MotoGP backs up at Red Bull Ring

Only a few days after the Czech GP, it’s already action stations for Austria as MotoGP returns to the Styrian Alps and the stunning Red Bull Ring – Spielberg from August 10-12.

Altitude and acceleration are the buzzwords and Ducati is the reigning king of the mountain. A winner in 2016 and 2017 at the track that plays into the hands of the Borgo Panigale factory’s machinery perfectly, the omens are good for Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) and teammate Jorge Lorenzo as they arrive in Austria in the wake of their 1-2 at Brno.

‘DesmoDovi’ won the duel for the win last season, and Lorenzo is now a serious threat on the other side of the garage. Can anyone depose the Ducatis from the top step?

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) is the man who came so close to ending their rule at the Red Bull Ring last season. The No. 93 stayed with Dovizioso until the end and the two men staged the first of a series of duels: first came Spielberg, then came Motegi, then Qatar…but it wasn’t quite the same at Brno.

Marquez was right on the tail of the red machines ahead of him, but the reigning champion couldn’t make a move against Lorenzo stick. Revenge at the Red Bull Ring would be sweet – but would a bigger Championship lead be even sweeter? To get that it’s a Yamaha Marquez would likely need to beat: Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha).

Yamaha remain on the hunt for that next win. Rossi put up a good fight at Brno until the final stages, and was still able to beat Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) to the line. However, Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha) was involved in an early incident that sent him into the gravel, ending a run of 19 races in the points and meaning no rider has scored in every race this season. It also ruled him out of the Brno test, so can Yamaha field its A game in Austria and push forward at what’s traditionally a more difficult venue for the Iwata marque?

The fight for top Independent Team rider is hotting up now too: Crutchlow, Brno’s top Independent, is now only 7pts off the lead of Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) in the chase for that title – and Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Ducati) is between the two. Will Ducati power and acceleration see him strike back? And what of the rookies? Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) remains ahead of Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda) by just 2pts, but that hangs in the balance every weekend.

Aussie Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Ducati) was 12th at Brno – only 16 seconds behind the winner – but armed with his Ducati’s raw acceleration, he’ll want to be fighting for the bigger points this Sunday.

Meanwhile, Suzuki Ecstar wants more from Austria and Andrea Iannone is a former winner at the venue, but for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, despite good progress cutting the gap to the front, it’s not quite the fairytale return to their home venue in the hills they were planning.

Test rider and oft-racing wildcard Mika Kallio is out after a crash in the German GP and the bad luck kept rolling in Brno: Pol Espargaro will now also be sidelined after his crash there. So for KTM, home hopes are pinned on Bradley Smith. The Brit was on good form in Czech as he qualified 15th, before he was involved in a multi-rider crash and wasn’t able to race to the end. A bounce back will be on the cards in Spielberg.

So how will Austria play out? The battle lines were drawn at Brno and Spielberg has been Ducati territory too. Will there be a new king of the Red Bull Ring?