2018 Austria MotoGP Results (Honda vs Ducati at Red Bull Ring)

2018 Austria MotoGP Results

The 2018 MotoGP riders only had a one-week break since the Czech Republic Grand Prix.

Ahead of Brno MotoGP, Marc Marquez garnered the most attention. The reigning four-time MotoGP Champion earned pole, but had to settle for third behind Ducati Team pilots Jorge Lorenzo and winner Andrea Dovizioso.

The same scenario played out in Austria. Marquez once again topped the headlines ahead of the Grand Prix von Österreich at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, the Repsol Honda RC213V pilot again earning the pole – his fourth this season.

But once again Marquez wouldn’t claim the victory. He put in all he had, but the win went to his future teammate, Lorenzo.

After dicing with Marquez – especially on the final three laps – the #99 Ducati GP18 rider earned victory by 0.130 of a second ahead of Marquez. Taking the final podium was the other Ducati Team rider Dovizioso.

These three have now claimed the podium in the past-two consecutive races.

This was Lorenzo’s third win of the season, including Mugello and Catalunya. After his victory, Lorenzo bumped Dovizioso for third in points; he now has 130 points, 12 behind Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Ross, who finished sixth at Austria MotoGP, and 71 behind the points leader Marquez.

“It was an incredible race, maybe one of the best of my career, quite simply spectacular! Winning with Ducati on this circuit, where I had never won before, after a close quarters battle with Marquez, has a really special taste,” Jorge Lorenzo says.

“Before the race I had thought about which strategy to use, and I decided to do like Brno, administering the tire wear well and then attacking in the final part of the race, especially because I was one of the few riders who had chosen ‘soft’ tires and my riding style allowed me to conserve them until the end.

“When I found myself fighting against Marquez I knew that it was going to be difficult to pass him, so I decided to improvise by making the best use of the Desmosedici GP’s acceleration and it worked perfectly.

“Now we’re third in the championship standings, but above all I’m proud and very pleased with the way we’re working because the feeling with the bike is better and better all the time and I believe we can fight for the win in many other races. Now let’s just enjoy this moment with all the team and I’m also very happy for them.”

2018 Austria MotoGP Results – Recap

Starting from second, Dovizioso took holeshot and early lead, followed by Marquez, LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow, Lorenzo and Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins.

By the end of lap one, Lorenzo was out front, followed closely by Marquez and Dovizioso. The dicing began between Lorenzo and Marquez, which lasted for the 28-lap race.

When all was over, Marquez would lead 19 laps, and Lorenzo the other nine laps.

Dovizioso was in the fight for a bit, but he ran wide at turn one, which allowed the two leaders to open up a considerable gap at the front. When the Austria MotoGP race ended, Dovizioso would be credited with third for every lap. He finished 1.656 behind the Lorenzo.

As consistent was Crutchlow, who was credited with fourth for every single lap. Finishing in fifth behind the Brit was Alma Pramac Racing Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci, who beat Rossi to the line by nearly a second.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

• Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa (seventh, -14.156)
• Rins (eighth, -16.644)
• Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Johann Zarco (ninth, -20.760)
• Angel Nieto Team Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista (10th, -20.844)

The top Red Bull Factory Racing KTM rider was Bradley Smith, who finished 14th, 29 seconds behind. Taking the top Aprlia Racing Team Gresini spot was Aleix Espargaro, who finished 17th, 31 seconds behind.

The riders now break for two weeks ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, which last season was won by Dovizioso.

2018 Austria MotoGP Results

2018 MotoGP Point Standings (after 11 of 19 rounds)