MotoGP Austria: Three in a row for Bagnaia

Ducati Lenovo’s Pecco Bagnaia claimed three wins in a row for the first time in his MotoGP career - the first Ducati rider to secure the achievement since Casey Stoner in 2008 and the first Italian since Valentino Rossi - after a dominant ride at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday.

Bologna teammate Jack Miller was in the hunt for the entirety of the race before reigning champion Fabio Quartararo arrived to take second in the closing stages. Ducati celebrating a double podium and top independent honours thanks to Mooney VR46’s Luca Marini in fourth.

The rain continued to threaten but not yet arrive as MotoGP lined up on the grid ahead of the AustrianGP. Conditions prompting a raft to tyre changes ahead of the 28-lap race as the hard front, medium rear proved the most favourable Michelin options.

Gresini’s Enea Bastianini celebrating his maiden premier class pole position ahead of a swarm of Ducatis with just Monster Energy Yamaha’s Quartararo interrupting the Bologna factory’s hold on the top six, from the middle of row two.

Lights out and Bagnaia swept through to hold the holeshot from Bastianini and Miller with Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales up to sixth. Johann Zarco suffering a disastrous start as the Frenchman fell to 12th with Suzuki’s Joan Mir crashing out at turn four for his sixth DNF of the past nine races.

Vinales bettered his former teammate for position as the first lap concluded, with Aleix Espargaro bringing the second RS-GP the other side of Quartararo as Zarco recovered to eighth. Marini and the remaining Suzuki of Alex Rins completing the top ten from last year’s hero Brad Binder on the KTM. His younger brother Darryn scorching his way through the pack with an impressive start on the WithU RNF Yamaha to 13th from