Winners and losers from MotoGP’s Austrian Gr...

MotoGP’s return from the summer time break was an intriguing one. One manufacturing facility introduced a helpful set of updates; one other reached its nadir for the season. A double world champion continued to battle whereas a star rookie returned from the doldrums. The racing entertained, with at the very least three challengers squaring as much as Marc Marquez throughout the weekend. However one factor that didn’t change was the identify of the person who handed the chequered flag first…

Winner: Marc Marquez

One more imperious weekend for the Spaniard isn’t at all times a noteworthy matter today. However racking up a sixth consecutive dash and grand prix ‘double’ at a venue the place he had by no means received is worthy of point out – notably from the second row of the grid following a fall in qualifying.

Whereas shadowing his brother after which passing him to win the dash was one thing Marc may most likely have achieved in his sleep, he did should sweat just a bit extra for his newest Sunday victory. First, Marco Bezzecchi had the temerity to struggle again – albeit briefly – when Marquez handed the Aprilia for the lead at two-thirds distance. Then there was the late assault from Fermin Aldeguer, which Marc admitted had him frightened. Not that you simply’d ever have identified it watching trackside, as Marquez saved issues inch-perfect to close the door on victory.

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Crew

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Watching Bagnaia in the meanwhile is beginning to really feel a little bit merciless. It’s not simply that each obvious breakthrough or glimmer of hope appears to finish with him unravelling on the circuit. It’s additionally as a result of it’s robust to not soar to the conclusion that these experiences have him mentally shot to items.

The newest escapade was a living proof. It regarded good at first, as he beat team-mate Marquez to seal a front-row begin. However then there was a mysterious tyre subject that led to him pulling in and retiring from final place. On Sunday, he regarded set for a good third earlier than turning right into a cell delicate goal and getting bullied all the way down to eighth place. He topped all of it off by demanding answers from Ducati… whereas the victory champagne was nonetheless moist on Marquez’s overalls. Below the circumstances, his blaming of the bike is changing into an more and more robust line to swallow.

Fermin Aldeguer, Gresini Racing

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Winner: Fermin Aldeguer

Austria noticed the re-emergence of the rookie we had come to know within the early a part of the yr. 4 straight visits to Q1 had been central to a dip in outcomes heading into the Austrian spherical, however this time Aldeguer acquired on top of things earlier within the weekend and booked direct passage into Q2. He took benefit to qualify sixth.

Poor getaways highlighted that he must work on his begins, however he definitely confirmed that recovering from them is a energy. Getting again as much as sixth by the top of the dash was a taster of what was to return within the longer Sunday race, when his tyre preservation abilities have been on full show. Regardless of dropping to ninth early on, he took a leaf out of the Marc Marquez e book and nursed his rubber whereas going quick. That translated right into a cost all the way in which as much as second place – the very best results of his younger MotoGP profession.

Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Crew

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Loser: VR46 Ducati

It’s solely two races in the past that Fabio Di Giannantonio was in podium rivalry on the German Grand Prix. However it should really feel like a lifetime for the crew at VR46 after a second straight spherical of distress.

After Di Giannantonio was nowhere at Brno, at the very least the yellow workforce was again as much as a full crew of riders as Franco Morbidelli returned from his Sachsenring damage. However whereas every had his moments in Austria, neither may construct a stable weekend.

Di Giannantonio was once more nowhere in qualifying – fifteenth to be exact – however Morbidelli lined up a stable eighth. The nice qualifier, nonetheless, had two of his all too frequent journeys again by means of the pack on the primary laps of the races. He completed 14th and eleventh on Saturday and Sunday respectively. In the meantime, the person who struggled in qualifying got here by means of properly within the dash to complete eighth. However then his Sunday ended early when his engine caught fireplace.

Pedro Acosta, Purple Bull KTM Manufacturing facility Racing

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Winner: KTM

Following the emergence of hope on the Czech Grand Prix earlier than the summer time break, KTM’s dwelling race confirmed that it had not been a fluke. The Austrian crew turned up with aero updates that actually labored – to the purpose the place manufacturing facility rider Pedro Acosta was actually happy with life. He praised the enhancements made to the bike’s turning and underlined the tyre life advantages these would carry over race distances.

Whereas stop-go Spielberg might not be the very best observe to showcase this step in efficiency, the uptick in outcomes was nonetheless evident. Disregarding the injured Maverick Vinales (who in the end withdrew from the occasion), all three KTMs made it into Q2. Whereas Acosta and team-mate Brad Binder pushed too onerous, Tech3’s Enea Bastianini lined up fifth on the grid. Acosta led the cost within the races, nonetheless, grabbing a dash bronze medal and taking fourth within the grand prix.

Miguel Oliveira, Pramac Racing

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Loser: Yamaha

It’s straightforward to neglect that Yamaha’s progress was actually being talked up in the beginning of the yr, when the manufacturing facility’s Fabio Quartararo was not solely taking pole positions but in addition completed on the rostrum on the Spanish Grand Prix. Quick ahead from April to August, and we discover all 4 Yamahas occupying the ultimate 4 spots within the Austrian Grand Prix.

It was a nightmare weekend that additionally noticed your complete quartet failing to make Q2. Apply was embarrassing for the Japanese marque too, with Pramac’s Jack Miller using across the observe with a sick engine that – regardless of denials – could have chucked down a slippery fluid on the observe. As a result of moments later, fellow Yamahas Quartararo and Miguel Oliveira (Pramac) crashed at precisely the identical spot. Not the sort of teamwork you need.

The excellent news is that Spielberg has at all times been a hard observe for Yamaha. The new temperatures and usually decrease grip than earlier years didn’t assist both. However the present mission doesn’t look like shifting ahead, and the temptation to plan the brand new V4’s race debut quickly have to be rising in Iwata.

Joan Mir, Honda HRC

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After spending many of the pre-summer getting knocked off the highway by different riders, Joan Mir quietly strung collectively a stable weekend in Austria. The manufacturing facility Honda man was arguably alone in giving the producer one thing to smile about in Styria. He made it straight into Q2 and certified tenth, then secured a end within the dash – albeit a modest thirteenth.

However Sunday was the actual spotlight for the 2020 world champion, as he not solely stayed out of bother however completed sixth within the grand prix. This was his greatest results of the season, and it got here in a race with out main attrition. He was really within the thick of the struggle – racing conditions had not been his good friend earlier within the yr – and he crossed the road simply 10 seconds behind winner Marc Marquez.