MotoGP: Martin takes first win at the MICHELIN Grand Prix of Styria

Primac Racing’s Jorge Martin set a new lap record for the Red Bull Ring to claim pole position for the MICHELIN Grand Prix of Styria, laying the foundations for his maiden MotoGPTM victory ahead of defending champ Joan Mir (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) and this year’s pacesetter Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). Three different bikemakers took part in the podium celebrations to provide a further example of the MICHELIN Power Slick’s exceptional versatility.

Despite threatening clouds, Round 10 of the 2021 MotoGPTM World Championship was declared a dry race, although a few drops did fall in the course of the first of the season’s two Austrian clashes.

With all the bikes equipped with MICHELIN Power Slicks, the action was red flagged after just two laps following a tangle between Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini).

The riders lined up for the second start in the same order as for the first and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) got away strongly to lead for the first two laps, before relinquishing top spot to Martin. Running on medium MICHELIN Power Slicks front and rear, the MotoGPTM rookie made maximum use of his tires’ grip to post a sequence of fast laps and eventually take the flag 1.5 seconds clear of Mir who had chosen the same combination of rubber, as had Quartararo.

The Frenchman was unable to match the pace of the two Spaniards, but third place enabled him to extend his lead in the provisional Riders’ standings.

In addition to topping qualifying and winning the grand prix, Martin rounded out his perfect weekend by establishing a new race lap record for the track (1m22.994s) and earning Ducati’s sixth win from seven starts at the Red Bull Ring.

Brad Brinder (4th, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Takaaki Nakagami (5th, LCR Honda) made it five different bikemakers in the top five places.

The weekend’s changeable weather saw the riders sample the complete range of MICHELIN Power Slicks and rain tires available in Austria, but only four specs were chosen for the race itself, namely the medium and hard fronts, and medium and soft rears, with the majority of the field opting for mediums at both ends.

The result has extended Quartararo’s championship lead to 40 points over Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing, 132 points) who was sixth in the first Red Bull Ring race. Mir is currently third, a further 11 points adrift.

Next Sunday’s Bitci Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich will take place at the same venue (August 15).