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MotoGP Styria: Pole to podium maiden victory for Pramac’s Martin

Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin delivered a mature performance at the Red Bull Ring to take a pole to flag debut MotoGP victory in the StyrianGP after a dramatic red flag.

Suzuki Ecstar’s Joan Mir and Monster Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo joined the rookie on the podium for the second attempt with a delighted Brad Binder fighting back from 16th on the grid to claim fourth at KTM’s home round.

With the race declared dry, the tyre selection leaned towards the medium/medium combination, seven riders opting for the hard front, while Valentino Rossi, Enea Bastianini, Lorenzo Savadori and Johann Zarco swapped to a medium/soft combination on the grid.

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Pramac rookie Martin headed the grid for the first time since Doha with Bagnaia and Quartararo alongside, Mir the only other non-Ducati rider on the front two rows, starting fifth.

As the lights released for the 28-laps, Martin retained early control with Bagnaia taking the lead through turn three. Mir and Marc Marquez pushed hard as they squabbled for the top-four as Rossi dropped to 22nd.

Quartararo was up at turn six next time around, finding third as he forced Marquez wide, Mir caught in the mix as he recovered to fourth, Maverick Viñales following his teammate through for fifth.

Disaster unfolding on lap three as Dani Pedrosa high-sided at turn three, Savadori coming together with the KTM as the two stricken bikes went up in flames in the middle of the track bringing out the red flags. Savadori sitting up after being stretchered off track by the medical team.

A second 27-lap race lined up in the original grid positions once the track clean up had been successfully completed. The scorecards wiped clear from the earlier action.

A quick restart procedure saw pitlane opened for just 60 seconds as take two commenced 40 minutes after the initial schedule. Marquez and Bagnaia swapping to hard front tyres, with the Ducati rider pairing it with the soft rear, Bastianini choosing the medium rear, Danilo Petrucci the medium front. Further drama ensued as Viñales stalled his Yamaha M1 ahead of the warm up, the Monster rider forced to start from pitlane. Pedrosa returning to action with Savadori sitting out.

A great start saw Martin, once again out front as Jack Miller instantly challenged for the lead, taking charge through turn three while contact further down the pack saw Marquez dropped to 10th with a furious Aleix Espargaro down to 17th.

Mir returned to third as he lead Quartararo in the opening stages before the Suzuki bettered the pole-sitter on lap two. Martin recovering the position next time around as Zarco sat fifth, Bagnaia demoted to eighth behind the two LCR Hondas of Alex Marquez and Takaaki Nakagami.

The Pramac rider was back out front as lap four began, Mir following suit as Miller found himself in third and with the championship leader for company. Bagnaia’s race going from bad to worse as he fell further to 11th, the Repsol Hondas doing likewise in 13th and 14th.

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It was a different story for KTM as Binder and Miguel Oliveira rose to eighth and tenth respectively, Espargaro’s day ending on lap six as his Aprilia retired at the side of the track.

Martin and Mir had pulled an eight-tenth gap on the third place battle after seven laps of action. Miller and Quartararo swapping positions as the race unfolded with Zarco honing in on the opportunity ahead.

Alex Rins was making moves as he advanced his Suzuki to eighth while his teammate eyed up the lead, less than two-tenths adrift. A brace of track limits warnings coming in as the race neared mid-distance. Viñales collecting a long lap penalty as he dropped again to the back of the field.

Disappointment saw Oliveira fade to last as the KTM suffered a mechanical issue, the Portuguese rider already battling through the pain after Friday’s crash as he retired from the race on lap 15.

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Bastianini was the next to collect a long lap, the Italian dropping out of the points after running a strong 12th and finding the fellow Avintia of Luca Marini, in 17th.

A regrouped Miller was back on the hunt with 12 laps to go, the Ducati sitting on the wheels of the M1 as he searched for a way round the Frenchman. Disaster struck, however, two laps later as the Australian skittled out at turn seven.

A strong ride from Nakagami saw the him running fifth as his fellow LCR dropped to ninth, Marquez sitting neatly behind his elder brother as Binder and Rins circulated ahead in sixth and seventh.

The battle for victory seemed to be a forgone conclusion as Mir faded to over a second adrift of the rookie out front. Quartararo more than five-seconds behind the Suzuki with Zarco another three back and just five laps to go.

Martin claimed the victory for the Pramac team, Mir and Quartararo completing the celebrations as the trio bizarrely tangled on the cool down lap. There was delight for KTM as Binder claimed fourth on the final lap, Nakagami and Zarco settling for fifth and sixth respectively with Rins seventh. Marquez led Bagnaia home for eighth and ninth while his younger brother rounded out the top-10.

A resplendent recovery saw Pedrosa conclude his wildcard in 11th, Bastianini, Rossi, Marini and Iker Lecuona completing the points scoring positions. Pol Espargaro, Cal Crutchlow, Petrucci and Viñales completing the finishers, with the Yamaha rider recorded as not classified and over a minute behind the victor as he finished through pitlane.

A late penalty saw Bagnaia demoted to 11th thanks to his three-second sanction with Pedrosa receiving the promotion to 10th.

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