KTM’s Brad Binder put on a stunning display of bravery at the Red Bull Ring to take a scintillating victory on slick Michelins despite late heavy rain in the AustrianGP.
To the delight of the packed out crowd - with over 86,000 in attendance at Spielberg - the South African’s gamble paid off in dramatic style as Pecco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin both recovered from a pitlane bike swap to podium celebrations in the final corners.
Dark clouds posed a formidable presence as the grid lined up for the blue riband event at the Red Bull Ring. Rain being felt 10-minutes from the circuit as Martin took his place at the head of the 28-lap race, with it forecast to hit the track in time for lights out. Despite that, the race was declared dry, the potential of a flag-to-flag looming.
The majority of the pack opted for the replacement hard symmetric front and medium asymmetric rear Michelin combination with both Suzuki riders and Alex Marquez chasing a medium front and elder brother Marc the only soft asymmetric rear on show.
Martin held the holeshot as the race fired off the line, Fabio Quartararo out of the seat and pushing Johann Zarco wide as Bagnaia came through to take second. Contact between the pole-man and the Yamaha saw Quartararo dropped to fifth as Marc Marquez took the advantage. Spots of rain disturbing the concentration as eh positions changed again.
Bagnaia was in charge as lap two developed, Zarco through to second from <Marquez as Martin faded to fourth. Jack Miller advanced on the M1 for fifth with Joan Mir trailing the championship leader in seventh.
Quartararo began the fight back as he regained his position from the Australian, Marquez up to second as Martin too dispatched the second pramac back to fourth. Last week’s victor had the bit between his teeth once again as he bettered the eight-time champ for the runners up spot, Bagnaia sitting pretty two-tenths clear of the fight behind.
The KTM’s were charging as the race continued, Brad Binder sitting eighth by lap five with Iker Lecuona and Miguel Oliveira occupying the two places behind.
The Marquez/Martin battle continued as the pair swapped places once again, Enea Bastianini falling down the times before regrouping behind Cal Crutchlow at the back of the field and ultimately retiring into the pits.
Quartararo was up to fourth as lap seven began, instantly taking second as Marquez made a mistake and the Frenchman pushed through at turn three.
The rain flags were out on lap eight as Quartararo honed in on Bagnaia, taking the lead at turn six with the Italian attempting a fight back two corners later, the move finally executed thanks to the power of the Desmosedici down the home straight.
The top-five covered just one-second as lap nine concluded, Miller a further seven-tenths back as he circulated with Mir for company and the KTM’s closely behind. Aleix Espargaro held 10th on the 10th lap, Alex Rins sitting 11th from Lecuona and the LCR’s of Marquez and Takaaki Nakagami on the edge of the points positions, with Luca Marini in the running for the final reward.
The rain flags were removed and the wind picked up as lap 11 unfolded. Mir frustrated with his inability to successfully dispatch Miller’s Ducati as the gap to the leading group grew wider.
The reigning world champion broke free next time around, immediately upping the pace as he looked to reel in Zarco ahead. Quartararo running wide as he searched for a way round Bagnaia with Marquez glued to his rear wheel.
Mir set his best lap of the race as he cut the gap in half in just two laps, half a second now the target as fifth came neatly into view.
Espargaro promoted his Aprilia to ninth with 14 laps to go, his brother entering a point-scoring position moments later as his frustrating season continued, before Valentino Rossi stole the position three laps later.
Disaster struck Zarco at turn nine as the Frenchman bowed out with 11 laps to go. His countryman’s title lead looking to extend as the race played out, with turn three proving Quartararo’s undoing once again as he ran wide and Marquez collected the position two laps later.
Martin dropped off the leading battle to circle two-seconds back in fourth with Mir on the hunt as the drama continued out front. A mistake from Bagnaia almost letting Marquez through as the rain flags came out for the second time.
Turn one claimed another victim as Oliveira’s painful home visit concluded in the gravel. Miller and Rins gambling on wets as the rain got heavier with five laps to go as Rossi entered the top-10.
Marquez claimed the lead at turn one with four laps to go with a five rider battle unfolding for second. Contact ensued as the drama continued with the front runners heading for the pits with three laps to go. Binder found himself at the lead of his home race, on slicks with heavy rain in the second sector, Espargaro and Rossi in podium contention as Lecuona challenged the veteran for position.
Marquez went down at turn one with two laps to go as the treacherous conditions shuffled the pack once again. Binder tiptoeing his way round in the closing stages after saving multiple moments as Lecuona and Marini denied Espargaro a rostrum visit.
The non-stop drama continued as Binder crossed the line to the delight of the KTM home crowd, Bagnaia coming from nowhere in the final lap to take second with Martin doing likewise for third. Mir recovered to fourth after the trio swapped to wet bikes, with Marini collecting his highest race finish in the GP class on slick rubber.
Lecuona saved sixth from Quartararo and Rossi with Alex Marquez and Aleix Espargaro rounding out the top-10. Miller sat 11th from Danilo Petrucci, Nakagami and Rins with Marquez recovering for the final championship point.
Pol Espargaro completed the rollercoaster race without reward in 16th, Crutchlow the last of the finishers in 17th.
