MotoGP™: Ducati extends unbeaten Red Bull Ring record

The myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich – which was interrupted due to a spectacular crash involving Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) – was won by Andrea Dovizioso. The Ducati Team rider was joined on the podium of the 2020 MotoGPTM World Championship’s fifth round by Joan Mir (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) and Jack Miller (Pramac Racing). The top-three finishers at Austria’s Red Bull Ring all ran different tyre pairings to provide further evidence of the MICHELIN Power Slick’s versatility.  

Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) appeared at the front of the field on the seventh of the afternoon’s 28 originally-planned laps, but the race was red-flagged shortly afterwards (Lap 9) following a frightening collision between Zarco and Morbidelli.

Once the debris had been cleared, the race was restarted, this time over a distance of 20 laps, with the grid-order based on the classification at the end of Lap 8. Espargaro initially defended his lead but was soon passed by Miller, chased by Dovizioso and Alex Rins (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR).

At the halfway point, the Italian – who has announced that he will not race for Ducati in 2021 – eased ahead, with Rins in his wake. The Suzuki rider appeared fleetingly in front on Lap 12 but crashed out immediately afterwards.

A series of quick, consistent laps allowed Dovizioso (medium/soft MICHELIN Power Slicks front and rear, the same pairing that helped Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Maverick Viñales to claim the 10th pole position of his career) to pull out a comfortable gap before securing his third win at the Red Bull Ring and earning Ducati’s 50th premier-class success. The Italian is the third different rider to have won one of the four grands prix contested so far this season.

Mir (medium MICHELIN Power Slicks) concluded a combative performance by passing Miller (3rd, soft MICHELIN Power Slicks) on the final lap to steal second place and celebrate the first MotoGPTM podium of his career.

Last weekend’s Czech Republic GP winner Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) finished fourth, ahead of Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) who made it four different bikemakers inside the top five. The 17 finishers were blanketed by just 28.609 seconds at the chequered flag.

Five of the six available tyre specs were used in Austria, while the new MICHELIN Power Rain was able to be evaluated for the first time at a grand prix during the second and third free practice sessions.

Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) completed the distance in eighth spot and continues to top the provisional Riders’ standings on 67 points, ahead of Dovizioso (56) and Viñales (48).

Next round: BMW M Grand Prix of Styria, Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria (August 21-23).