South African rider Brad Binder claims his second MotoGP™ win.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder won the Austrian MotoGP™. Second was Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia followed by Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martín in third. Here is all you need to know:
—Brad Binder won the Austrian MotoGP™ in wet-weather conditions at the Red Bull Ring in Salzburg, Austria. Starting 10th on the grid, the South African rider navigated a treacherous circuit as rain went from light to heavy. His key moment came when the race leaders elected to pit with just a handful of laps remaining, in order to swap dry-weather bikes for wet-weather machines. Binder risked it and stayed out on slicks, despite the heavy rain, and crossed the line in first place.
—It was Binder’s second MotoGP™ win following his victory in 2020 in the Czech Republic.
—Third place for pole-position-winner Jorge Martín, riding for Pramac Racing, marks the Spaniard’s second visit to the Red Bull Ring podium in a week following his victory at the Styrian Grand Prix.
—Iker Lecuona finished sixth, the best MotoGP™ result to date for the Spanish rider. His Red Bull KTM team-mate, Italy’s Danilo Petrucci, finished 12th.
—Honda Castrol’s Álex Márquez came in ninth, and his team-mate Takaaki Nakagami finished 13th.
—Australian rider Jack Miller, who pitted to swap bikes with five laps to go when rain worsened, ended the race in 11th place.
—Spain’s Marc Márquez, who started in fifth place despite a troublesome shoulder following a practice crash, switched to soft rear tires just before the race began. The Repsol Honda rider was in the lead with five laps to go, then pitted to swap bikes, which enabled Binder to take over the lead. On the penultimate lap Márquez fell at Turn 1, and finished in 15th place.
—Márquez’s Repsol Honda team-mate Pol Espargaró finished behind him in 16th place.
—Pramac Racing’s Johann Zarco crashed out of the race with 10 laps remaining, and Red Bull KTM Factory’s Miguel Oliveira crashed out with six laps to go.
The next MotoGP™ race will be at Silverstone, UK, on Aug. 29.
Austrian Grand Prix Result
1. Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM 40:46.928
2. Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Team +9.991
3. Jorge Martín SPA Pramac Racing +11.570
4. Joan Mir SPA Suzuki Ecstar +12.623
5. Luca Marini ITA Ducati Team +14.831
2021 MotoGP Standings After Round 11 of 19
1. Fabio Quartararo FRA Yamaha 181 points
2. Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Team 134
3. Joan Mir SPA Suzuki Ecstar 134
4. Johann Zarco FRA Ducati Team 132
5. Jack Miller AUS Ducati Team 105
