The gap at the top is now the lowest it’s been after a GP since the season opener, and the rider chasing that duel arrives from a weekend masterclass. Welcome to Austria!
MotoGP™ World Championship: Austria Showdown Preview
The MotoGP™ World Championship kicked off in Qatar with just a two-point gap at the top. Since then, 333 more points have been fiercely contested through racing, battling, slipstreaming, and defending, but the margin has only widened by a single point. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) leads the way heading into the Red Bull Ring, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) hot on his heels, and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) surging into third after a stunning double victory at Silverstone. This is a venue where Ducati has historically excelled—are you ready?
Bagnaia, the winner of the last two seasons at Austria—including a double victory last year—will be brimming with confidence to overcome that three-point gap. Martin, who clinched his first MotoGP™ win here, is ready to fight for every inch. Meanwhile, Bastianini, who had been somewhat overlooked earlier in the 2024 season, made a statement at Silverstone. The 49-point gap he once faced seems much smaller now with 37 points up for grabs each weekend. It’s the exact deficit Bagnaia erased between Catalunya and the summer break…
Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) had a solid Silverstone weekend despite a Saturday crash, much like Bagnaia. Sunday brought a good haul of points, but he’ll need more to challenge for the podium in Austria—a track where he’s never won despite several final corner showdowns. This time, though, he’s aiming for victory.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) continues to impress, finishing closer to Marquez than Marquez was to Bagnaia at Silverstone. With his confidence high and a new contract in hand, he’s eager to make his mark in Austria. Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) will be looking to turn the tables, as will Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), who arrives from a solid British GP despite being taken out in the Tissot Sprint by Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing). Bezzecchi also stood on the podium in Spielberg last year.
While Ducati’s record at Austria is impressive, another factory has also claimed victory here twice—KTM. They arrive on a tough run but hope to rebuild their form in front of a home crowd. Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) will make his MotoGP™ debut at the venue, adding to the excitement. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) will be eager to reverse his bad luck from Silverstone, while teammate Jack Miller aims for more points. Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) faces swirling rumors about a potential test role for next year, but nothing is confirmed. What is certain is that Red Bull KTM test rider Pol Espargaro will be wildcarding, making his machinery one to watch as the factory pushes back toward the front.
At Aprilia, expectations were higher for Silverstone, but Aleix Espargaro still secured a Sprint podium from pole. Maverick Viñales had a tougher outing, and both will aim higher in Austria, a venue where Aprilia has yet to finish better than sixth. They’re the only factory without a podium here, but in MotoGP™, that’s more an opportunity than a setback. Test rider Lorenzo Savadori will also be on track with a wildcard entry.
Trackhouse will be looking to bounce back after a tough end to Silverstone, where both Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez crashed out early. With both riders now on 2024 RS-GPs, they’ll be eager to reshape their fortunes in Austria.
For Yamaha, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) continues to collect points, but they’ll be looking for more. He achieved Yamaha’s best MotoGP™ result here in 2022, and it will be interesting to see how their machine handles the stop-go nature of the Red Bull Ring. News on teammate Alex Rins is awaited after he withdrew from Silverstone.
Honda also presents an intriguing storyline. After securing his first point in Germany and showing visible progress, Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) looked set for more at Silverstone before a tire pressure penalty. Positives are still evident, though. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) led the charge in 14th place, while Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) was promoted to 15th. Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) retired from the race due to an issue, so he’ll be hoping for a better outcome in Austria, one of his favored circuits. The squad will also welcome Stefan Bradl as a wildcard with HRC Test Team, gathering more data for the factory.
With just three points separating the leaders, Bastianini looking to capitalize on his momentum, and Marquez eager to make his mark, the stage is set for a thrilling showdown. KTM faces Ducati on their home turf, with an army of riders on proven, world-champion machinery. Eight years ago, Ducati marked their comeback with a victory in Austria. Now, KTM is eager to reignite their fight to the front—starting this weekend at the Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich.
SHOWTIME
Saturday
- Tissot Sprint: 15:00 (UTC +2)
Sunday
- Grand Prix: 14:00 (UTC +2)
Moto2™: Garcia remains ahead as the field arrive into the Red Bull Ring
Jake Dixon Triumphs at Silverstone, Eyes Red Bull Ring
Winning your home Grand Prix is a rare privilege, and on Sunday at the British GP, Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) joined an elite group by carving his name into Silverstone folklore. In a thrilling battle for victory, Dixon went head-to-head with Aron Canet (Fantic Racing), delivering a race to remember. Now, as the action shifts to the Red Bull Ring, both riders are eager for more success on a circuit that offers a stark contrast to the fast and flowing nature of Silverstone.
Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) still holds the top spot in the Championship, but Dixon’s first win of the season—his third career victory—propelled him to P7 in the standings, tied on 78 points with Canet, who sits in P8. While the title may be out of reach, a strong start to the second half of 2024 could see both riders break into the top five—or higher—by the time the season wraps up in Valencia. For Dixon, three podiums in the last five races are helping to erase the memories of a tough start to the campaign.
Dixon and Canet were in a class of their own at Silverstone, but there were plenty of other storylines to follow. Celestino Vietti’s first podium with Red Bull KTM Ajo came at the perfect time, just ahead of the Pierer Mobility Group’s home race in Austria, which also happens to be where Vietti secured his last Moto2™ victory. Meanwhile, in the Championship battle, the momentum shifted back to Garcia.
Garcia’s impressive comeback from P26 on the first lap to a crucial P4 finish highlighted his determination, especially as his main title rivals stumbled. Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI), who finished P3 at the Red Bull Ring in 2023, fell from pole to P14. Fermin Aldeguer (GT Trevisan SpeedUp) had a quiet weekend, finishing P12, while Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) crashed out of P3. As a result, Garcia now leads Ogura by 18 points heading into Round 11, with Roberts and Aldeguer trailing by 37 and 48 points, respectively. The hunters will need to respond in Austria…
Moto3™: can Ortola strike again in Spielberg?
Ivan Ortola Shines Again at Silverstone in Moto3™
Silverstone delivered another Moto3™ thriller, with Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) securing his second victory in three races. Starting from pole, Ortola dominated the weekend, crossing the finish line in P1 and cutting five crucial points from David Alonso’s (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team) Championship lead.
However, Alonso minimized the damage by finishing a close P2, marking his first podium of the year that wasn’t a victory. Despite this, the Colombian remains firmly in control of the championship, holding a 53-point advantage at the top. With seven podiums in 10 races, Alonso continues his remarkable 2024 campaign.
Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) rounded out the podium with a P3 finish at the British GP, his fifth podium of the year. Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) secured P4, meaning the top four riders in the standings occupied the top four positions at Silverstone. As three of these four—Alonso, Veijer, and Holgado—ride Pierer Mobility Group machinery, they’ll be eager to impress at the upcoming Red Bull Ring.
For Ortola, Holgado, and Veijer, the mission is clear: they need to start chipping away at Alonso’s lead if they hope to catch the Aspar star before the season ends.
Official MotoGP Press Release
Images: Bomber County Media: Brad Binder/Jake Dixon,others MotoGP
