MotoGP highlights

Ducati’s Italian rider Andrea Dovizioso rides his bike to win the Moto GP Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring circuit in Spielberg, Austria on August 16, 2020. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

Ducati maintain hold on Austrian MotoGP as Dovizioso tops podium

Ducati continued to dominate in Austria as Andrea Dovizioso produced a thrilling ride to claim victory in a dramatic MotoGP.

MotoGP highlights

Ducati’s Italian rider Andrea Dovizioso rides his bike to win the Moto GP Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring circuit in Spielberg, Austria on August 16, 2020. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

Ducati continued to monopolise the top step of the podium at the Austrian Grand Prix as Andrea Dovizioso produced a thrilling ride to claim victory in a dramatic MotoGP.

Dovizioso departing Ducati

Dovizioso announced this weekend that he would be leaving Ducati and the Italian showed them what they would be missing on Sunday.

After a terrifying crash involving Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) that brought out the red flags on Lap 9, the Championship tale took another twist in a Spielberg epic. 

Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) completed the podium, with Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) encountering problems that saw them finishing outside the top seven.

South African rider Brad Binder was the chief beneficiary of the problems experienced by Vinales and Quartararo as he fought his way through the field to finish fourth after qualifying 17th on the grid.

The result leaves Binder in fourth on the MotoGP Championship standings, very much in contention for the title.

Austrian MotoGP results

1. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Ducati) 28min 20.853sec, 2. Joan Mir (ESP/Suzuki) at 1.377sec, 3. Jack Miller (AUS/Ducati-Pramac) 1.549, 4. Brad Binder (AFS/KTM) 5.526, 5. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha) 5.837, 6. Takaaki Nakagami (JPN/Honda-LCR) 6.403, 7. Danilo Petrucci (ITA/Ducati) 12.498, 8. Fabio Quartararo (FRA/Yamha-SRT) 12.534, 9. Iker Lecuona (ESP/KTM) 14.117, 10. Maverick Vinales (ESP/Yamaha) 15.276, 11. Aleix Espargaro (ESP/Aprilia) 17.772, 12. Michele Pirro (ITA/Ducati-Pramac) 23.271, 13. Alex Marquez (ESP/Honda) 24.943, 14. Bradley Smith (GBR/Aprilia) 24.868, 15. Cal Crutchlow (Honda-LCR) 27.435

Moto2

1. Jorge Martin (ESP/Kalex) 19min 24.723sec, 2. Luca Marini (ITA/Kalex) at 2.195sec, 3. Marcel Schrotter (GER/Kalex) 4.782, 4. Sam Lowes (GBR/Kalex) 7.249, 5. Xavi Vierge (ESP/Kalex) 7.325

Moto3

1. Albert Arenas (ESP/KTM) 37min 25.323sec, 2. Jaume Masia (ESP/Honda) at 0.049sec, 3. John McPhee (GBR/Honda) 0.447, 4. Ai Ogura (JPN/Honda) 0.121, 5. Celestino Vietti (ITA/KTM) 0.292

Note: Ogura and Vietti both issued penalties

World championship standings

MotoGP

1. Fabio Quartararo (FRA) 67 points, 2. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) 56, 3. Maverick Vinales (ESP) 48, 4. Brad Binder (RSA) 41, 5. Valentino Rossi (ITA) 38, 6. Takaaki Nakagami 37, 7. Jack Miller (AUS) 36, 8. Franco Morbidelli 31, 9. Joan Mir (ESP) 31, 10. Johann Zarco (FRA) 28

Moto2

1. Luca Marini (ITA) 78 points, 2. Enea Bastianini (ITA) 73, 3. Jorge Martin (ESP) 59, 4. Sam Lowes (GBR) 59, 5. Tetsuta Nagashima (JPN) 55 

Moto3

1. Albert Arenas (ESP) 95 points, 2. John McPhee (GBR) 67, 3. Ai Ogura (JPN) 65, 4. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) 50, 5. Raul Fernandez (ESP) 43