Three factors, two showdowns: the Pink Bull Ring beckons because the title combat tightens up
The hole on the high is now the bottom it’s been after a GP because the season opener, and the rider chasing that duel arrives from a weekend masterclass. Welcome to Austria!
Monday, 12 August 2024
After racing it out for 37 factors within the season opener in Qatar, the hole on the high of the MotoGP™ World Championship was two factors. Having raced, battled, slipstreamed, duelled, attacked, defended and sweated for 333 extra since, that hole has solely elevated by a single one. It’s Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) again within the driving seat on the highway to the Pink Bull Ring, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Staff) on the chase, and a brand new title in third after a shocking Silverstone double: Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Staff). And that is considered one of Ducati’s most oft-conquered venues on the calendar. Are you prepared?
The winner the final two seasons right here – together with doing the double final 12 months – is Bagnaia. He’ll be feeling assured sufficient of attacking that three-point margin with a document like that. However Martin additionally has good recollections right here, scene of his first MotoGP™ win, and received’t go down with out a combat. In the meantime Bastianini, having been considerably unnoticed of some narratives up to now in 2024, put in a masterclass at Silverstone to place his title into the hat. 49 factors was so much, nevertheless it’s much less when 37 factors are on provide each weekend. It appears even much less of a deficit contemplating it’s precisely the quantity Bagnaia pulled again on Martin between Catalunya and summer time break…
In the meantime Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) had a stable weekend at Silverstone. Regardless of a crash on Saturday – identical to Bagnaia – Sunday was a superb haul of factors. However he’ll want to search out one thing extra to problem for the rostrum once more in Austria… and fortuitously sufficient he’s a veteran of ultimate nook showdowns for the win on the venue. This time although, he’d fairly win one. This is without doubt one of the few venues the place he’s by no means performed that.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Staff) is impressing as soon as once more, nonetheless, and was nearer to Marc Marquez by the flag at Silverstone than Marquez was to Bagnaia. He additionally pulled out a full Moto3™-style seat slap to inform Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) to observe him – confidence clearly excessive. He’ll be trying to make an impression once more in Austria on the again of his new contract too, and Alex Marquez shall be trying to flip the tables. Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Staff) likewise, and he arrives from a stable British GP regardless of an incident at the beginning of the Tissot Dash that noticed him skittled by Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing). Bezzecchi was additionally on the rostrum in Spielberg final 12 months.
Nonetheless good the document for Ducati in Austria although, there may be one other manufacturing facility that has taken to the highest step – twice. KTM arrive on a more durable run because it stands however shall be trying to begin rebuilding their type in entrance of a partisan crowd, who can even have rookie famous person Pedro Acosta (Pink Bull GASGAS Tech3) to cheer on for the primary time in MotoGP™. Brad Binder (Pink Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing) is now trailing the rookie by way of no fault of his personal after some dangerous luck at Silverstone so will need to change that in Austria, whereas teammate Jack Miller took stable factors and can need extra. For Augusto Fernandez (Pink Bull GASGAS Tech3), in the meantime, the hearsay mill has now began to swirl concerning a take a look at function for subsequent 12 months with one other manufacturing facility, however with nothing confirmed. One factor that’s confirmed for Austria, nonetheless, is a wildcard for Pink Bull KTM take a look at rider Pol Espargaro, so his equipment shall be of curiosity because the manufacturing facility look to push again in direction of the entrance.
At Aprilia, extra might have been anticipated for Silverstone, however there was a Dash podium for Aleix Espargaro and from pole place too. Maverick Viñales had a more durable one, nonetheless, and each shall be aiming larger in Austria. It could possibly be a more durable venue, nonetheless, with the Noale manufacturing facility not but having completed higher than sixth – a end result taken one apiece by each riders within the final two years. They’re the one manufacturing facility lacking a podium on the venue, however on this planet’s most fun sport that’s not an indictment of the then, it’s a possibility within the now. Check rider Lorenzo Savadori can even be out so as to add extra knowledge with a wildcard.
For Trackhouse, in the meantime, bouncing again is nearly assured after a troublesome finish to Silverstone as Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez crashed out collectively early on. Because the centre of the hearsay mill too, it was a highlight Sunday and one they’ll be hoping to start out reshaping with extra factors Austria – now each on 2024 RS-GPs too.
For Yamaha, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Power Yamaha MotoGP™) continues to financial institution some factors however they’ll need extra. He has Yamaha’s finest MotoGP™ end result right here, taken in 2022, and will probably be fascinating to see how their machine now takes on the much less flowing, extra cease go venue. We await information on teammate Alex Rins within the meantime after the Spaniard withdrew from Silverstone.
Honda can even be an fascinating watch. After a primary level in Germany following a visual step ahead for Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Staff), it appeared the Italian had extra from Silverstone till a tyre stress penalty. Nonetheless, the positives have been clear. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) led the cost, nonetheless, and took 14th, with teammate Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) then promoted to that P15. Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Staff) was compelled to retire from the race at Silverstone with a problem, so recent from a brand new contract he’ll be hoping extra is feasible in Austria – considered one of his very a lot favoured venues. The squad can even be joined by Stefan Bradl wildcarding with HRC Check Staff to assemble much more knowledge.
Three factors cowl the duel on the high, Bastianini has probability to double down on his momentum, and Marquez is trying to stem the tide. The identical will be stated of KTM because the orange nook faces down Ducati on hallowed floor. Eight years in the past the Italian manufacturing facility put that successful cherry on high of their comeback with victory in Austria, and now an armada of riders will pit out with confirmed, world-reigning equipment. Again then, KTM have been solely simply starting their journey in MotoGP™. However they’ll need to begin constructing their combat again to the very entrance this very weekend – so ensure to hitch us for the Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich!
SHOWTIME
Saturday
Tissot Dash: 15:00 (UTC +2)
Sunday
Grand Prix: 14:00 (UTC +2)
Moto2™: Garcia stays forward as the sphere arrive into the Pink Bull Ring
Profitable your private home Grand Prix is one thing solely a privileged few can say and on Sunday on the British GP, Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Staff) etched his title into Silverstone folklore as we have been handled to a shocking combat for the win between the #96 and Aron Canet (Fantic Racing). Now, the Pink Bull Ring beckons, with each riders looking extra success at a circuit that presents fairly the opposing problem to Silverstone’s quick and flowing DNA.
It stays Sergio Garcia’s (MT Helmets – MSI) within the scorching seat within the Championship, however Dixon’s first victory of the season – his third general – noticed the Briton climb to P7 within the standings, with Canet now in P8 because the duo stand on 78 factors apiece. The title may be out of attain, however hitting type at the beginning of the second half of 2024 may see each penetrate the highest 5 – or higher – come Valencia. For Dixon, three podiums within the final 5 are considerably making up for the nightmare begin to the marketing campaign.
Dixon and Canet have been in a league of their very own at Silverstone, however loads of different storylines have been on provide. Celestino Vietti’s first rostrum in Pink Bull KTM Ajo colors couldn’t have come at a greater time forward of the Pierer Mobility Group’s house race in Austria – and it’s the scene of the Italian’s final Moto2™ win too. In the meantime, within the Championship chase, the pendulum swung again in Garcia’s favour.
An extremely stylish comeback from as little as P26 on the primary lap noticed Garcia pocket an important P4, as his essential title rivals faltered. Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) – a P3 finisher on the Ring in 2023 – went from pole to P14, Fermin Aldeguer (GT Trevisan SpeedUp) had a really quiet weekend and picked up a P12, whereas Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) crashed out of P3. Which means Garcia now leads Ogura by 18 factors forward of Spherical 11, with Roberts and Aldeguer 37 and 48 factors again respectively. Responses wanted for the hunters in Austria…
Moto3™: can Ortola strike once more in Spielberg?
One other Moto3™ basic was rolled out at Silverstone and for the second time in three races, Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) emerged because the victor. Pole place to Sunday P1 signalled an ideal weekend on the workplace for the Spaniard in Nice Britain, with the #48 clipping 5 necessary factors out of David Alonso’s (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Staff) Championship benefit.
But it surely was simply the 5 because the Colombian completed an in depth P2 to restrict the harm performed. Curiously, that’s Alonso’s first non-victory podium of the 12 months and it retains the #80 53 factors clear on the summit. It’s now seven podiums in 10 races for Alonso as he continues his supreme 2024 march.
Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) claimed his fifth podium of the 12 months with a P3 on the British GP, with Daniel Holgado’s (Pink Bull GASGAS Tech3) P4 seeing the highest 4 within the general standings choose up the primary 4 positions at Silverstone. Three of the 4 – Alonso, Veijer and Holgado – race Pierer Mobility Group equipment, in order that they’ll be hungry to impress additional on the Pink Bull Ring. For Ortola, Holgado and Veijer, factors have to be taken off Alonso as quickly as attainable in the event that they’re to retain hope of reeling within the Aspar star…