to be officially recorded).

This is KTM’s first pole in the premier class, which is the first time a factory have taken their maiden pole since the 2003 Spanish GP (Ducati with Loris Capirossi), and the first time for a manufacturer since Forward Yamaha at the 2014 Dutch GP. In addition, this is the first pole for a non-Italian nor Japanese manufacturer in the premier class since Proton KR at Phillip Island in 2002 with Jeremy McWilliams.

Pol Espargaro – P1

“Unbelievable. I’m really pleased. I could not imagine we would go Pole and I was fighting for the first or the second row. We were struggling for a very fast lap: I was missing the last tenth and making small mistakes. I knew I could do an ‘OK’ lap if I could stay away from the green track limits! Anyway, I’m super-pleased and super-happy. All my guys and all of Red Bull KTM have worked for this and I’m happy for them.”

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Takaaki Nakagami has qualified second as the top Honda and Independent Team rider, which is his best qualifying result and his first front row start since he stepped up to MotoGP in 2018. He’s the first Japanese rider to start from the front row since Shinya Nakano was also second in Australia back in 2006.

This is the eighth successive race without a Honda rider on pole, a sequence that started in Australia last year. This is the longest streak without a pole for Honda since 2008 when the Japanese manufacturer missed out 11 successive times (from Mugello to Phillip Island).

Takaaki Nakagami – P2

“Of course, I’m very happy today and, as you can see, this is my first-ever front row in MotoGP. It was really close to pole position, but anyway, I didn’t expect to fight for pole position. I have felt really good on the bike all weekend so far and it’s really good to be on the front row for tomorrow’s race. But it will be another story in the race and we are prepared for it. I’m really confident to fight for the podium and if we have the opportunity to fight for the victory, why not? But the first priority is to try and get on the podium tomorrow. So we’ll keep going like this and fingers crossed.”

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Johann Zarco has qualified in third place as the highest-placed Ducati rider. This is the second time this year he has qualified within the top three, but he will start from pitlane due to a penalty.

Johann Zarco – P3

“Today I had the maximum concentration to make a good time, I am very happy with this third position. Since this morning when I have left pit lane, I have felt that the pain is not unbearable, so I have been able to make few laps, but of quality. All day long I’ve been focused on doing a good riding style. From my point of view, today I have learned a lot about the bike, and I think I can take a step in the next race.”

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Joan Mir has qualified fourth, which is his best qualifying result since he stepped up to MotoGP last year. With Zarco’s penalty, he starts from third, which is his first front row start in the class. He finished second last week in Austria, his first podium finish in MotoGP.

Joan Mir – P4

“Over this weekend so far we’ve managed to improve everything a little bit compared with last weekend. It’s really important at this track to start on the front two rows, so I’m pleased that I managed that, especially as my time was so close to the top. I feel great and I know I have the pace to fight at the front, so let’s see how tomorrow goes.”

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Jack Miller, who crashed in FP3, has qualified in fifth but starts from fourth as the highest-placed Ducati rider. He will be aiming to finish on the podium in back-to-back MotoGP races for the first time.

Jack Miller – P5

“We started really good this morning, Unfortunately during the FP3 I crashed and after that my right shoulder was in pain, and because of that I could not make the time that I wanted this afternoon in the Q2. I will try to do my best tomorrow hoping that the shoulder does not hurt me”

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Polesitter last week, Maverick Viñales has qualified sixth place as the highest-placed Yamaha rider. This is the 14th successive time he has qualified in the top six. On his 13 previous starts from the front two rows, he went on to finish on the podium six times, including a win in Malaysia last year.

Maverick Viñales – P6

“The second row on the grid is good. Considering the track condition and the level of our rivals, it’s not bad, I’m quite happy. But, anyway, tomorrow will be a tough race because most of the riders have the same rhythm. We need to overtake at the beginning and try to understand where we’re faster. I feel really good on the bike. This weekend we’re using a very different set-up, trying to understand if this is better for the race, but we won’t know for sure until tomorrow. We will try it and see. It’s good to try something different at this second GP in Austria, because we can easily compare the data and see if we’re heading in the right direction or not.”

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Alex Rins has qualified seventh, which is his best qualifying result since he was also seventh in Malaysia last year. But he starts from sixth, which is his best starting position since he was fifth in Silverstone last year on his way to winning the race.

Alex Rins – P7

“It’s strange because when the margins are so small you can easily end up further down the grid than you hoped! I was only two tenths of a second off but I finished seventh. I will actually go up one row on the grid and start sixth because of Zarco’s penalty. My shoulder is still painful but I have good rhythm and consistency for tomorrow, there are some other quick riders so it will be a fight. Tomorrow morning I will decide on the tyre choice and I’m ready to give my all.”

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Miguel Oliveira has qualified in eighth, but starts from seventh, which is his best position on the grid since he was fifth in Andalusia earlier this season. Last week, he crashed out in Austria. Winner of the last two races at the Red Bull Ring, Andrea Dovizioso has qualified in ninth (but starts from eighth). This is the first time he fails to start from the front two rows at the Austrian track.

Miguel Oliveira – P8

“Overall it was a positive day. We did a very good FP3 session and also a super-good FP4 with a very strong race pace. I went into qualifying feeling ready and I did my best. It was not enough to arrive in the first two rows, which was our goal. But anyway, it is good to start from the third row, better than last weekend and I think we are ready for the race tomorrow.”

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Andrea Dovizioso – P9

“Today our goal was to get on the front row, but unfortunately I couldn’t get a good lap in qualifying. It had never happened to me, but after working so much with the used tyres these days, I struggled to find the feeling needed to push with the new tyres. We’ve been working hard these days, and we’re ready for tomorrow. We hope to be able to recover positions immediately from the early stages of the race.”

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Championship leader Fabio Quartararo has qualified in 10th place equalling his worst qualifying result in MotoGP from Le Mans and Brno last year. With Dovizioso, Viñales, Nakagami and Alex Marquez, Quartararo is the only other rider who scored points in each of the MotoGP™ races this season so far.

Fabio Quartararo – P10

“Our pace in FP4 was better, but qualifying was not so good. Actually, I prefer it this way round but this isn’t the best track to do it at! With the top speed needed here, it makes qualifying difficult. I wasn’t able to push like I wanted. However, I’m happy because we’ve improved the feeling with the bike and the pace is really good when compared to those riders using the same manufacturer as us. The new settings we have used have worked really well in that aspect. Tomorrow I think finishing in the top-six would be a really good result for us, although of course we want more but this is realistic. Starting from P9 is not the best, so we will try to make a lot of clean overtakes and finish with the best result we can.”

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Franco Morbidelli – P11

“Today was a funny one: this morning I felt quite okay and I was able to get straight into Q2, but we didn’t reach our potential in qualifying. We decided to try something different for qualifying with different tyre compounds, to see if we could gain something, but it didn’t pay off in the end. We finished 11th, tenth on the starting grid, which isn’t too bad of a starting position as, apart from the top four guys, the pace is quite similar. We will try to make a good start tomorrow, have a good race and pick up as many points as we can. Of course if it rains then it makes it more difficult. This track is tricky in the wet so I’m hoping for a dry race tomorrow.”

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Danilo Petrucci – P12

“Today, in Q1, I managed to get a good lap time, but I wasn’t able to repeat it in Q2. For the moment, I still can’t find the right balance when it comes to braking, and in the second session of qualifying, I made a small mistake that affected my result. I honestly didn’t expect to close so far behind and hoped I could do better. I expect a difficult race, as on this track it is not easy to recover positions, but the important thing will be to be able to make a good start to avoid getting stuck in the confusion of the first laps.”

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Iker Lecuona – P13

“I’m really happy about today. This morning I tried to go to Q2 directly but I missed it by less than one tenth of a second, as everybody is incredibly close on this track. Later in FP4, I was working towards the race. I know I have a decent pace for tomorrow. In qualifying I pushed very hard on my last lap and finished in P1, but later Zarco and Petrucci went a bit faster than me, so I couldn’t make it to Q2. But honestly, I’m really delighted. It’s my best position on the grid so far and I want to say thanks to the team. We are working very well, I’m very comfortable on the bike and I can ride smooth. So, we will see what we can do tomorrow in the race.”

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Brad Binder – P14

“This morning I was 0.003 from getting straight into Q2 and then in Q1 I gave it a good try but unfortunately was not quick enough. It is what it is. The times are super-tight around this track and I’m looking forward to tomorrow. Starting where I am I need to make up time when everybody is tight and compressed. I’m going to have to try and put together a good first lap and then the first two-three is where I will make-or-break my race. Let’s see how we get on.”

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Valentino Rossi – P15

“Unfortunately I made a mistake in Turn 9. I think I touched the white line, and it wasn’t clean because of Masia’s incident with the oil in the Moto3 class, so I lost the front. I also made a mistake this morning whilst on a good lap, and had to go to Q1. In that session it’s very difficult, because everybody pushes a lot and the lap times are similar to Q2, so it’s not easy. Starting from 14th on the grid will be hard, but my race pace is not so bad, I’m quite fast and consistent. I think there are four or five riders that are faster, but we are up there with the others. This is not our best track, it’s difficult here with the Yamaha, but the pace is not so bad, I’m quite strong. The race is long. We have to do everything well, trying the maximum from the beginning of the race.”

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Michele Pirro – P16

“A good day, I have improved both the race pace and speed . Tomorrow I will start from the fifth row and I hope to do a good start because I have the pace to be right after the very first ones.”

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Alex Marquez – P17

“In the morning I had a small crash, it was high speed but not really big. The plan was to try a slightly different setting on the second bike but the feeling wasn’t really what I was expecting and because the other bike was damaged I couldn’t improve my lap time in FP3. It’s a shame because on Friday we were feeling better about our one lap speed. Then in Free Practice 4 I spent most of it trying to regain my feeling on the bike. For Q1 I improved a bit, but still couldn’t find that same speed. We have Warm Up still to work on it and recover this feeling to push in the strong areas of the bike, like corner entry.”

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Cal Crutchlow – P18

“Today was a difficult day again. I hope to be able to improve the situation tonight, essentially I feel a little bit better than I did yesterday, but not in the fast lap unfortunately. I wasn’t really able to make a good lap in the qualifying and it seems we are still going round in circles with the bike a little bit. But hopefully we can make a good start tomorrow and try and battle with some guys that are ahead of us in the qualification. We will work hard tonight as a team and go for it tomorrow.”

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Bradley Smith – P19

“I am rather pleased today as well. We are continuing to improve. We are working in the right direction. My feeling with the RS-GP is increasing, especially in terms of race pace. It’s a pity about the qualifiers. In the last sector, I saw the marshals busy with Valentino’s crash and I slowed down. I could have improved by a few positions. In any case, I have a good pace for tomorrow. A good result in the race would be the right conclusion for this weekend.”

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Aleix Espargaro – P20

“We made some rather significant changes to the bike and I must say that in FP4, we demonstrated outstanding pace, with a full tank and race tyres. The first run in qualifiers was also fast, but due to a technical fault, I was unable to use the same bike on the last run. Unfortunately, the second RS-GP is set up differently and I didn’t have the same feeling with it, so I was unable to improve my time. It’s a pity, because we’ll have to start from rather far back. Given our pace, I’ll have to take some risks in the early stages of the race.”

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Stefan Bradl – P21

“We have changed the bike a lot compared to last weekend and we also wanted to know what direction we had to follow. Fortunately, our pace is looking better than our grid position so I’m hoping to gain some positions tomorrow. But for sure we have a lot of work to do, it’s important to keep working and give our maximum in the race.”

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Tito Rabat – P22

“What happened over the weekend is not very normal. In FP1 with used tires I rode in 1’24.8 and although I fell it was without consequences. Then during the weekend, we could not return to do this, we got a 24.9 in the classification. I am convinced that my entire team is working well, I am focused and working well, but I am not able to find that it fails. The good part of all this is that at least I’m having fun, that we’re doing our best, but to see how the situation evolves. Tomorrow in the race we will forget everything external and we will continue learning.”

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MotoGP Qualifying Report

Pol Espargaro and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing have both earned their first MotoGP pole positions in the BMW M Grand Prix of Styria. Taking the spoils in a fierce Q2 at the Red Bull Ring, the Spaniard on the Austrian machine just pipped Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) to the top, with Q1 graduate Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) defying the odds to qualify third just a couple of days after surgery on his scaphoid. However, the Frenchman will start from pitlane on Sunday.

Q1 saw Zarco pull a fast one and move through, the Frenchman impressing to pip Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) and deny a few others too. With his pit-lane start already decided, it was a lost opportunity for those denied a place, but won fair and square with some superhuman effort – and there was more to come.

The opening laps in Q2 were tentative but once the riders got one lap under their belt, qualifying kicked off in stunning style at the Styrian GP. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) was the first man to delve into the 1:23s with a 1:23.866, with Zarco slotting into second despite his recently operated scaphoid. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) then went onto the provisional front row, before Nakagami took P3.

A raging Red Bull then came flying over the line to snatch provisional pole position from Quartararo, Pol Espargaro taking over at the top by two tenths and moving the goalposts to a 1:23.645. He wouldn’t be at the top of the tree for long though – Nakagami was on a charge and the Japanese star took P1 by 0.043 as a breathless opening stint ended and the Austrian hills fell silent for a brief period, fresh Michelin rubber going in ready for five minutes of MotoGP mayhem at the Red Bull Ring.

Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) – who didn’t set a lap time in Q2 after encountering shoulder issues following his FP3 crash – jumped from P11 to P3 with a great lap, before Pol Espargaro then shot to the top of the times by 0.022. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) climbed to P4 and after two sectors, his teammate Mir was on for pole position – and so was Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso. Mir couldn’t hold his advantage in Sectors 3 and 4 though as the Suzuki rider went P3, with Dovizioso slotting into P6.

Meanwhile, Quartararo had slipped from P1 to P7 with just over a minute to go, as his compatriot Zarco went flying onto the front row. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) found himself down in P10 as well, but he was up after two sectors. However, with Pol Espargaro absolutely lightning through Sector 3, Viñales lost time and had to settle for P6. Was there a further late twist in the tale? Pol Espargaro and KTM were all set for celebrating their maiden premier class pole positions, but breath was held as Nakagami was on a flyer. The Honda man was just 0.006 down after Sector 3 but he couldn’t hold on – and his lap was then cancelled for exceeding track limits anyway.

That was it. The cameras panned to the KTM box and it was celebrations galore. It’s a first pole position for the Austrian factory and being able to do it on home soil will make the feeling even sweeter. It’s also Pol Espargaro’s first MotoGP pole position, and his attentions will now turn to making it a victory for himself and KTM on Sunday afternoon. Nakagami will line-up in the middle of the front row knowing he has a genuine shout of victory at the Red Bull Ring, and is confident of fighting for the podium.

And what a performance from Zarco, who was third fastest. Surgery on Wednesday, fitness test on Friday, no laps completed in FP4 – third place in Q2. A pitlane start faces the double Moto2 World Champion on Sunday, but there are definitely some important points up for grabs for the number 5. Fourth place for Mir is his best MotoGP qualifying and after finishing second from P6 last weekend, he will start Sunday’s battle brimming with confidence. You know things are looking good when the premier class sophomore looks disappointed with P4 despite a best Q2 performance! He’ll start from third too as Zarco’s penalty causes a shuffle.

Things didn’t look good for Austrian GP podium finisher Miller in FP4. A crash in FP3 looked to be putting his weekend in serious doubt with Team Manager Francesco Guidotti telling pitlane reporter Simon Crafar that he’s experiencing shoulder pain, but the Australian gritted his teeth to pocket a P5, just 0.120 shy of pole position in fourth.

Austrian GP polesitter Viñales’ late lap sees the Spaniard start as the leading Yamaha rider – sixth in the session and fifth on the grid. And just 0.198 split those leading six riders in Q2.

Rins starts sixth for the inaugural Grand Prix of Styria, the Spaniard getting the better of Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and Dovizioso, who were P8 and P9 in the session, respectively, and also shuffle up a place. All three have shown – at least – podium pace this weekend, so it’s going to be a scintillating watch as they try to carve their way through the field. Championship leader Quartararo – despite finishing just 0.286 away from pole – suffered an equal-worst Q2 result in 10th, becoming a third row start. The 2019 Czech GP was the last time he finished this low down the grid and Quartararo starts off the front row for the first time since the 2019 British GP – almost exactly a year ago. Fellow Petronas Yamaha SRT rider Franco Morbidelli and Q1 graduate Danilo Petrucci finished P11 and P12 in Q2, with the top 12 split by just 0.594.

But there are some names missing, right?

After a crash on Saturday Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was only 15th quickest for the Styrian GP as he had front end lose on his final flying lap in Q1. ‘The Doctor’ was on course to potentially grab P2 in the Q1 session but he and his YZR-M1 slid out of contention at Turn 9, giving the Italian plenty of work to do on Sunday afternoon. Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and rookie Brno winner Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) also narrowly missed out on a Q2 place, but the two KTMs will start P12 and P13 as they gain a place back as Zarco moves to pitlane…

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MotoGP Qualifying Results

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Moto2

Rookie sensation Aron Canet (Openbank Aspar Team) has claimed his maiden Moto2 pole position thanks to a 1:28.787 in Q2 at the BMW M Grand Prix of Styria, with the Spaniard heading Austrian GP winner and compatriot Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) by 0.118. Previous Red Bull Ring polesitter Tetsuta Nagashima makes it two Red Bull KTM Ajo machines on the front row as he bounced back from some tougher weekends.

In Q1 it was Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) heading through ahead of Nagashima, with the two joined by Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40) and Stefano Manzi (MV Agusta Forward Racing) moving through to Q2. Once the lights went out for that session, it was Free Practice pacesetter Martin fastest out the traps.

The KTM star was leading Garzo and Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) in the opening exchanges, before Q1 graduate Nagashima then went P1. However, Canet was on a charge. The number 44 slammed in a 1:28.787 to lay down the gauntlet to his rivals, with Martin trying to respond shortly after but two tenths adrift as Remy Gardner (Onexox TKKR SAG Team) then went P4.

The Australian then crashed unhurt at Turn 1, and Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) took a small tumble at Turn 3 as the duo were both inside the top 10. In tandem, Sky Racing Team VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi took over in P4 as he followed teammate Luca Marini, and the Italians then swapped track position as Marini got himself up to P9, the Championship leader struggling to make real inroads into the top six….

Tom Lüthi (Liqui Moly Intact GP) looked back to his best as the experienced Swiss rider climbed to P7 in Q2, but no one was able to really look like they were going to challenge Canet’s benchmark. That was until Augusto Fernandez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Nagashima were just a tenth down halfway round the lap with little time remaining… but at the line, neither improved and it was left to a hard-charging Martin to try and topple Canet. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider was 0.034 under Canet’s time as he roared past the Sector 3 marker and into Turn 9, but the former Moto3™ World Champion was unable to keep his soaring lap going, crossing the line a tenth down on Canet’s. Result? A rookie pole.

Martin won’t be too disheartened with second on the grid, he’s been there before and it turned out ok last week… for his first Moto2 victory. Nagashima salvaged a front row start after finishing second in Q1, and that’s by far his best qualifying of the season – his previous best being P8 at the Spanish GP. Can the Japanese rider get his Championship charge back on track at the Red Bull Ring?

Fernandez’ P4 in qualifying is his best Saturday result of the season too as a pre-season favourite finds form. Bezzecchi launches from the middle of the second row aiming for his second podium of the season, with Gardner’s crash – luckily – not affecting him too badly. It’s P6 for the Australian, who keeps Lüthi off the second row by 0.051. Both the latter and Garzo set the exact same lap time in Q2 to line-up P7 and P8, with Jorge Navarro (+Ego Speed Up) and Federal Oil Gresini Moto2’s Nicolo Bulega completing the top 10.

Down in 11th, meanwhile, it’s Lowes’ worst qualifying result of 2020. The Briton crashed heavily in FP3 and will be feeling the effects of his shoulder injury earlier in the year, while Championship leader Marini had to settle for 12th in Styrian GP qualifying. Dixon and Joe Roberts (Tennor American Racing) sit between the Italian and title rival Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) as 2020’s leading contenders aim to claw their way through the field on Sunday afternoon…

Aron Canet – P1

“I’m very happy to be here on pole in Moto2, it’s a really difficult category for me, all the riders and the rookies. After MotoGP the grip changes a lot, for me it didn’t change so much but for others they can’t do the time… for that, I was able to take pole. We’ll see what happens tomorrow because for sure we’ll see different conditions, but with dry conditions I’m very happy with my pace!”

Moto2 Qualifying Results

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Moto3

Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) will start the BMW M Grand Prix of Styria from pole, the Argentinean rider coming out on top by just 0.012 to deny Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) three in a row. Fernandez will start second though, with Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completing a front row split by just 0.064.

Under sunny Styrian skies, it was Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) who headed the timesheets in Q1, securing his place in Q2… or not. Drama hit for the Spaniard in the session as he crashed and damaged his machine, then remounting and heading back to the pits. Except the bike was leaking, leaving two more riders behind to crash and a long clean up operation and delay to the next session. For the lapse of judgement, Masia was suspended from Q2, meaning it was only Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and Darryn Binder (CIP – Green Power) who would move through and take part.

Once Q2 was underway, we were treated to some late drama as Rodrigo stole pole position away with his final flying lap of the session, chequered flag waving. Before that final attack it was Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) who held provisional pole, but 2020’s qualifying sensations Tatsuki Suzuki and Raul Fernandez jumped ahead of him, demoting the Italian to third… and Rodrigo making sure it became fourth.

Behind that top three split by just 0.064, Arbolino will therefore front the second row of the grid, joined there by Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46), who will start from fifth at the Red Bull Ring for the second time in a week, and John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) in sixth as the Scot proved the fastest of the top three in the Championship.

Half a second behind Rodrigo’s 1:36.470 and seventh on the grid will be Leopard Racing’s Dennis Foggia, the Italian a fraction clear of Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia), who is the man third overall and the second quickest of the top three in the title battle at the moment. it’s not by much though, as World Championship leader Albert Arenas (Valresa Aspar Team) did suffer his worst qualifying of 2020, but only to the extent of starting alongside Ogura in ninth as he defends his 28 point lead.

Darryn Binder will no doubt be a strong challenger on Sunday from 10th on the grid, not needing to make up his often customary and impressive 15 or 20 places on race day, and he will line-up on row four alongside another man likely to have his elbows out: Deniz Öncü. Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team), Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0), Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) and Antonelli complete the top 15.

Gabriel Rodrigo – P1

“It was a bit difficult because the second to last corner was very slippy, I had a plan to use two tyres, but as the conditions were a bit strange I decided to stay on track and go faster lap by lap. At the end it worked because I already put a nice lap in at the start but on the last lap I improved even more. I’m very happy, after the last two Sundays we needed a bit of energy for the race! We’re focused for tomorrow, I think the pace is good so I’m really looking forward to the race.”

Moto3 Qualifying Results

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Sunday Schedule

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Updated 2020 MotoGP Calendar

Source: MCNews.com.au

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2020 MotoGP Round Six – Red Bull Ring

He’s done it again: seven days after topping Friday in the Austrian GP, Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) returned to the top of the timesheets on Day 1 of the BMW M Grand Prix of Styria, giving KTM yet more to smile about in Spielberg. The Spaniard was two tenths clear at the top courtesy of his FP2 best, with Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) slotting into second from his fastest effort in the morning. Fresh from the top step of the Red Bull Ring podium, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) completed the top three – an infinitesimal 0.004 off Miller.

FP1

It was Miller who took to the top of FP1 as action began again, but the Australian retained the shadow he’d had for much of his time in the lead of the Austria GP, with Dovizioso just that aforementioned 0.004 off the Aussie’s best. The timesheets in FP1 were so tight that the top five – completed by Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – were covered by just 0.102. Not, that’s not a typo.

Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) extends it to five manufacturers in the top six as he was next up on the FP1 timesheets, just a couple more tenths down, ahead of a much improved Friday for tookie Brno winner Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in P7. Fellow rookie KTM rider Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) picked up with the form he’d left off with too as he was eighth, ahead of Austrian GP polesitter Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT), who completed the top ten in the morning.

FP2

FP2 saw Pol Espargaro hit back, and by the end of play he was the only rider able to dethrone Miller and Dovizioso’s FP1 efforts, courtesy of a 1:23.638. With pace all the way through the Austrian GP weekend before the race ended in disappointment in a crash, the Spaniard remains a force to be reckoned with at the Red Bull Ring. Nakagami was the closest man to him in the afternoon but could only home in to within two and a half tenths, with Mir just 0.003 off the Japanese rider to take third.

Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – another looking for a comeback after a crash on Sunday – was a tenth behind his teammate despite his continued recovery from his shoulder injury, with Viñales completing FP2’s top five.

Overall, the headlines remain in KTM’s court as Pol Espargaro keeps his hold on Friday honours in Styria from that FP2 lap, with Miller and Dovizioso’s FP1 times putting them in hot pursuit, fresh from the podium. Oliveira’s FP1 best makes it two KTMs in the top four as the Portuguese sophomore – and Austrian factory – continue to impress.

Nakagami was once again top Honda as he completed the top five courtesy of his fastest effort in FP2, and the Japanese rider says they’ve improved braking stability and front end feel – sounding very positive about his prospects on Sunday. Mir and Rins, meanwhile, stack the Suzukis up in P6 and P7 as the Hamamatsu factory continue their warning shots for the field. Viñales emerges from the Friday shuffle in eighth as the fastest Yamaha, but not by much as Morbidelli ended the day just half a tenth in arrears.

The final man set to move through as it stands is Binder, who was P10 overall. Last Friday the rookie said he’d struggled to manage even one decent lap, but what a difference a week – and a fourth place in the Austria GP – make. Lecuona was just 0.050 off the South African too as he took 11th, missing out but keeping that strong form after a tougher start to his MotoGP career.

Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), despite fifth in the Austrian GP, ended the second Friday in Styria in P13 and will want to move forward and grab a place in Q2 – and Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) most definitely will as he ended the day just behind the ‘Doctor’. Last weekend it was braking that caused some drama for the Frenchman, this week he says it’s more the drop in pace that’s bothering him… but the weekend remains young and Quartararo has finished two Fridays outside the top ten and two within it so far in 2020.

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Rider Quotes

Jack Miller – P2

“A good first day, we did a fantastic FP1 this morning, we were very fast. I did quite several laps, we tried the medium tires this morning and the soft this afternoon. I’m satisfied about today and ready for tomorrow.”

Andrea Dovizioso – P3

“It has been a very positive day, and I am pleased with the work we’ve completed today. This morning we did a very quick lap time, and this allowed us to dedicate the afternoon session to try to understand how to manage the tyres better in the race. Since we had been racing here last week, we know where do we need to focus our work on. The feeling with the bike is good, and we are among the fastest riders. We hope that the weather will hold up, allowing us to continue our programme tomorrow.”

Miguel Oliveira – P4

“Today has been a positive first day. We managed to be very fast already in the morning. In the afternoon, the pace was very good with very used tyres and then we made some changes to the bike, that didn’t work out with the new tyre, but still we made a decent job in the morning and we are confident, that we can also improve further tomorrow morning.”

Takaaki Nakagami – P5

“I’m pretty happy with the first day. FP1 and FP2 were completely different conditions, this afternoon the temperature increased a lot, the track temperature was close to 50 degrees. It was a different feeling from morning to afternoon, but by the end of the session we had a good package and the lap time was quite consistent this morning and also this afternoon. The team has done a really great job today and hopefully we can maintain this performance from today into qualifying tomorrow.”

Joan Mir – P6

“In FP2 I tried some laps with a used tyre, because the track temperature increased a lot compared to the morning. I managed to improve my lap time, and I felt great even on the used tyre. I knew I could be fast in the final two sectors on the lap, but I needed to improve my performance a little bit in the first two in order to be more competitive during the race. I’m happy with the way things are going and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Alex Rins – P7

“The main focus today was to find the differences between the medium and soft compound rear tyres, so I used FP1 to try the tyre life and adjust a few things. In FP2 I started with a new tyre to see how it would feel in a sort of semi race simulation situation. Overall I’m in seventh, and I feel good about that; it’s a nice start to the weekend. My shoulder feels a bit better compared to last week, so I’m hoping for a strong qualifying.”

Maverick Vinales – P8

“We tried to work a lot on the race set-up today, because last time we suffered a lot during the race compared to the practice sessions. Last Sunday, I didn’t really have a good feeling, especially in the beginning of Race 2, so today we were trying to find ways to be better and focus less on our position in the practice. We found some positive things. We’re not completely where we want to be yet, but little by little we are moving forward, and this is the most important. For tomorrow, we will concentrate on securing a pass into Q2, and then in FP4 we will work again in preparation for the race. Here it’s very important to start from the front row. Last week I secured pole position, and this was very good for the race, so that’s what we need to do again – being on the front row is our main objective for tomorrow.”

Franco Morbidelli – P9

“It was really good to jump back on the bike today. In the first laps of FP1 I was just trying to understand how I was physically. I was pleasantly surprised by how good I felt; I had a good feeling on the bike and there were no major issues. I’m lucky in some respects as this isn’t the most demanding of tracks, so that helps. Overall it was a good day; the pace was good, although it could be better. We’ve been working with the medium tyre, aware that there could be less grip here this weekend and trying to adapt to those conditions. We’ve collected a lot of data today and I’m sure we’ll be able to use it to improve more tomorrow. I think adapting to the grip conditions here is going to be the most important thing this weekend.”

Iker Lecuona – P11

“I’m really happy about today. I didn’t only finish in P8 this morning, but also had a really good lap time and went alone, I improved a lot compared to last week. This afternoon, we were working more towards the race and later we tried to put in a new set of tyres to go faster, but finally, we missed out on the provisional Q2 by just 0.050. Anyway, I’m really satisfied about this day one.”

Aleix Espargaro – P12

“Overall, they were two good sessions. We worked a lot with used tyres in light of what happened last Sunday. In fact, I didn’t even do a time attack in FP1. In the afternoon, I knew that with the higher temperatures it would be difficult to get below the 1’24 mark, but I was able to finish in the top 10 of the session and that is important. I feel good and I think that there is still room for improvement on our part on this track as well.”

Valentino Rossi – P13

“The bigger problem today was that we tried to do the time attack in the afternoon, but the asphalt was more than 50 degrees, and it was difficult to improve on the lap time from this morning. We did only one time attack in FP2, because we are always at the limit with the tyre quantity, like everyone else. We hope that tomorrow in FP3 we will have a dry session. Usually the morning is a bit colder, so you can go faster. So, tomorrow morning it will be crucial to try to stay inside the top 10. We will try! About my pace, we’re not so bad, but as always there are many riders who are very strong. Today we worked on improving compared to last week, but we weren’t able to find something that gave us a better pace.”

Fabio Quartararo – P14

“Today we struggled with the brakes a bit in the morning, but the afternoon was much better in this aspect, so we found something that could be a solution. The problem in FP2 was with the bike setting, because we don’t fully understand why the tyres are dropping off that much. We need to analyse deeply how to work in this aspect. We worked on the race pace in FP2, but it isn’t where we want it to be. I’m not so happy about today but we still have FP3 and FP4 tomorrow to work on what we need to in order to improve. At the moment we are not in Q2 so we will have to make a time attack tomorrow morning, but we’re confident that we can do this. We know our one-lap pace is good but we need to focus on our race pace.”

Alex Marquez – P15

“Today was an important day for us, we tried a new setup and this started our day very well. It was positive and it took a few laps to change my style, but in the afternoon we made a really good step. I have some very good partial times, but I still need to work a bit to improve over one lap and put them all together. Our rhythm, especially with the used tyres, is good. I’m really happy with how today went in Austria and tomorrow we know what areas we need to work on, I’m feeling positive.”

Michele Pirro – P16

“I’m happy about today, this morning I was faster than last weekend, which means that my confidence with the bike and the track has improved. I’m not far from the top ten, today we focused on race pace but tomorrow we have to try to get into the top ten.”

Danilo Petrucci – P17

“Unfortunately both this morning, and this afternoon we were unable to make the most of the time available due to some problems, which forced us inside the garage, especially in the last part of FP2. We had several tests planned for today, but now we have to postpone them to tomorrow morning. Of course, the main goal of FP3 will be to improve our lap time, to be able to get into the top ten. I am confident as we still have a session to recover.”

Cal Crutchlow – P18

“Today again was a tough day with the bike. It seems that we tried something this morning that worked better in the morning, but in the afternoon session the feeling of the bike felt exactly the same as last weekend. It’s the same with any set-up we try with the bike, it’s difficult to find any improvement and I have no real idea why. Also when we put the new tyre on, we go one tenth fastest when you should be going a lot faster than this and that seems to be the problem that me and the other 2020 Honda riders are struggling with. We need to work this out and assess this situation more and, once we do, we can be more competitive. I feel like I’m riding the bike in a good way, the best I can to give the information to improve, but, at the moment, we’re a bit lost as to which direction to take.”

Bradley Smith – P19

“Definitely a positive day. The time this morning was better than my best from last week. In the afternoon, I didn’t put on the new tyre for a time attack. Our goal was to analyse the tyre over race distance. It seems like some of the ideas we’re testing will be able to help my riding style. Since we just raced here a few days ago, we took the liberty of making a few more drastic changes than we usually do. I am at the same level as the riders I want to be competing with in the race and that is our goal for the weekend.”

Tito Rabat – P20

“In the morning it was a good day, it was a good training, I went out on the track and I threw, finishing 0.9 of the first classified. But in the afternoon is has cost us a little more, although anyway we will try to see if they can help me with the electronics and so be able to accelerate more in the first meters that is what I lack.”

Stefan Bradl – P21

“It was a tough day today honestly. We have improved a lot of things, but the position is not where we want to be, I’m not satisfied with it. Aside from this, it’s been a busy and productive day trying a lot of things and we are aiming to make a step tomorrow. We’ve been trying some different settings and pieces and tomorrow hopefully we can combine them all to find something more. The times are very close again, so there is potential.”

Johann Zarco

“About today, the positive thing is that I’m declared fit to ride tomorrow and this is really important. It’s true that my wrist is improving very fast and I’m happy with this. So clearly, it’s a good opportunity to ride tomorrow to have some feelings, some confidents and to enjoy on the bike. I think I will have some pain, and I will see how I can control this pain but is good to try. I’m happy with the medical check they said that I can ride, and also, I’m happy with the penalty. I was thinking to make an appeal by the FIM, but then it’s a bit tricky and it will be again to push the problem even and even later. And in the case, maybe my appeal is not accepted, then the situation will be not good, so I prefer to solve this penalty and start on the pit lane this weekend and close the history. Better do in that way and then put my best on the races in Misano.”

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Friday MotoGP Combined Practice Times

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Moto2

Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) has repeated his Friday heroics on take two as the Briton topped the combined timesheets on Day 1 of the BMW M Grand Prix of Styria. It was far from lonely at the top though, with Austrian GP polesitter Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) just 0.016 down and most recent race winner Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the top three… still within 0.060. As ever, the intermediate class is close!

FP1

Lowes topped the sunny FP1 session despite some late threats from those just behind him, the Brit putting in a 1:28.733 to get the better of the competition. Gardner and Martin took second and third with those tiny gaps to the top, and fourth? Fourth was still within a tenth of Lowes’ best, with Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) 0.081 down. Championship leader Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) was fifth, just over a tenth in arrears.

There were two incidents in the session, one a Turn 1 crash for Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing), rider ok, and the other a run off for Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP). Schrötter headed through the gravel but kept it upright and rejoined.

FP2

The weather remained sunny in FP2 but no one could quite get in the ballpark of the morning’s best laptimes. Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) topped the session in the 1:29s, with Gardner again close – this time just 0.042 off – and Jorge Navarro (+Ego Speed Up) third, two tenths off Bezzecchi. Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40) both put in top sessions in the afternoon to end FP2 in P4 and P5 respectively.

Impressive rookie Aron Canet (Openbank Aspar Team) had a blip in FP2 and was the sole crasher in the afternoon after he went down at Turn 1 – rider ok.

Looking through the fastest 14, most of the riders heading through – provisionally – to Q2 after Friday set their best in FP1, with Lowes, Gardner, Martin, Bulega and Marini the top five. Sixth went the way of Augusto Fernandez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) as his improved form of late continues, with Bezzecchi in seventh overall.

Despite his crash, Canet’s FP1 time is enough to put the rookie in eighth, the Speed Up rider the only non-Kalex in the top ten, with former points leader Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) slotting into ninth. Austrian GP podium finisher Schrötter completes that top ten despite his morning run off.

Currently, the final four set to move through are Marcos Ramirez (Tennor American Racing) – who had one of his best Fridays in some time – Navarro courtesy of his FP2 time, Tom Lüthi (Liqui Moly Intact GP), and Garzo… leaving the likes of Brno podium finisher Joe Roberts (Tennor American Racing) outside the graduation zone in P17, and Qatar GP winner Tetsuta Nagashima (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in P20.

Friday Moto2 Combined Practice Times

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Moto3

Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) is the fastest man on Friday in the BMW M Grand Prix of Styria, setting the only 1:35 of the day in FP1 and no one able to depose him in the afternoon. Championship leader Albert Arenas (Valresa Aspar Team) is second, three tenths down by virtue of his FP1 time too, with Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) in third from his fastest lap in FP2.

FP1

Vietti was the fastest out the blocks, topping the first session of the weekend with a 1:35.997 and the only man in the 1:35s then and, ultimately, all day. That said, he also crashed at Turn 1 the end of the session, rider ok. Championship leader Arenas was second quickest as he is overall, three tenths down, ahead of Kömmerling Gresini Moto3’s Jeremy Alcoba as the reigning Moto3 Junior World Champion took third in the morning.

Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team), Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), Darryn Binder (CIP – Green Power), Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) and Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) completed the top ten – which is pretty much the front group from the Austrian GP…

John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing), who is second in the Championship heading into the Styrian GP, suffered an early spill at Turn 10 and ended the session in P11, rider ok.

The other crasher was Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), who finished the session in P17.

FP2

Suzuki took over in the afternoon to head the timesheets, quickest in FP2 ahead of Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) but by just 0.011. Arbolino was third, still within 0.060, with McPhee turning the tables on key rival Arenas to beat the Spaniard to fourth.

In typical Moto3 style, much of FP2 was spent with many in the field seeming to almost be racing a little early – with one big group out on track putting on an impressive but slightly premature show. With the slipstream so important for a laptime in Spielberg, the riders were certainly searching for it.

Alonso Lopez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) was the sole crasher in the afternoon session, rider ok.

Overall, it’s Vietti who heads the provisional Q2 graduates ahead of Arenas, both courtesy of their FP1 times. Suzuki, Rodrigo and Arbolino’s best laps in FP2 see them complete the top five in that order, ahead of Alcoba and Fernandez in P6 and P7, respectively. McPhee beats Masia to eighth overall, with Deniz Öncü completing the top ten.

Foggia, Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team), Binder and Sasaki are currently the final four set to move through, but with better weather forecasts this weekend, it remains anyone’s game in FP3. That’s what Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) will certainly be counting on, as he ended Friday in 16th and with title rivals Arenas and McPhee well ahead of him.

Friday Moto3 Combined Practice Times

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Source: MCNews.com.au

Amazing Austria turns it on

MotoGP Rider Quotes

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Andrea Dovizioso – P1

“It was a very peculiar race given the interruption due to the bad crash of Zarco and Morbidelli. Today my feeling with the bike was not particularly good, but in some areas, I felt strong, and I could make a difference. The weekend started well, but I was not sure if we could win the race: we managed to be immediately competitive, and I found good sensations, but we still lack something compared to the previous years. This track suits the characteristics of our Desmosedici GP bike, but we will still have to work to take another step forward and put ourselves in a position to fight for the victory in all the upcoming races.”

Joan Mir – P2

“It’s been an amazing day. I knew a couple of races ago that I had the pace to be on the podium but various things happened to prevent it. I got my first career victory at this track in Moto3, and for me this result is also like a win! I’m so happy to get second. I want to say a big thank you to all the team members who are here and working so hard to give me the best bike possible, and also to the crew who are at home and helping me. We’ve been through bad moments together and this great result is for all of them.”

Jack Miller – P3

“It’s about time I finally scored some points in Austria – I’d never managed it before Sunday, so to finish on the podium was a really strong race for us. Good for Ducati with ‘Dovi’ winning too, after both of us were nowhere last time in Brno. Third was a bit of a shame because it looked like I’d get second, but I made a slight error on the second-last corner and Mir punished me for it. But back on the podium (third again, just like last year five times …), first time this year, and after I took a gamble with the tyres – I’ll take that.

“When we had the re-started race after of the crash for Johann (Zarco) and Franky (Franco Morbidelli), I made the decision to go with the soft tyres even if it looked a bit dodgy that I’d be able to stretch them for 20 laps. I figured I could do six laps on them flat-out in qualifying, so six laps, 20 laps … could I stretch it? As it was, we didn’t have any new medium tyres left for the restarted race, and I hadn’t tried the hard all weekend so I wasn’t going to go there. Had to try something, right? It definitely worked for the first 10 laps when I was leading, but after ‘Dovi’ passed me I knew I’d be defending from behind than being able to run with him at the front, and I nearly made it.

“I didn’t really want to be leading, but I was doing my best just to manage it the best I could and try not to spin the tyres too much. Nearly made it too. Hats off to Mir though, he did a really good job, and it’s good to see him get a first podium. It was good to see the old dog ‘Dovi’ back on top too … I was ninth and ‘Dovi’ was 11th in Brno so it’s a great turnaround for both of us. I would have loved to have rewarded Ducati with a 1-2, but I fluffed that one.

“The two biggest talking points out of the weekend were ‘Dovi’ announcing he’d be leaving Ducati at the end of the year, and then the crash at Turn 3 that caused the race to get red-flagged. This track isn’t the safest on the calendar, by far, and the braking at Turn 3 is very similar to the last corner at Suzuka, the issue they had there before MotoGP stopped going there. You’re basically braking towards a wall, so if you lose the front, you’re going straight to the wall on the left, and it wouldn’t be pretty. They moved it once, but I think it still needs to be further. Seeing the crash – it was a scary moment for all of us and it’s a gut-wrenching feeling when you see something like that happen, so I’m glad the guys seem to be OK.

“I have to admit I was concerning myself more with my tyre choice while we were waiting for the race to re-start, so I didn’t think too much about the crash other than seeing that the guys were OK – Johann was walking and Franco was on a stretcher but gesturing that he was alright. You never want to see crashes like this, but once you see the guys moving, the instant reaction is to get back on the bike. They would do the same if the crash was for someone else. It’s a part of racing. I mean, if you think rationally, you don’t get on a MotoGP bike and do 350km/h and touch elbows in the first place, do you?

“The biggest news all weekend was when it came out that ‘Dovi’ would be leaving Ducati at the end of the season. I was hoping to be his team-mate next year when I come up to the factory team, so I’m disappointed on a personal level, definitely. But he’s made the decision, so you’ve got to back it. The guy has been here a long time and he knows what he’s doing. I want to say thank you to him for eight years he’s put into the Ducati – this competitive package we have now, I think a big part of that is because of him.

“Whoever my team-mate is next year, it is what it is. I’m a pretty friendly guy to get on with, I think. There’s a lot of media hype about it, so you always read something. Some of it might even be true! For me, the logical choice would be my current team-mate, Pecco (Bagnaia). He’s been there, done the junior academy. He’s a young rider and he’s hungry. If I have to be completely honest, I think he’s the most logical one for the job at the minute. But I’m not the one making the call, thank god for that!

“It was a hectic race and a hectic weekend, and I think we’ll need to find some more speed for next week when we’re back here again. Austria has been a bogey race for me, so it was good to get a healthy haul of points and I got the monkey off my back. These back-to-backs are always hard and everyone seems to lift their games, so hopefully we can do that too. One place more next week would be good, two places would be better – I’d take that.”

Brad Binder – P4

“Today was much better than we expected. I was happy with 4th position, I have to say. It was tough at the beginning because I was able to make up places and it was a shame about the red flag but it did give me an opportunity to restart from higher up on the grid. I didn’t pass too many riders after the restart but there were a lot of crashes. On one hand I’m quite satisfied but then I was also pretty lucky. Things turned out well but let’s work again for next week.”

Valentino Rossi – P5

“It was very scary. All four riders, but especially me and also Maverick, were very lucky. We have to pray to somebody tonight, because the situation was very dangerous. I think it is good to be aggressive, for sure, because everybody tries to do the maximum, but for me we don‘t have to exaggerate, because we need to remember that this sport is very dangerous. You need to have respect for your rivals, especially at a track where you‘re always going at 300km/h. I have already spoken with Zarco, he promised me that he didn‘t do it on purpose. He went very wide in braking and he slammed the door in the face of Franco, and with this bike when you ride 300km/h you have the slipstream, so Franco didn‘t have any chance to brake. I was with Maverick when we entered Turn 3, and I felt something coming towards me. I thought it was the shadow of the helicopter, because sometimes it crosses the race track, but then Franco‘s bike passed me at an incredible speed, and also the bike of Zarco jumped over Maverick. So, we were very lucky, but we hope this type of incident is a lesson for riders to improve their behaviour in the future. I spoke with Franco, he is okay, he is trying not to think, but when he thinks, he too feels scared. What makes the difference on this occasion is that nobody got hurt, all riders are okay, so this changes the situation. If something bad had happened, it would have been completely different. It was difficult to restart, sincerely, but I didn‘t have a lot of choice. So I restarted, and in the race I was good. I did a good race. For us, with the Yamaha, it‘s not easy here. We suffer in top speed, so it‘s very difficult to fight with the other bikes, but I had a good pace. Unfortunately, I had a very aggressive overtake from Binder in Turn 9 that pushed me out of the track, and we lost a lot of time and lost contact with the first group. But anyway, from that moment on I still had a good rhythm, and I could arrive in fifth place. We can do better, but it was a good race.”

Takaaki Nakagami – P6

“I’m quite happy with P6 and another top-six finish. It was a really great race, especially race two. Unfortunately in race one there was a big accident and I’m just glad nobody was injured. It was not easy, after they stopped the race and restarted with 20 laps, it was really difficult to switch off and then switch on again, but the team did a really great job. They gave me a lot of positive energy and our race pace was quite good. It was shame I made one mistake in the race at turn three when I went out of position, but I’m really happy to end up with a good result. We have another race here next weekend and we’ll try to prepare for another great race and hopefully we can fight for the podium.”

Danilo Petrucci – P7

“Starting so far back, I knew that today would be a difficult race, and in the confusion of the first laps, I lost some positions. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel completely comfortable: I still have problems with braking, and I don’t ride as I would like. Today in the race, I had a good pace, but the front guys were too far away to reach them. We bring home important points for the championship, but for the next races it will be important to make a good qualification to be able to stay with the riders at the front from the beginning”.

Fabio Quartararo – P8

“I lost some positions at the start and I could feel that my brakes were quite soft in the opening laps, and then I lost them going into Turn 4. Between the two races we decided to change the calipers and we had the same issue. It was a really difficult race for me because this track is normally all about hard and late braking. Fortunately we still managed to finish in eighth, so it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. We need to look and see what was causing the problem as the next race is also here, and I want to make sure we finish higher up then. We know we had the pace to finish in the top-five this weekend, so hopefully we will be able to achieve that next weekend. After the two scary crashes today I am glad everyone is okay and I send my best to all of the riders involved, especially Franco.”

Iker Lecuona – P9

“I have to admit, that I’m quite surprised about today. In the Warm Up this morning, I did quite a lot of mistakes. The race was truly difficult as well, but honestly, I’m very happy, because it’s the first race, I could finish in the MotoGP. I lost a bit of ground in the beginning, but after the first two laps, I improved. I had a good pace, I went to overtake some riders and was close to the points. After the restart, I just focused on not losing positions, so I kept my place and even improved it as my pace was very good. I was fighting all race long with many riders and managed the gap to Fabio Quartararo. In the end, I’m really, really happy, because I finished inside the top 9! For me it was perfect!”

Maverick Vinales – P10

“Today we were very lucky, this is the most important. We’re good. These things can happen in races, there’s always that risk. And this corner, Turn 3, we say every time that it’s really dangerous. They need to do something, because it’s really easy to crash there. This morning I nearly crashed in the warm-up. I locked the front and went a bit towards the walls, and that was scary. But on the bike, during the incident in the first race, I didn’t see anything, honestly. I just heard the scratching sound of crashed bikes and then I felt the impact of Johann’s bike hitting the wall. Then, when I looked, I saw one bike coming towards me and I covered my head and the bike jumped up. For sure we were very lucky today, someone saved us, and this is the most important. We are here and the championship is not over, because Fabio finished only two places in front of us. In Race 2, we had a big problem with the clutch. It’s a shame that we lost two really good opportunities to be at the top of the championship, because I felt really strong from the beginning. It’s true that in the first race our bike was quite slow, but I was waiting for lap 15 to start to push really hard. Then in the second race, after discovering the problem, I just thought my race was over. But then I stayed on the track for three-four laps, and the clutch was okay again. I just tried to be patient and overtake to get to the front. It is what it is.”

Aleix Espargaro – P11

“I cannot be entirely satisfied. In the first race I felt very good, managing to maintain the pace of the best, but in the second, I did not find the same sensations. I didn’t want to switch to the medium tyre, so I had to use one soft with a few laps on it. Evidently, with a shortened race, our rivals were able to use a bit of extra grip that kept us from battling like we had during the first eight laps. In any case, I gave 100% and I’ll continue to do so. Maybe we just need to use our heads and not our hearts, getting the most out of the technical package.”

Michele Pirro – P12

“It was a tough race because I was starting behind, but in the end I finished 12th and we took 4 points, Ducati won and Jack finished on the podium. Next week we will try to do even better!”

Bradley Smith – P13

“I had two great starts and I am very pleased about that. The second race definitely went better, although towards the end I had to manage tyre wear and fuel a bit and that kept me from holding onto my advantage over Pirro and Márquez. In any case, overall it was a solid weekend, where we took some steps in the right direction, including during the race. It was a pity not to be able to use a new tyre for the second start like other riders did. I wanted to stay with the soft, but I didn’t have any others available. We need to keep working hard because in warm-up, the bike gave me the right feeling. It would be a step forward if we could manage to maintain that feeling in the afternoon with the higher temperatures too.”

Alex Marquez – P14

“More points from the weekend is good, but the race wasn’t what we wanted. In the first race I had a good feeling and we made a good start so I was able to make up some positions but then the red flag came out. For the restart of the second race, I was strong on the start again, but the feeling wasn’t the same and I struggled to keep up because the feeling with the new tyres wasn’t the same. Again, I had a lot of front pushing with the new tyres. I’m looking forward to coming back again next week, in Jerez we improved a lot for the second race. It was a big crash between Zarco and Morbidelli, I hope everyone who fell today is OK. Whenever you see a crash like that you get very worried.”

Cal Crutchlow – P15

“Today I felt quite good in the first eight-lap race – I was able to push in a good way. Then we had the red-flag situation, so we had to start again. Again I made not a great start but I was able to make up some positions until I was in eighth. But then I made a mistake with the gear change and I thought I had a problem with the bike. I was one gear too high and I felt a big reduction in power, so I pulled off the circuit. But evidently there wasn’t a problem, so I have to say sorry to my team and to Honda for the mistake I made, because we could have had a good result today, better than what we’ve had recently. We haven’t been in great shape but today I could’ve got a good result, so I’m sorry for that. We will look at the data and try to improve for next weekend.”

Tito Rabat – P16

“I had a pretty good start and was able to move up two positions. After that it was difficult to keep up with the pace, however, the front group wasn’t far away and we were able to finish the race, although without points. We are going through a little bit of a bump, but next week we will have a new opportunity.”

Stefan Bradl – P17

“It was a tough weekend for us, we didn’t have the speed we needed, we were hurt by the sessions that were wet or damp because we still needed to test a lot of parts. This limited our time to prepare for the race, so our situation was not as competitive as it could have been. Either way, we learned a lot from the weekend, and we’ll see what happens next weekend when I again get to ride for the Repsol Honda Team. Now it’s time to sit down and analyse the data. I hope that Morbidelli and those who had crashes today are OK. I arrived at the crash soon after and there were many parts flying everywhere, it was a scary moment. I didn’t see the crash itself, but seeing bikes destroyed like that is always a worry.”

Alex Rins – DNF

“I started the first race well but I then I couldn’t keep the rhythm because I felt some locking, then I was behind the big crash and it was so scary – I want to send best wishes to the riders involved. In the restart I felt really good with the bike and the rear tyre, and when I was behind Dovizioso I knew I had the pace to lead, so I overtook him where I felt most confident in corner 6. But then I lost the front and crashed, which was a real shame. But everything is so close in this championship and I’m ready to put today behind me and focus on next weekend.”

Pol Espargaro – DNF

“In the first race we were so strong and I was even able to go away and take a gap over Dovi but then we stopped. We didn’t have the proper tyre for the second race and I paid for that. I knew I would have only three laps before the rear tyre would drop. I was wide – because I was going wide in all the corners – and Miguel in that place was a little bit wide as well. I was opening the throttle outside and so was he on the inside, he couldn’t see me and I couldn’t see him so we collided. This is exactly what we call a race incident. It is what it is. I felt I had the best bike, an amazing bike in the first race. So, I’m looking forward to racing here again next week.”

Miguel Oliveira – DNF

“This is a tough result. We showed a lot of speed today and I think we would have been able to get a very good outcome for the team. Unfortunately, Pol was struggling to stop the bike and I saw he was going wide in a few corners, so in turn four I saw he went really, really wide, therefore I just went on the inside. Normally, when a rider goes out, you try to take advantage of it and somehow, he returned very quick and we both collided. There is no way I could have avoided the crash. It’s a shame but we have another chance next week, so we start to focus on that.”

Franco Morbidelli – DNF

“I’m a little bit sore, but everything is fine. Looking at footage of the crash it is good to be able to walk away like this. I consider myself to be very lucky. It was a strange crash because Johann overtook me on the straight and then changed his line under braking to go very wide. With the changed line and the slipstream there was just nowhere for me to go, it was impossible for me to avoid him. Thankfully we are both alright. It was important to get good points at this race, as it’s not a strong one for the Yamaha bike, so I’m sorry to my team that we couldn’t do that. I was trying my best to do my race but we were not able to this time. Now we try again next Sunday.”

Johann Zarco – DNF

“A pity Sunday because I got a big crash in the race with Franco Morbidelli. On the brake he touched me, and we flew away, he has been surprised because we were so close and with the speed it was not easy to slow down. Then we have been scared because our bikes really could hit somebody but finally no one was really injured, so that is the most important thing. It is a pity because I got a good weekend, I was competitive, and I could expect a great result in the race. It was maybe the race where I can have the best pace during the 28 laps, but it finished before. It is very important to have next race in the same place and next week. I need to improve to have the chance to fight for the podium, so I will rest the maximum during the three days and work well next week.”

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Team Managers

Luigi Dall’Igna – Ducati Corse General Manager

“After such a difficult start to the season, this victory has an important weight. It was a bizarre race given the interruption. Dovi has proven to be strong and that our bike is competitive. After the restart, the situation on the track changed, but we reconfirmed some aspects and changed the front tyre. I want to congratulate Dovi and the whole team for their work this weekend. I hope that we will be able to be so competitive in the next races until the end of the season.”

Massimo Meregalli – Yamaha Team Director

“This was a very dramatic race. We‘d watched a very serious accident happen in Moto2 earlier today, and the incident in Turn 3 in the MotoGP race rivalled it. These were both heart-in-the-mouth moments for all spectators, but especially for the riders. We are so thankful that all riders involved are relatively okay. Restarts are always quite tough. As a rider and as a team you have to stay focused, as if it is the first time going out on track to race. Valentino didn‘t let any of it faze him, and he got down to business as usual during Race 2. Normally, fifth is a decent result, but under these circumstances it‘s an incredible achievement that only top riders can manage. Viñales was both incredibly lucky and unlucky today. He was riding in sixth place, ahead of Vale, when the big crash happened, and he narrowly avoided being hit. Then in the restart he soon encountered a technical issue with the clutch that held him back, especially in the opening laps. Once he found out how to ride around the issue, he was okay and able to salvage six points for tenth place, but it was far from the race he had hoped for. It‘s been a very eventful day, but we‘ll take a deep breath and keep pushing. We need to have a good look at all the data, because next week we‘ll have a rematch here in Spielberg.”

Mike Leitner – Red Bull KTM Race Manager

“This GP was like a rollercoaster. Pol had the first race under control. He had the right tire, the lead and the right plan. So, the crash destroyed that rhythm but we are really lucky that nobody was seriously hurt and that was a very positive thing. Pol did not have his race tire for the restart so he was not as strong and we don’t quite know what happened with him and Miguel but is was very unlucky. Brad finished the weekend in a great way after his starting position. 4th was a decent result for a rookie in his first time out at the Red Bull Ring and the same can be said for Iker. We are super-happy for him. We have always seen his potential and he just needed to bring the bike home. Overall KTM had a great weekend, especially through the other classes as well.”

Hervé Poncharal – Red Bull KTM Tech3 Team Manager

“It could have been a really nice day for KTM in general and for the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team. After the first interrupted race, we talked to Miguel, who had a really great feeling. He got a better grid position for the restart and a good start and we were in the mix in the front group and just waiting to see how the race was going to develop, but in a really good position. Unfortunately, we didn’t see so well on tv, but when we saw that both, Pol and Miguel were missing on the monitor, we understood there has been a problem between these two. I would say, it’s an unfortunate racing incident. Unluckily, this is the second time, two KTMs colliding into each other after what happened in Jerez and in these two incidents, both times Miguel was involved and both times, it was a DNF for him, which is a shame. Because when you see the championship standings, I think we could be really up there. It’s just a disappointing situation. But anyway, let’s take the positives; we are here for another weekend, we’ve been fast, nobody is injured and we try again next week. On Iker’s side, I want to say congratulations to him and his crew. The first three races of the championship were very tough, it was not easy for him and when you do three races in a row without finishing them, without points, the pressure is high. Iker is the youngest rider on the grid, he’s a rookie and it’s been difficult for him to cope with all these things, but he did it really well this weekend. In all sessions, he was fast, not one single mistake. The whole race he was behind Fabio Quartararo, who is the championship leader, don’t forget. To end up in ninth position for your first ever MotoGP finish, I think is showing the level of Iker. I’m very proud of him. Today I would say, KTM got the best results with their two rookies. Good job for Iker, good job for Miguel. Unfortunately, we couldn’t finish the race, but it’s just a few days until we restart, so let’s keep only the positives and forget about the negatives!”

Razlan Razali – Petronas Yamaha SRT Team Principal

“It was certainly a crazy weekend, with a lot of incidents in MotoGP and Moto2. We are so glad that Franco is fine, it could have been a lot worse for him and for everybody else. We wish him all the best and we’re sure he’ll come back strong next week. We know that this track is difficult for the Yamaha, but I think we need to assess and review what happened with Fabio today. That way we can prepare for the race here next weekend and hopefully make some improvements. It was a fantastic effort from Xavi after the race restart; this is what we expect from him. He had a great race and his fifth place finish is what we want. It was a positive and consistent race from Jake to finish 14th. We will now look to do even better and improve on this next weekend. It was also a great effort from John to finish third in Moto3. I’m very happy that he was on the podium again and it’s good to have achieved this with the next race also being at this track. It was a hard decision to take with KIP but we assessed that the best thing would be for him to rest and continue his recovery. We wish KIP the best for his recovery.”

Piero Taramasso – Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Manager:

“The weekend never really felt settled with the weather, when we thought we would get some consistent track time it rained or we arrived in the morning and there had been heavy rain overnight, so the riders never had the chance to fully set-up their bikes to exploit the full potential of our tyres around this circuit. The one positive from this was that we were able to get some valuable data as to how the tyres worked in the quickly changing conditions. The track temperatures rose for today’s race and the threat of rain never materialised, so there were lots of changes on the grid with riders and teams making informed decisions as to which tyres to use. It looked like being a close race, but the crash caused a re-start, thankfully no-one was injured and we could begin again with a shortened race. Over the 20-laps the tyres performed very well for all manufacturers, it was good to have five brands in the top-six places as this shows the tyres work for all and it was especially pleasing to have five of the six specifications used, it was difficult at the last two circuits because of the high heat at both and the poor surface in Brno, but this week there was a bigger choice as conditions were more as we expected on race day. We have now had three winners and three different tracks, now let’s see what next week brings when we do it all over again here in Austria.”

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MotoGP Race Results

MotoGP World Championship Standings

Source: MCNews.com.au

myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich Red Bull Ring

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) played his cards and his race to perfection in the myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, overhauling an early lead for Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) to take over at the front and then pull the pin for Ducati’s 50th premier class win – keeping the marque’s 100 per cent record at the Red Bull Ring intact. Miller looked set to take second until the last two corners, with the Australian then heading ever-so-slightly wide and having his pocket picked by Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Joan Mir. The Spaniard therefore took second and was on the premier class podium for the first time in what was the fourth event for MotoGP riders of this dynamic 2020 Championship year.

The headlines were however dominated by an earlier incident that brought out the Red Flag. On the initial start, Miller got a great launch from P2 and it was the Ducati rider who grabbed the holeshot, with Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) also getting away well to slot into P2 from pole. Dovizioso was a fast starter from P4, with Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) dropping back.

Then Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) chipped away and got himself to the front, before Quartararo then ran off track at Turn 4 to drop to the back of the pack on Lap 6. Espargaro, Dovizioso, Mir, Miller and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) were leaving the rest behind, but the incident for which the race will also likely be remembered then unfolded at the Turn 3 braking zone, bringing out the red flags.

Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) were almost side by side on the straight, and as they got on the anchors into Turn 3, the duo came into contact and both went down. What unfolded next was terrible luck followed by incredible luck. Zarco and Morbidelli’s bikes careered towards Turn 4 and both bikes hit the air-fence, thankfully slowing them down, but the speed of the crash was such that the machines headed into the path of the riders that were coming into and out of Turn 3. Viñales and Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) were the two in the firing line and somehow, the two errant bikes missed the two factory Yamaha riders. Morbidelli’s bike shot through the gap between Viñales and Rossi, missing the nine-time World Champion by a matter of inches, with Zarco’s bike narrowly avoiding Viñales.

The debris and aftermath brought out the Red Flag, with Zarco on his feet immediately and going to check on the stricken Morbidelli. The Italian was up initially but then taken away on a stretcher to be checked over. Ultimately, both headed for the Medical Centre and incredibly, both were declared fit and were not injured. A crash the scale of which will ensure it’s remembered forever, and thankfully everyone walking away unscathed.

As the dust settled, the track was cleared and race restart prepared. This time it would be Pol Espargaro on pole, leading as he had been just before the Red Flag incident happened. As the lights went out, the KTM rider got a very good getaway but Miller came flying up the inside from P3, the Aussie running wide but was able to use the drive down the long straight to hold his advantage. Pol Espargaro was back through at T3 but Miller was trying to pull the pin from the off, and the Australian took the lead at Turn 6 and immediately got the hammer down.

Meanwhile, the opening lap on the restart was a nightmare for Viñales, who slipped to last place, with pitlane reporter Simon Crafar confirming after the race that the number 12 did have some sort of issue on his YZR-M1. And what about Quartararo? Starting from the back of the grid but at least on the pack after his earlier run off in the abandoned race, the Frenchman had started making up places but for the top two in the Championship, this was now all about damaged limitation – P16 and P20 was the situation for Quartararo and Viñales on Lap 1.

By Lap 3, Miller was nearly a second up the road from Pol Espargaro, Dovizioso, the two Suzukis and Oliveira. Mir and Alex Rins were looking very strong after making great starts on their GSX-RRs, and the duo – along with Dovizioso – were swarming Pol Espargaro. Lap 4 saw then Miller’s lead creep up to over a second but on the next lap, Dovizioso set the fastest lap and it appeared a pin was about to be pulled. Just behind the Italian, Espargaro had his hands full with the two Suzukis too, the trio exchanging positions like there was no tomorrow and losing time on Dovizioso. Rins eventually made a move stick though, and the 42 bolted off to chase the Ducati Team machine.

Further back, Quartararo had made it into P13 and Viñales was still out of the points, but back at the front, Miller’s lead was down to just 0.4 as Dovizioso and Rins reeled in the Pramac. That left Pol Espargaro, Mir and Oliveira over a second off the podium scrap, and Espargaro looked like he was getting impatient as a potential race win was slowly slipping from his grasp. Then, on Lap 9, catastrophe struck for KTM at their home race. At Turn 4, Espargaro and Oliveira were both down, Oliveira heading up the inside and Espargaro cutting back across, contact ensuing.

Ahead of that, Miller’s advantage was no more. Dovizioso and Rins were right on the tail of the GP20, with Mir clawing back the gap after the two KTMs crashed as well. At Turn 6, Rins was almost down as the front of his machine tucked, but the Spaniard saved it. Then we had a change for the lead. Dovizioso carved past Miller into Turn 1 and then, at Turn 9, Rins followed the Bologna bullet through. It wouldn’t last long though, as the Suzuki rider’s race then prematurely ended at Turn 6. A repeat slip of the front tyre couldn’t be saved this time as Rins swept up the inside of Dovizioso, but then slid out. A four-way battle for the race win became three: Dovizioso vs Miller vs Mir, with Brno winner Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) over two seconds back in fourth but the South African producing another fine Sunday ride.

With seven laps to go in Spielberg, there was nothing between the leading three, and Rossi and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) were chasing Binder, as Championship leaders Quartararo and Viñales remained down in 8th and 13th, although Viñales was the fastest man on track. With five to go, Dovi then really started edging clear of Miller, and with four to go, the Italian had pulled almost a second out. The Australian held firm in second, but Mir was climbing all over the back of the Desmosedici…

Coming onto the last lap, barring a mistake, the race was Dovi’s. But who would take second? Miller was defending as hard as he could to make it a Ducati 1-2 and it looked like he was going to be able to do it. Heading into the penultimate Turn 9 though, Miller’s defensive line took him wide on the exit and Mir swept through to steal that second place, denying the Australian as he took his first MotoGP podium on the second step. Dovi took the chequered flag just ahead of them to claim his third Red Bull Ring victory, and Ducati’s 50th MotoGP win.

Binder, after qualifying 17th, finishes P4 at KTM’s home race on his first visit to the Red Bull Ring on a MotoGP machine, the South African putting in a performance of pure class once again. Fifth went the way of Rossi, who came out after the scare of his life like nothing had happened – true testament to just how superhuman the riders are – and ‘The Doctor’ finished as the lead Yamaha rider. Nakagami picked up a solid P6 just behind as the leading Honda.

Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) crossed the line seventh to finish just 0.036 ahead of Championship leader Quartararo, but it was a great damage limitation job done by the 21-year-old who salvages eighth. 1.5 seconds behind Quartararo was Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech3) who secures his best premier class result in P9; a top job by the rookie who will have a significant boost of confidence heading into the Styrian GP next weekend.

Viñales also did well to recover to P10 after his issues in the restarted race, and it’s not what either Viñales or Quartararo would have been looking for from the front row but considering what unfolded, it was the best they could do. Quartararo’s gap has been closed down to 11 points in the title fight though, with Dovizioso now overtaking Viñales in the Championship. The Frenchman and the Spaniard will both be hoping for better fortunes in seven days’ time.

Completing the points were Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), Michele Pirro (Pramac Racing), Bradley Smith (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), Repsol Honda Team’s Alex Marquez and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol).

After a little history is made, the title fight gets another shake and some serious drama in Spielberg, it’s now time to reset and reload to attack the Red Bull Ring once again next weekend in the Styrian GP.

Andrea Dovizioso – P1

“I’m more surprised by the comeback after Brno, the feeling was so bad and in my mind I didn’t have any clear idea of what to change. But from the experience in the last few years, it was the work we did on small details and on my riding style more than changing the bike like everyone normally does. And we started again. In the way I was approaching the braking, the rear tyre changed a lot of things and from the first practice I was able to brake a bit further and that gave us the possibility to be near, working in a normal rhythm and then win the race.”

Joan Mir – P2

“It’s been an amazing day. I knew a couple of races ago that I had the pace to be on the podium but various things happened to prevent it. I got my first career victory at this track in Moto3, and for me this result is also like a win! I’m so happy to get second. I want to say a big thank you to all the team members who are here and working so hard to give me the best bike possible, and also to the crew who are at home and helping me. We’ve been through bad moments together and this great result is for all of them.”

Jack Miller – P3

“I’m very happy, a fantastic race, the bike was very fast and we were able to reach the result we were waiting for and deserved. I want to thank the team.”

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Red Bull Ring MotoGP Race Results

MotoGP World Championship Standings

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Moto2

After a dramatic crash, Red Flag and restart, Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took a commanding first Moto2 victory in the myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, and after proving the man to beat on the initial start and the restart. Luca Marini (Sky Racing Yeam VR46) tried to go with the Spaniard but was forced to settle for second, thereby, however, taking over in the Championship lead, with Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) completing the podium.

The incident that brought out the Red Flag was a highside for former points leader Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team), who was in fifth place on Lap 5 of the first start when he highsided out of Turn 1, leaving his bike stranded in the middle of the track. In a real heart-in-mouth moment, Moto2™ riders swerved left and right to avoid it before Hafizh Syahrin (Inde Aspar Team), unsighted sitting behind another rider, was left with nowhere to go and hit the machine.

Both Edgar Pons (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) and Andi Izdihar (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) were also caught up in the crash and were fortunately OK and walking away. Syahrin was first taken to the Medical Centre at the track where no fractures were found in initial checks, before the Malaysian was taken to hospital for CT scans and a comprehensive examination. He is ok, but was ruled “unfit” for a pelvic contusion as per official terminology.

On the restart, Martin took off like a shot from pole – he’d been leading when the Red Flag went out – with Marini making good use of a front row start this time around to settle into second. Again, Schrötter and Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) were in contention in third and fourth, although the Italian then tried a move and headed extremely wide at Turn 3. Original poleman Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) was the ultimate opportunist and squeezed through on both in the aftermath, moving up to third but that now some distance behind the two leaders.

Martin and Marini were a second clear of the chasers at the end of the second lap, and Bezzecchi then made the same mistake again just one lap later and dropped right out podium contention as a result. Former World Championship leader Tetsuta Nagashima (Red Bull KTM Ajo) then crashed out at Turn 1 at the start of lap 4 as his title aspirations took another huge blow, joining Jorge Navarro (Beta Tools Speed Up) on the sidelines after the Spaniard had crashed earlier.

With ten to go of the 13-lap sprint, Marini was looking ominous behind former Moto3 World Champion Martin. And behind them, the podium fight suddenly took a big twist as Gardner tucked the front into Turn 1, promoting Schrötter to third as a consequence and the German left with a comfort buffer of over one and a half seconds to Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) in fourth. The Brit didn’t hold that position for long though, with Petronas Sprinta Racing’s Xavi Vierge diving past, and the pair had company from resilient rookie Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team) too as he put himself in contention for another top five finish. The quartet was completed by the recovering Bezzecchi and they certainly didn’t assist their podium chances as the melee continued for the next couple of laps.

A near highside for Lowes then dropped him to sixth as that battle continued, but at the front Martin had pulled the pin. Over a second clear of Marini after the Italian’s pressure failed to pay off, it looked his to lose and sure enough, the Spaniard cruised to the line for his first Moto2 win, although the reality was far from as easy at it looked. Marini took second and the points lead given Bastianini scoring a 0, with Schrötter holding steady in third for his first podium since the 2019 German GP.

The fight behind remained absolutely raging however, with Lowes vs Vierge vs Bezzecchi lighting it up. The Briton went defensive into Turn 3 and consequently sacrificed all of his drive down the back straight, and then on the final lap, Bezzecchi got his elbows out down the back straight in an attempt to get past Lowes. The squabbling didn’t halt Lowes’ progress in the final half a lap though, and he was able to pounce on a late Vierge mistake to take fourth, ahead of both the Spaniard and Bezzecchi, who finished in that order. Liqui Moly Intact GP’s Tom Lüthi got the better of Augusto Fernandez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) in a fierce fight for seventh, before the top ten was completed by Canet and podium finisher last time out, Tennor American Racing’s Joe Roberts, in a solid ride for the American.

Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox HP 40) took P11, ahead of a stunning storm through the pack from replacement rider Dominique Aegerter (NTS RW Racing GP) as the Swiss rider came home in 12th. Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40) completed the points.

That’s a wrap for the intermediate class in the Austrian GP if not Austria, with Marini in the driving seat now and Bastianini looking to bounce back. Hafizh Syahrin seems to have made a lucky escape from his horrifying crash with scans seemingly clearing the Malaysian of any major injuries.

Jorge Martin – P1

“It was difficult, in the first race I was feeling better and had a gap after two or three laps, I was consistent with a good feeling but in the second race I was struggling a bit more with the front end. At the beginning it was difficult to pull away, Luca was as fast as me but after four or five laps I kept pushing and I could control the race. I’m happy to be here, but we’ll work hard for next weekend because for sure we need to improve some points, and everyone will improve.”

Remy Gardner – DNF

“We had a few problems in FP2 with brakes, but it was a good opening day. The feeling with the bike was good and even though I was still struggling a little with straight line speed I was confident that we could produce a good result. Quali was almost perfect, I showed I have big balls when it matters and was able to get the lap done. I got a little bit of slipstream in sectors one and two and managed to keep it flowing in the final part of the lap. I was super happy and couldn’t wait to race. I was pushing very hard, struggling with the speed in first and second sector. I was trying too hard to make up the time on the brakes and unfortunately I ended up crashing. A big mistake, very costly for the Championship but we just have to keep fighting. We showed yesterday that we have the speed, we now just need a little luck. I’m glad that all those involved in the incident are ok. Looking forward and not backwards. Thanks once again to all those sending positive messages on social media. Means a lot!”

Moto2 Race Results

Moto2 World Championship Standings

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Moto3

Albert Arenas (Valresa Aspar Team) took another stunning win in the myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, reigning the Red Bull Ring with now-trademark consistency and a late attack for victory. He pipped Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) as the Spaniard bounced back from some tougher races to get back on the podium, with John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) completing the rostrum after some last minute penalties for track limits promoted the Brit past Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia), Darryn Binder (CIP – Green Power) and Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46).

It was Arenas who made it through into an early lead, with polesitter Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and McPhee tagging onto the back of the bolting Aspar machine and the three keeping it nice and tidy in the first few laps, with a little breathing space back to the group behind. That was headed by a duel between Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Vietti, but once Fernandez and McPhee attacked Arenas, the gap didn’t last long and we had another classic Moto3™ freight train at the front.

As the laps ticked on, there were two key protagonists at the front for a while: Red Bull KTM Tech 3’s Deniz Öncü and Darryn Binder, who had stormed up from outside the top twenty on the grid, as the South African oft does. As they boxed it out, Arenas remained in the hunt, as did poleman Fernandez and Masia, whilst McPhee found himself shuffled down outside the top ten…

For ten or more laps from thereon out, absolute brutality reigned, with some moves seeing the likes of Binder and Öncü gain two or three places in one. Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) had made his way to near the front too, and McPhee was on the fight back… but there was no calling it and would be no calling it for some time as the lightweight class put on a truly stunning show.

Drama then hit late for Sasaki as the Japanese rider was given a Long Lap Penalty for track limits that demoted him down the order, with the fight at the front continuing with one less rider in the fray. Over the line for the final lap it was Masia in the lead but Arenas, Binder and Vietti were lurking and ready to hit back.

Binder struck for second into Turn 1, with Vietti following him through and Arenas therefore relegated to fourth. A stunning 2-for-1 move from the Spaniard propelled him back into second, however, and the race was then on to catch Masia. Behind. Ogura had fought through to third…

At the penultimate corner, Arenas struck to perfection and edged past, and Masia couldn’t find a reply, just losing out as they barrelled to the line. Arenas therefore extends his Championship lead once again, but the number 5 was nevertheless on the podium for the first time this season after a barnstorming performance. The battle for third remained tight to the end too. Ogura crossed the line just ahead of Binder and Vietti, but then the replay showed up: the Japanese rider and the South African had both exceeded track limits on the final lap and were each docked a position. Cue Vietti beginning to make HIS way to parc ferme, but then another penalty was given, this time to the Italian. That gave McPhee, who was perfectly inside the track limits at the final corner, another podium finish – and promotes him to second in the Championship by a single point over… Ogura.

The number 79 was classified fourth, Vietti fifth and Binder sixth, with Arbolino slotting into seventh ahead of the best finish for Öncü in P8. Fernandez took ninth ahead of Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse), who completed the top ten after a more muted weekend for the Japanese rider.

Kömmerling Gresini Moto3’s Gabriel Rodrigo came 11th, classified ahead of Andrea Migno (Sky Racing Team VR46) after the Italian was another to get docked a place for track limits. Sasaki unleashed an absolute charge in the last three laps to slice through from outside the top twenty, where he’d emerged from his Long Lap, to take some points in P13. Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) was 14th after losing a place to a penalty, with Stefano Nepa (Valresa Aspar Team) completing the top 15.

That’s it from another breathtaking boxing match in the lightweight class. Arenas is now 28 points clear of McPhee in the standings, but the best thing is we get to do it all again next week…

Albert Arenas

“Really happy for the result but for sure the race was a bit crazy, from the beginning I tried to push and stay safe but it wasn’t possible, the engines are almost the same and in the braking points, the entry was on the limit. But in the race I had no expectations, just to stay there and be safe, do my best. And finally, I really enjoyed that last lap.”

Moto3 Race Results

Moto3 World Championship Standings

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Source: MCNews.com.au