Spielberg, Austria: MotoGP Post-Race Report

Ducati have ended their drought of victory since 2010 with Andrea Iannone taking top step! The last Ducati rider to win for the Italian manufacturer was Australian rider and World Champion Casey Stoner. Iannone took a gamble at the start of the race on a different tyre set up and went all guts for the glory of winning against his fellow teammate Dovizioso and Lorenzo. Both Casey Stoner and Mick Doohan were watching on closely as the laps counted down and the Ducati machinery hit speeds that have put Austria on the map as the fastest circuit to date. It was a long time coming and Luigi Dall’Igna is thankful and has enormous satisfaction with Iannone showcasing the development of the Ducati bike in 2016 after such determination to get back on top. Spanish rider Jorge Lorenzo felt that Iannone was slow at the start and only got stronger as the race went on. It is a victory that Andrea will remember for the rest of his career as he winds down to the end of his contract with Ducati.

Lorenzo was over the moon with his third place finish. It almost felt like a victory for the Yamaha rider who has had a rough few months. The smooth as butter rider looked good out on the track with his set up decisions and the tyre choice. It was a refreshing podium for the Yamaha team whilst the rest of the field battled it out. This boost will help Lorenzo in the second half of the championship as he tries to cut back the lead that Marquez has over him and teammate Valentino Rossi. 

 

Marc Marquez was incredible yesterday riding with pain in his shoulder after dislocating it the day prior. He pushed on past the pain without injections to take fifth place and valuable points. It was the best possible outcome for the championship leader and after several mistakes and difficulties throughout the race including the loss of vital slipstream speed. A job well done with Brno as the next race where the Yamaha’s and Honda’s are sure to excel. The sell out crowd of 95,000 loved every minute of MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3. 

 

In Moto2, Remy Gardner did a great job demonstrating his speed and race pace in a highly competitive class. The Aussie rider is cementing his talent in the sport. It was a very unfortunate weekend end for Jack Miller who suffered a hairline fracture in his radius bone on the right wrist and the T6 vertebrae. The aim now is to heal quickly and re-focus with his chances of attending the Brno Grand Prix at 50%. 

On another note, Johann Zarco took another victory in the Moto2 class in style with more backflips on offer for the fans to enjoy. He wore a brown lederhosen to celebrate the atmosphere and community of Austria! It was a special sight and a wonderful way to demonstrate his thanks to the fans for coming out to watch the events of the Moto2 race unfold. It was the fifth win the Ajo Motorsport team and they are already thinking about Brno. 

 

In Moto3, Joan Mir won his first ever Moto3 race for the Leopard Racing Moto3 Team. Brad Binder also extended his championship lead as the South African rider stayed focused to finish a superb second. Overall, it was a thrilling weekend filled with smiles, tears and exciting racing!