MotoGP Round 11 | Bagnaia Produces Spielberg Showstopper

MotoGP Round 11 | Bagnaia Produces Spielberg Showstopper. Reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia pulled five points ahead with victory over Jorge Martin as Enea Bastianini completed the podium. Report: Ed Stratmann/MotoGP

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) ended Friday on top of the premier class timesheets after the #1 set a sensational new lap record at the Red Bull Ring. Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) shadowed teammate Jorge Martin to take P2 as the Pramac duo completed the top three, but the deficit was 0.2s and 0.3s to Bagnaia’s 1:28.508 stunner.

Read our Round 10 report here…

Plenty of talking points arose throughout the session including some drama for Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team’s Marco Bezzecchi and Fabio Di Giannantonio, as the Italians both crashed in the opening stages of the session. That crash at Turn 8 sadly saw Di Giannantonio dislocate his left shoulder, ruling him out of the weekend as he sat out to focus on recovering for the next round.

Meanwhile, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) crashed three times on Friday, the final tumble coming after the rookie sensation lost the front at Turn 9. The #31 was unhurt and was back out in no time.

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) destroyed the lap record in qualifying on Saturday at the Red Bull Ring, setting a magical 1:27.748 to head key title rival Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – but it was only by a tenth and a bit as both pulled out some distance on the chasing pack. That pack was once again headed by a lurking Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), marking the first time this season that Martin, Bagnaia and Marquez have qualified on the front row together despite having shared the podium more often than not.

Behind Martin, Bagnaia and Marquez, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) started from P4, finding time late in the session and missing out on a front row start by 0.052s. The #41 started alongside Miller, who continued to find time after a strong showing in Q1 as he qualified as top KTM.

Read the full practice and qualifying results here…

Moto2

P1 in Free Practice and P1 in Practice 1. Fridays don’t get better than that as Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) proved untouchable at a happy hunting ground for the Japanese star, with Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) providing the closest challenge. Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) rounded out the top three, the #18 was just over two and a half tenths away from Ogura’s pace.

World Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) claimed P8 on Day 1, as we learned the Spaniard would continue with his current squad in Moto2™ in 2025.

Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) launched from Moto2™ pole position at the Red Bull Ring after the Italian’s 1:33.855 was good enough to beat Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) by just 0.058s. World Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) claimed an important P3 in Q2 as the Spaniard looked to try and strengthen his grasp on the title chase lead on Sunday.

Following a crash in Practice 2 on the exit of Turn 2B, title-hunting Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) was unfortunately declared unfit for the remainder of the Austrian GP after sustaining a fractured right hand.

Moto3

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda grabbed Moto3™ P1 at the Red Bull Ring as the Spaniard’s 1:40.171 was good enough to edge out Championship leader David Alonso by 0.051s, with Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) a close P3.

Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) backed up his Free Practice P3 finish with a fourth best time in the afternoon stint to signal a solid day at the office for the Australian.

A 1:40.057 handed Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) a third pole position of 2024 as a fascinating fight for Q2 bragging rights played out on Saturday afternoon at the Red Bull Ring. The Spaniard beat Practice pacesetter Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) by 0.143s as Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) banked a front row start in P3.

World Championship leader David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) qualified in P6, but the Colombian would have to contend with a Long Lap penalty on Sunday to add a little extra spice into the lightweight class encounter.

Saturday
Tissot Sprint

It was a sensational launch from Bagnaia in an intense start to the Tissot Sprint, with the reigning champion taking the holeshot and Martin then attacking for the lead on the entry to Turn 3 on the opening lap. The #1 soon tried to respond at the end of Lap 1, getting past at the penultimate corner before Martin sliced through to regain the lead at the final corner as the title rivals went elbow to elbow.

Bagnaia didn’t attack again at the first corner, but by Turn 2, Martin was in hot and headed wide into the runoff – taking the shortcut through the chicane. He rejoined behind Bagnaia, but didn’t lose enough time with the mistake. The #89 was investigated by the FIM MotoGP™ Stewards for the incident, and a Long Lap was handed down.

He didn’t take it straight away but didn’t wait too long, by which time he and Bagnaia had pulled out some gap on the chasing Marc Marquez. When Martin did head into the Long Lap loop, Bagnaia was left with a solid lead ahead of the #93 and Martin emerged just ahead of Aleix Espargaro.

Then on Lap 10, there was yet another twist. In some space and on for a solid second, Marc Marquez lost the front on the entry to Turn 3. The #93 dropped to 23rd, outside of the point-scoring positions, and would soon retire to the pitlane, bringing a disappointing end to his Saturday.

On the final lap, nobody could match Bagnaia’s pace, with the Italian able to hold a four-second margin to Martin in second – putting them exactly equal on points. Meanwhile, the final spot inside the top three went the way of Aleix Espargaro, who clinched a somewhat unexpected third after a drama-free Saturday.

Meanwhile, there was an exciting fight for the final spot inside the top five, with Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) losing a spot late on to a hard-charging Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team), meaning Bastianini crossed the line in fourth, with Miller rounding out the top five after the Australian defended from Morbidelli to the line.

“I enjoyed the battle a lot today as, while doing so, I managed to lap in 1:28.7, which was two tenths faster than last year’s pole position time. This is incredible,” explained Bagnaia.

Tissot Sprint Race Results

Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo
Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati (+4.673s)
Aleix Espargaro Aprilia Racing (+7.584s)
Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo (+9.685s)
Jack Miller Red Bull KTM (+10.421s)

Sunday

MotoGP

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) put in a stunning performance at the Motorrand Grand Prix von Österreich to take to the top step and complete the double in style. The reigning Champion went toe-to-toe with Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) before taking charge in the lead and building a gap, securing his status as Championship leader by five points and taking his 25th MotoGP™ win to equal Kevin Schwantz in 10th on the list of riders with most premier class wins.

There was some drama even before the start as Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) had a holeshot device shuffle, unable to get both engaged, getting a slightly slower launch and then getting a nudge from Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) as the two headed wide out of Turn 1. Marquez ended up outside the top ten and Morbidelli further behind him.

Meanwhile, Martin had taken the holeshot to edge out Bagnaia at the front, but the reigning Champion attacked next time round at Turn 1 and took the lead. Another move came from Martin at the penultimate corner on the same lap, but Bagnaia hit back straight away at the final corner.

A small KTM civil war just behind then saw Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) stalk and eventually get past teammate Jack Miller, with Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) then pouncing too. Bagnaia led Martin with a gap back to Bastianini, ahead of the Binder-Bez-Miller train that Marc Marquez was, by now, fast tagging onto the back of. He was also literally tagging Miller with 19 to go as his elbow made contact with the #43’s rear tyre, but no harm done as the #93 reset and reloaded. He didn’t need to make the move, however, as Miller slid out soon after – able to rejoin but out of the fight at the front.

And so Bagnaia led Martin, with Bastianini a couple of seconds back. And then came what was now a Binder-Bezzecchi-Marquez squabble, with the first fireworks coming from Marquez as he carved through the VR46 rider. Next stop: Binder. At Turn 6 with ten to go the #93 sliced up the inside to take over in fourth.

At the front, the gap would go up a tenth or two and then back down, but Bagnaia remained in control. The reigning Champion completed the double in style, stamping some authority on the Championship to go five points ahead of Martin, who came home second for a nevertheless very valuable 20 points.

Bastianini, despite his quick progress up from a tougher qualifying, came home third and wasn’t able to work his used tyre magic to bridge that gap. He did have enough in hand over Marc Marquez, however, with the #93’s pace – on paper enough to put him in serious contention – going begging after his early issues. He finished P4. Behind, Binder held off Bezzecchi to complete the top five.

“I’m extremely happy because this is the third consecutive year for us winning at Spielberg and I’d like to thank Ducati and the Academy for the work we do together every day,” said Bagnaia.

MotoGP Race Results

Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo
Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati (+3.232s
Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo (+7.357s
Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati (+13.836s
Brad Binder Red Bull KTM (+18.620s

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 275
Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati – 270
Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo – 214
Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati – 192
Maverick Viñales Aprilia Racing – 139

Moto2

An eighth different Moto2 winner emerged in 2024 as for the second year in a row, Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) bagged a 25-point haul at the Red Bull Ring. The Italian was unmatched on Sunday as he converted pole into victory, as Alonso Lopez (Sync SpeedUp) and Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) earned podium finishes as the latter passed Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) on the final lap for P3.

It was a good start from the front row trio as Canet led the opening lap, but Vietti pounced back on Lap 2 as Lopez sat right behind the top two in P3. Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) was P4, a second up the road from Dixon.

Lopez then passed Canet for P2, with Garcia just over a second back from the top three on Lap 4 of 23, with Dixon, Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing) tucked up behind the title chase leader. Not for long though, as both Dixon and Arbolino passed Garcia on Lap 5.

Seven laps in, Vietti stretched his lead to 1.1s over Lopez and Canet. Dixon was 1.6s behind the latter duo, with the Brit having Arbolino in tow. On Lap 9, Vietti then made a mistake into Turn 3, which slashed his advantage from 1.4s to 0.4s as the top three were now split by 0.8s.

The fight for P2 began with nine to go, with Canet and Alonso trading places at the final corner. The small amount of squabbling allowed Vietti to extend his lead back to a second, as Dixon started to ramp up his case for a podium finish. With five laps to go, Vietti was 1.7s clear, as Dixon locked himself onto the back of Canet to make it a three-rider fight for P2, as Garcia was handed a Long Lap penalty for exceeding track limits, and that dropped the Spaniard to P13 from P6.

Heading onto the last lap, Vietti boasted a 2.7s penalty. Dixon dived up the inside of Canet at Turn 1 but exceeded track limits on the exit. Could the #96 then pass Lopez? Not quite. The latter held onto P2 as Vietti bagged his first win in Red Bull KTM Ajo colours, with Canet crossing the line behind Dixon in P4 and because both riders exceeded track limits on the final lap, the results stood – Canet crossing onto the green at the final corner cost him a rostrum. Arbolino was a lonely fifth, with Ramirez taking sixth ahead of Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia).

Moto2 Race Results

Celestino Vietti Red Bull KTM Ajo
Alonso Lopez Sync Speed Up (+1.850s)
Jake Dixon CFMoto Inde Aspar Team (+1.974s)
Aron Canet Fantic Racing (+2.075s)
Tony Arbolino Elf Marc VDS Racing (+6.814s)

Moto2 Championship Points

Sergio Garcia MT Helmets – MSI – 162
Ai Ogura MT Helmets – MSI – 142
Joe Roberts OnlyFans American Racing Team – 130
Alonso Lopez Beta Tools Speed Up – 120
Fermin Aldeguer Beta Tools Speed Up – 112

Moto3

It was seventh heaven for David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) at the Red Bull Ring as the World Championship leader won again – but this time he did so after taking a Long Lap penalty. The Colombian beat David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) by 0.121s as the Spaniard, in turn, edged out Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) as the trio climbed onto the Moto3™ rostrum in Austria.

There was drama from the off as polesitter Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) had a problem pulling up to the start line, with the Spaniard having to start the race from pitlane. A disaster for the #48, with Alonso’s chief Championship rival 12 seconds off the lead at the end of Lap 1.

The early race leader was Joel Kelso and the Australian had BOE Motorsports teammate Muñoz, Alonso and Holgado close for company, with the Colombian diving into the Long Lap penalty loop on Lap 2 – as did Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing) right behind the #80.

This left Alonso in P10, 3.7s off the lead with 17 laps to go. Meanwhile, Ortola was setting fastest lap after fastest lap as he picked his way through the pack to get up to P18 by Lap 6. On the same lap, Alonso was now P6 and closing in on the lead group that consisted of Kelso, Muñoz, Holgado, Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo).

With 11 laps left, Alonso – with Piqueras in tow – had bridged the gap. There was a front group of seven now, with Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) a second adrift in P8 as the Spaniard threatened to make it a 16-wheeler. On Ortola watch, the polesitter was P16, eight seconds behind the leaders and had points-scoring places well within his reach.

On Lap 14 of 20, Alonso led for the first time. Ortola was now up to P9 but the group ahead of him was the leading eight, who were locked together in the fight for the win – 5.4s up the road. Three laps later, Alonso still held the lead, but it was far from a comfortable one as Muñoz, Holgado, Veijer and Piqueras were prowling.

But it was as you were heading onto the final lap. Alonso led the chasing quartet, as Muñoz ran wide at Turn 1 to go from P2 to P4. Turns 2A and B passed by, and so did Turn 4. Time was running out as Holgado fended off Piqueras before Muñoz shoved it up the inside of the Leopard rider at Turn 7. Would a move come in the final two corners? No. Alonso defended expertly to claim a stunning win in Styria, as Muñoz pipped Holgado to P2 by the barest of margins – 0.005s.

The impressive Piqueras claimed P4 ahead of Veijer in P5, with Fernandez, Rueda and Kelso completing the top eight. Ortola produced a fine effort to climb his way to P9, but it’s crucial ground lost in the title chase on a Sunday that promised much more.

Moto3 Race Results

David Alonso CFMOTO GaviotaAspar Team
David Munoz BOE Motorsports (+0.121s)
Daniel Holgado Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 (+0.126s)
Angel Piqueras Leopard Racing (+0.211s)
Collin Veijer Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP (+0.303s)

Moto3 Championship Points

David Alonso CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team – 224
Ivan Ortola MT Helmets – MSI – 153
Daniel Holgado Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 – 149
Collin Veijer Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP – 142
David Munoz BOE Motorsports – 108

MotoE

Race 1

The FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship delivered drama in Race 1 at the Red Bull Ring with Oscar Gutierrez (Axxis – MSI) charging to a magical victory in Austria. The #99 stole the lead on Lap 5 and began to push, extending a 0.246s margin to Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™), who crossed the line with one knee slider.

Gutierrez reduced Garzo’s lead to 24 points, making it impossible for the #4 to win the Championship this weekend, with the title to be decided at Misano. Meanwhile, the battle for the final spot on the podium went down to the last lap, with Mattia Casadei (LCR E-Team) securing third from Kevin Zannoni (Openbank Aspar Team) after the #21 was demoted one position for exceeding track limits on the last lap.

MotoE Race 1 Results

Oscar Gutierrez Axxis-MSI
Hector Garzo Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™ (+0.246)
Kevin Zannoni Openbank Aspar Team) (+0.901)
Mattia Casadei LCR E-Team) (+1.430)
Jordi Torres Openbank Aspar Team (+1.506)

Race 2

Race 2 in MotoE™ on Saturday was an epic three-way battle in Austria, where the title fight took another twist. Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) reigned supreme in Race 2, securing victory on the final lap after a stunning ride. The #4 now has a 38 point lead in the Championship after finishing 0.069s ahead of Kevin Zannoni (Openbank Aspar Team).

Meanwhile, the final spot on the podium went the way of Mattia Casadei (LCR E-Team), who was promoted to a late third after Oscar Gutierrez (Axxis-MSI) crashed out with two corners remaining. Gutierrez’ crash drops the #99 to fourth in the standings, with Casadei entering the final round as Garzo’s closest rival.