The two Andreas flew to the podium for a Ducati 1-2 triumph in Austria!
MotoGP Austria Race Report
Andrea Iannone and Andrea Dovizioso dominated the podium at the MotoGP Austria, their Desmodesici 16 machines cruising to victory on the super-fast Red Bull Ring. Finally, the power of the Ducati bikes made a real impression and the team have something to celebrate.
The race started with a Ducati sandwich on an all-Italian front row. Iannone started in pole, with Valentino Rossi in second and Dovizioso completing the starting three. Ducati riders definitely had something to prove, after a disastrous season so far for both riders.
Conditions were hot, hot, hot on the Red Bull Ring, and the exceptionally fast track set up looked perfect for the Ducati bikes. Yamaha were also looking good, with Rossi on the front row of the grid.
Ducati on perfect form
This round wasn’t as chaotic and crash-filled as the season so far. After a brief burst of speed, Rossi hung back and kept up a steady pace behind his Yamaha teammate. The Ducati team led the Yamaha team in perfect formation almost all the way through the race.
In the end, it was ‘The Maniac’ who won it for Ducati, after slipping past his teammate to take the lead. Not wanting a repeat of the crash in Argentina, it seemed as if Dovizioso had gracefully let Iannone pass and settled for second place. This was an extraordinary victory for Andrea Iannone: the first MotoGP win for the Ducati team since Casey Stoner, and the Italian’s first MotoGP win ever.
Iannone gave some of the glory to his current team: “It’s very difficult to explain the emotion…I started in this class with this bike and I’ve worked for these four years with this incredible group and they’ve given me 100% support.”
Andrea Dovizioso started out in the lead but eventually settled for second place and a place on the podium. He stated that tyre troubles kept him out of winning contention.
“I’m disappointed about the tyres because we worked very well and the bike was perfect – in the braking I was better than Andrea but I didn’t have the same grip on the right…But for Ducati a 1-2 is really special.”
What happened to the Yamaha team?
Jorge Lorenzo was on better form at the MotoGP Austria, leading his teammate across the finish line. After some early overtakes, he kept the pace up without troubling the Ducati pair. Taking third place after starting on the second row is no mean feat, especially in a long 28-lap race.
Lorenzo was happy with his podium place: “It’s been a black period with not so many points and a bad feeling. But finally a good weekend…in the end we weren’t as far from the Ducati as we expected so that’s a good signal because this track was perfect for them.”
Valentino Rossi couldn’t quite make it to the podium, leaving the glory to his teammate. Although his performance might have looked disappointing for the fans, he has closed the championship gap to his main rival Marc Marquez. The Doctor now trails the leader by a more manageable 57 points.
Rossi said: “In the end it was a good race because the margin to our rivals in front was not very big. It was a shame that I wasn‘t able to fight with Lorenzo. I wanted to try and arrive on the podium, but in the end I wasn‘t able to do so.” About the resurgent Ducati team, the veteran rider commented: “I think we have to keep an eye on them.”
Marc Marquez grows up!
Marc Marquez has rocketed to the top of the table this season and still reigns supreme with 181 points. The young Spaniard has really grown into a mature racer, and he showed it this weekend with sensible race tactics.
He dislocated his shoulder in free practice and decided to take it easy in the main race. Finishing in 5th, he took a valuable 11 points and chose not to push for the win. He kept it steady, conserved tyres and fuel and most importantly, didn’t crash!
Marquez commented: “After how yesterday went, I’m happy with today’s race…I knew the Ducatis and Yamahas were fast, so this was the best possible outcome and it’s positive that we’ve only lost five points compared to Lorenzo.”
A clear-headed Marquez is even more of a threat to Rossi and Lorenzo, so we look forward to a real battle in the next round!
How did the British do at the MotoGP Austria?
We got a respectable 8th and 9th from Scott Redding and Bradley Smith, in that order. Redding shone as the top independent rider, his Ducati also enjoying the fast track and dry conditions.
Redding was understandably pleased with his result: “I’m very happy with the race. I had to work hard with the mapping to get through the race with fuel, and it was a good battle with Smith because I was gaining on the straights but he could make it up in some other areas…Before the race, I thought I’d be happy with top 8.”
Bradley Smith lost the all-British battle for 8th, but gained 9th place on his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 bike. Like in the leading pack, perhaps Smith found that his Yamaha just couldn’t keep up with a Ducati bike at its best.
Before the race, Bradley had said, “I am certain that our good fortune will start in Austria and even though I think it will be very tight in the race, I am highly motivated for the battle.” He certainly did well to finish in the top ten. Here’s hoping for even better fortune in the next round!
We’re sorry to announce that Cal Crutchlow took just one point away from the MotoGP Austria. He came in 15th place, which is still better than his many crashes earlier this year.
Looking forward to the next round…
The next round of the MotoGP will take place in the Czech Republic on August 21st. We’ll be back soon with our next race report, and we hope you’ve enjoyed this one! As always, you can check out our Racing News section of the blog to catch up on anything you’ve missed, or relive the season so far. And don’t forget to leave us a comment with your predictions, opinions and any other chin-wagging.
