Here Are The Winners And Losers From The Second Austrian GP

Inclement weather usually spices up a MotoGP race leading to dramatic conclusions. And the rain-stricken round 11 of the 2021 MotoGP world championship was no different. The wet Red Bull Ring circuit brought us one the the most exciting final few laps of the season, and arguably the venue too! Here’s a rundown of the winners and losers from the Red Bull Ring:

Biggest Winner: Brad Binder 

Words fall short to describe the performance this young man pulled off on Sunday, but we’ll try nevertheless. Now, in just his second year on the MotoGP grid, Brad Binder has already established himself as a ‘Sunday Man’. So, what started off as a normal race for the factory KTM rider with plenty of overtakes and slicing through the field, ended with an iconic race win that was appreciated by each and everyone.

But why? Well, as the heavens began opening up in the final four laps of the race, the front-runners pulled into the pits to jump aboard their wet tyre-equipped bikes. Brad Binder, however, gambled by staying out on slick tyres on a wet track. What followed were three nail-biting laps which shook the entire paddock as Binder somehow managed to pull it off and cross the line without falling. Post the race he said that the final lap was the scariest moment of his life as he was riding around on a MotoGP machine with slicks and no front brakes. If he went on them, he would have ended up in the gravel trap. Let’s hope that this win gives the South African the necessary boost for better results in the second half of the season.

Other Winners

Francesco Bagnaia 

Remember the front-runners who pulled into the pits? Francesco Bagnaia was one of them and what looked like a tactical mistake rounded off to be a second-place finish for the factory Ducati man. However, he seemed a little disappointed with his finish as he led the pack for a long time before rain disrupted the race. Nevertheless, it was an impressive comeback as he made over 30 seconds in the last lap, overtaking seven riders to clinch the second step of the podium.

Jorge Martin

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It was a dream weekend in succession for the rookie as he rounded the podium positions. The Pramac Ducati man had also swapped bikes with three laps to go and had followed Bagnaia in the last lap, overtaking several riders and ultimately rounding off the podium places. It wasn’t just ‘luck’, though, as Martin had been rapid in all sessions through the weekend, even taking pole position by obliterating the lap record. All in all, it was an excellent conclusion to the Red Bull Ring double headers for him, the highlight being his first race win last time around. 

The Rossi Brothers: Valentino Rossi and Luca Marini

It’s safe to say the Red Bull Ring double-headers have been quite eventful for the Rossi family. What started with an emotional retirement announcement was concluded by a twin top 10 finish by both Luca Marini and Valentino Rossi, who finished fifth and eighth, respectively. This was thanks to their gamble of staying out on slicks as the rain fell. At one point, both Rossi and Luca seemed like podium contenders, but ultimately it wasn’t meant to be, as riders with wet tyres flew past them on the last lap. We’re pretty sure there was a full-blown party back in Tavullia, Italy after the race, though!

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Biggest Loser: Johann Zarco

It was a dismal end to an otherwise fruitful weekend for Johann Zarco. The Pramac Ducati man had led most practice sessions and even ran at the front in the race for some time. However, the Frenchman dropped positions and ultimately tucked the front, and that was before the rain clouds came into the picture. Consequently, he has also lost the second position in the points table as he sits in fourth place, 49 points adrift from the top spot.

Other Losers

Jack Miller 

Rain usually brings good luck for Jack Miller but it was the opposite this time as he finished in a disappointing eleventh place. His idea of pitting for rain tyres was the correct one. But it would have been ideal had he done it a lap or two sooner. Following the DNF last time around, the Red Bull Ring double header has taken a huge hit on Jack's championship hopes.

Alex Rins

Just behind Jack Miller on track was Alex Rins, who pulled into the pits at the same time. The factory Suzuki man failed to make headway, though, finishing in an even more disappointing fourteenth place. The Spaniard desperately needs to finish well in the upcoming rounds to get his mojo back and bring Suzuki the results they expect from him. With Silverstone next, we hope Rins gets up to speed and fights for the win, just like he did two years ago.

Honda

The nightmare continues for the factory Honda team with both riders failing to finish in the top 10. Marc Marquez, who ran at the front when it was dry and was almost set to pounce for the top spot, crashed after swapping bikes, probably due to the lack of temperature in the tyres. However, even after crashing, the Spaniard finished ahead of teammate Pol Espargaro, who seemed to be still struggling to adapt to the RC213V. 

Coming to the championship standings, Fabio Quartararo has once again extended his lead as Zarco crashed. However, Bagnaia and Mir now sit in the 2nd and 3rd places, respectively, and are both locked 47 points behind Fabio. 

Up next, the paddock heads to the iconic Silverstone circuit, which has brought us many nerve-wracking battles in the past. Will it be the turning point in the championship? We certainly hope so!