Author: Myanna Wedes

Brad Binder rolled the dice in what was an epic Bitci Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich MotoGP race with everything you could ask for in one event: changing weather conditions, battles, bike swaps, gambles, and true courage to race a bike in slicks as the rain poured down onto the track surface to which became like ice. It was thrilling from lights out with riders elbowing one another, wheel to wheel action, slipstream strategies to pushing one another at the absolute limit and heartbreak for those who swapped bikes on the assumption no one would stay out and those that did would not be fast enough and swallowed by the wet set up advantages. Profiting from their decisions, Binder found a victory that he knew was not possible this weekend and at a home circuit which is almost like a fairy-tale story. The celebrations were beautiful to watch as he entered the pit lane area and celebrated with his team on home soil. This is the second career win for the South African rider and a boost of confidence long overdue as they continue working hard with the KTM project goals at length.

It was incredible to see the KTM and Valentino Rossi fans in the grandstand, something we have not seen in a very long time and the second largest fan attendance since the start of the pandemic and even riders interacting with fans which has put smiles on faces across the world. It was a superhuman effort of Binder considering he was catching the leading pack and at the point of the entry to the pit lane, the rain falling, you can see him make the decision to stay out, calculating his lap times and the gap to those who would change bikes. The intelligence of a rider like Binder is vital to the future World Championship opportunities within KTM and the sport. A brilliant calculation of risk and reward. Put yourself in his boots, he was riding a MotoGP bike set up for the dry, with carbon brakes that were so cold, they stopped functioning properly and the circuit as it was hot going wet, becoming like an ice-skating rink. They are mad! In addition to this, there was a slight dent in Fabio Quartararo’s title lead as Pecco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin finished second and third after changing bikes with Marc Marquez after a dominant race low sided crashing out at turn three and various others including Valentino Rossi, Iker Lecuona, Aleix Espargaro, Jack Miller, Joan Mir, and Alex Rins not able to find the pace or grip to compete as some were on wets and others remaining on slick tyres. If you are a Rossi fan, it was a master stroke for him to stay out and almost finish on the podium although some points and a top ten finish felt like a podium!

Brad Binder:

“That was really scary! When I saw the rain coming I was trying to work out how many seconds I could lose per lap and when the others went in I decided to take the gamble. I could push hard on the first lap but then the rear tire started to slide as the temperature cooled. Then I lost the carbon brakes! Wow, I think there was someone up there holding me up today because there were a couple of moments when I thought it was over. Here in front of the fans and the home race for KTM and Red Bull I felt like I had to take the gamble. To win today is insane.”

Mike Leitner, Red Bull KTM Race Manager: 

“There is a lot to say but at the same time not too much! To take this victory at home is quite amazing. Brad was in the top six when the conditions changed the race very fast. Miguel was a victim of the rain and we were pretty disappointed about that but Brad pushed on. In one way it was a gamble and in another it was a strong calculation by him. We didn’t send any message on the dash that he should come in; we let him decide as he was the only one who knew the conditions. He did great. To ride the last two laps with slick tires was fantastic. He almost crashed on every corner but managed to bring it home. Iker also performed very well. I want to thank all the KTM people here and at the factory. I always say it; but we all work for results like these and it was great to see so many fans here at Spielberg. The results across the categories shows how high the determination of this company actually is.”

When you analyse the various manufacturers, Honda are struggling and right now it is a one-man band with the return of Marquez. Honda need his expertise otherwise they are lost. Marquez is pushing limits, researching the bike, providing feedback, and wanting to improve at a rapid pace. The 2021 Honda is a tough bike to ride, and the other riders are feeling the pressure. Watching Marquez race this weekend was like watching the old Marquez before he had a major injury and was enjoying himself. With a soft rear tyre, the Spanish rider was exceptional although he made the call to box for a bike swap with the rain droplets falling in what we call a “flag to flag” race and it did not pay off. Not only was not he not fast, but he also crashed and was not able to recover after that moment which was surprising as he is quite the all-weather specialist. The indicators this weekend with his performance on Sunday were positive and this will be great news for Marquez fans to enjoy the remainder of the season to which he is sure to stand on the podium or win at some point!

Marc Marquez:

“In the situation we are in this year, I prefer to fight for victory or with the top riders in the dry than to even win a wet race or a flag-to-flag. So today I enjoyed the race a lot, I really felt competitive, and we were right there and able to fight. Pecco was riding really well, but I was with him and at the end I felt something special. Before the race it looked like the rain could help me, but finally it was the opposite! We made a big step this weekend but there’s still more we need to find. We struggled here last weekend, we understood why and we improved. I am happy about today’s race, it’s only one point but I really enjoyed getting it. This is my best Sunday of the year.”

Teammate, Pol Espargaro had a shocking race, and the pressure is really getting to the Spanish rider. You can feel the tension and disappointment just by watching him ride, the body language and the lack of confidence with the Honda machine overall. Whether he will improve is for debate! One common theme is blaming it on the riding style and not meshing with the bike. If Espargaro does not get on with his job, there will be a young rider from Moto2 or Moto3 hungry to take on the challenge and probably adapt at a faster rate which is something Honda are looking to achieve. You can see the impact of poor results when you look at the PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team and losing major sponsorship because of their results and retirement of Rossi. It is a sport that can be so cutthroat.

Pol Espargaro:

“It was a disastrous race. I had nothing with the bike, no grip and I was just spinning the whole race. Different race, different day but the same result. My riding style isn’t suiting the current situation and for sure I’m working to improve it. In practice our pace isn’t bad, in the top ten, but then when we go to the race with different rubber on track – I lose the grip and the pace I had after five or six laps. It’s not enough and I’m not satisfied, but now we move to Silverstone and see what happens.”

Majority of the public figured a Ducati would be standing on the top step and they almost were correct. Although this time, Bagnaia had to settle for second and Martin third. Overall, a positive weekend for both riders and not so positive for Johann Zarco who crashed out and Jack Miller who miscalculated his bike swap a lap too early. What could have been for the Australian rider! It was a mixed bag for Miller who had pace in the morning warm up, then was not able to replicate that in the race and then when the rain came, his mastery almost paid off though too early and tyres worn out with a circuit representing that of ice. The same applied to Rins who came in directly behind the Australian rider. With that said, both Bagnia and Martin loved the last lap antics passing multiple riders on slicks and regaining important points and bragging rights. If there was an additional lap, they would have caught Binder easily.

Francesco Bagnaia:

"Again, today we went close to winning, but I'm still happy! We did our best and worked really well. Both when I was leading in the dry and the wet, we managed the situation well. I let Márquez through when I saw the first drops of rain, to see what he would do because I didn't know if I should go back and change the bike. I saw that many riders didn't stop, and I thought I had made a mistake by doing the flag-to-flag. After the first lap on the rain tyres, I found my rhythm and was able to pass a lot of riders to take second place. We will try again! The next race is at Silverstone, and I'm sure we can fight for a good result there too!"

Jack Miller:

"This morning in the warm-up, I had a good pace, but during the race, I wasn't able to replicate it. After the start, I tried to stay close to the front group, but after a few laps, I started to have grip problems and lost a few positions. When I saw the first drops of rain, I thought to go back in for the bike change, but it started to rain seriously only a lap later. We tried: these were definitely not the results we expected from these two races in Austria, but now we have to move forward and come back stronger at Silverstone".

On the other side of the Ducati garages, the Pramac Racing MotoGP Team are ecstatic with Martin and his rookie results. The Spanish talent is having an absolute blast of a time riding his Ducati machine and to think KTM let him go, what a dynamic debut alongside his French teammate who knows how much a mistake can hurt and put pressure on with the title chase. One small slip and crash can be the deciding factor on how the remainder of the season pans out, so to lose out with so many points is going to haunt the Frenchman for a while. Zarco will need to shake off the cobwebs of Austria and arrive at the next event in Silverstone with a positive mindset and focus.

Jorge Martin:

“I am in seventh heaven. After having swapped bikes, I didn’t think to be able to reach the podium, then I began making great overtakes therefore by the time I had reached the finish line, I was third. I am very proud of what we are achieving.”

Johann Zarco:

“I am sad and slightly disappointed; I repeated the same mistake I made this morning during the warm-up session. I tried to push myself to the limit to stay with the group and slipped. I am sorry because we had worked well all weekend.”

We are still not aware of any updates regarding Maverick Vinales returning anytime soon, so we must wait to see what decisions are made. With only one key rider on their factory bike, Quartararo was dynamic in the dry at a circuit the Yamaha usually struggles and was happy until the rain hit. The win was practical in the dry and something Quartararo was trying to bag to celebrate and move towards the next few races ahead of his rivals. This was not to be the case and he was outclassed by the remainder of the field who timed their charge perfectly and capitalised on his mistake on the final laps. It will be a race Quartararo watches back, analyses, and learns from observing the strategies of those around him. Whether he will have a teammate riding next to him remains unknown.

Fabio Quartararo:

“Let’s say that I’m happy about my dry race. I’m happy because I stayed with Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez at the front. At this track that’s a good step forward. I wasn’t thinking about the championship until it was raining a lot. The overtaking was scary. I had Jorge Martin on the left, Marc Marquez on the right, I had no place to go. I said, ‘Let’s do as usual and brake hard’. I felt that I was on the limit, but I think it was one of the best overtakes of my career. We know that Marquez and Martin are ‘strong brakers’, so I impressed even myself. When it was raining a lot, I had a few moments. I saw Marquez go into pit lane and said, ‘It’s time to go in’. Most others followed and I said, ‘Now is the time to think about the championship and let’s see the results’. That was, for me, the right decision. Unfortunately, I missed out on fifth position because of a mistake. But in the end, it’s quite a nice feeling to leave Austria with a 47-point lead. This is a track where we thought we might lose points. As for Silverstone, in good conditions, we will be there fighting for the victory, that's my goal. I’m looking forward to it because it’s one of my favourite tracks.”

To our surprise, Suzuki had one rider at the forefront and not two. We were hoping that Alex Rins was going to charge forward and really throw a spanner into the mix. Unfortunately, the Suzuki team looked off the pace, uncomfortable at times and just lacking the drive to stick with the main front runners. No doubt, Mir is doing a superb job to keep his title charge going, although the team are going to need a miracle to be at the pace and performance levels of the leading Yamaha and Ducati manufacturers. If the squatting device is the answer, Suzuki also need to have two riders battling at the front to shake up the results and not rely on one as the race laps count down. Their qualifying positions are not ideal and room for improvement is required quick smart.

Joan Mir:

“Today I completed my first ever bike swap in a race, and it was a really intense and crazy experience! I was trying to decide the best time to head into the pits, I was weighing up the risk versus reward of slicks or wets, and then all my closest rivals decided to go in so I went with them. It turned out to be a good choice, because the track became very wet and slippery. The last part of the race was quite funny and strange because I don’t think anyone knew the real results until after the flag. It was also a little scary because there were riders everywhere, all on different tyres, it was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. My feeling in the dry was OK, but I didn’t have as much traction as usual and we’ll need to analyse why. At first I thought I could win if I stayed out on the dry set-up, but that wouldn’t have been a sensible decision and I’m glad to bring home decent points and an important fourth place.”

Alex Rins:

“It was a very crazy race, at the beginning I wasn’t feeling very good and I was running around P12. Then when the rain came I anticipated the bike swap when following Miller, it was a shame because after that the rain stopped a bit, but it was impossible to know that. Turn 3 was bad but most of the track was OK at that point in the race. So in the end maybe I could’ve stayed with the slicks for longer. It seems that in the end it was a mistake to change early, but we were in a difficult situation. The main thing is that we got through these two races, got some points, and next we’ll move on to Silverstone - a track I love, and I hope to get a really nice result there.”

During the final laps of the race, we all thought Rossi was about to get his 200^th podium! With so few laps, the rain kept falling and then the slick tyres became so dangerous that Rossi had to go wide and was overtaken by numerous riders. His reaction to finishing in the top ten was priceless and the celebrations waving to the fans a key reminder that he is really retiring. We were both happy and sad at the same time, knowing how much the Italian Doctor has been through with his team, the challenges with the bike and overall performance. Rossi was also impressed to see his brother Luca Marini finish in fifth position which was a welcome result considering how hard the season has been for the talented Italian rider who is guided by the mentorship of Rossi. British rider, Cal Crutchlow has done a fabulous job jumping onto a MotoGP bike after being away from one for five months and learning the ropes quickly considering the technical side of the bikes nowadays. His race was slightly compromised due to an electronics issue, though his pace was positive and with Silverstone next up, he is guaranteed to have a great time racing on that track and with a home crowd. After two years of no Silverstone, the energy is sure to be electric and a real treat for fans across the globe to witness.

Valentino Rossi:

“It was incredible that the changing point between slick and wet tyres was in the final laps of the race, it made it very exciting. I didn’t want to change bikes because there were only four laps to go and it was the right choice. However, if the rain had arrived two minutes later we could have been on the podium. I was P3 at one point and I was so shocked to see that on my board. Overall it’s a positive day because it was a good result, for both the team and me, and we have taken some points. The atmosphere today was great, because it’s the first time that we have had a full circuit of fans. I had incredible support and there were so many people in yellow, so it was exciting to do the final lap back to the pits. I’m feeling better on the bike and I’m looking forward to the race in Silverstone.”

Cal Crutchlow:

“I felt like I got a good start and was with a small group for a while, although I wasn’t able to stay completely in contact with them. My pace was not too bad at that point and I felt comfortable. I had a small problem with the electronics though and I had to spend time trying to figure it out. After this my pace was not too bad but I was the last rider to come to the water, so I didn’t know how fast to go and I didn’t know if everyone had gone in the pits or carried on. Once I saw on the big screen at the last corner that everyone had pulled in, I quickly dived in to change the bike as well. Unfortunately the track was like ice, even with the wet tyres, because the ground was still so hot. It was a strange last couple of laps! Overall I’m happy with these two weekends especially as I only qualified half a tenth slower than I did last year.”

Current World Championship Standings:

Pos.	Rider Name	Machine/Bike	Nationality	Current Points
1	Fabio QUARTARARO	Yamaha	FRA	181
2	Francesco BAGNAIA	Ducati	ITA	134
3	Joan MIR	Suzuki	SPA	134
4	Johann ZARCO	Ducati	FRA	132
5	Jack MILLER	Ducati	AUS	105
6	Brad BINDER	KTM	RSA	98
7	Maverick VIÑALES	Yamaha	SPA	95
8	Miguel OLIVEIRA	KTM	POR	85
9	Aleix ESPARGARO	Aprilia	SPA	67
10	Jorge MARTIN	Ducati	SPA	64
11	Marc MARQUEZ	Honda	SPA	59
12	Takaaki NAKAGAMI	Honda	JPN	55
13	Alex RINS	Suzuki	SPA	44
14	Alex MARQUEZ	Honda	SPA	41
15	Pol ESPARGARO	Honda	SPA	41
16	Franco MORBIDELLI	Yamaha	ITA	40
17	Enea BASTIANINI	Ducati	ITA	31
18	Danilo PETRUCCI	KTM	ITA	30
19	Valentino ROSSI	Yamaha	ITA	28
20	Luca MARINI	Ducati	ITA	27
21	Iker LECUONA	KTM	SPA	24
22	Stefan BRADL	Honda	GER	11
23	Dani PEDROSA	KTM	SPA	6
24	Lorenzo SAVADORI	Aprilia	ITA	4
25	Michele PIRRO	Ducati	ITA	3
26	Tito RABAT	Ducati	SPA	1

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