Remy Gardner alone on the Red Bull Ajo Kalex – the Australian world championship leader experienced another race on Austrian soil, which went absolutely not to his taste.

Fernandez in front of Ogura after a race without much tension

Right after the start, the positions in the Moto2 Grand Prix were as good as taken and in the infamous and rightly hated by many, Turn 3, the most exciting scene happened right after the start. To describe such a race as exciting compared to the Moto3 outcome that was open to the last lap is almost impossible. After a disappointing first run a week ago, it was Raul Fernandez who put his stamp on the Austrian GP. Followed by Ai Ogura, the Spanish rookie never left any doubts as to who would be on top of the podium in front of the Japanese. Third was not pole sitter Sam Lowes, but his teammate Augusto Fernandez. World Championship leader Remy Gardner stuck to P7 and Marco Bezzecchi as the winner of the first edition a week before had to be content with 10th place. In return, his Sky Racing VR46 team-mate Celestino Vietti was able to shine in fifth place behind Lowes.

A satisfied Ai Ogura (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) applauds the audience and probably himself a little because he finally made the first podium of the season, which he missed the weekend before with a lot of bad luck and a long-lap penalty.

The many fallen
Lorenzo Dalla Porta also got hit with twenty laps to go. There were only nine laps left in Yari Montella’s crash, but his race, too, went like that of the Italian. But the worst scene in this regard happened, as was to be feared, in turn one. In the first lap there was chaos in this corner. After a collision, the race was already over for Jorge Navarro, while Stefano Manzi was able to continue the race afterwards. Albert Arenas gave up in the pits a little later and after Dalla Porta, Marcel Schrötter had also got, but he was able to continue after his crash and crossed the finish line in twenty-third. Marcos Ramirez and Barry Baltus, on the other hand, were among the pilots who should not see the chequered flag.

Raul Fernandez was the man who primarily ensured that there was little tension at the Moto2 Grand Prix of Austria. Of course, this doesn’t change the fact that he worked hard and earned his victory.

The final word of the winner

Raul Fernandez dedicated his victory primarily to his team and family, who would always support him in an exemplary manner. Above all, however, he sent a special greeting to his “haters” and critics, who would have doubted via social media that he would make it to the top of the podium on the second weekend in Spielberg. Unfortunately, misunderstood so-called fans have become just as indispensable in motorsport as they are in football. The fact that a driver publicly directed himself against “verbal hooligans” who always appeared anonymously was perhaps the greatest highlight of the Moto2 Grand Prix of Austria. Meanwhile, the real fans are hoping for a more exciting race at Silverstone, just two weeks later.

The podium with from left Ai Ogura (P2), winner Raul Fernandez and third-placed Augusto Fernandez. Far right team boss Aki Ajo, who applauds his protégé as the winner of the Austrian Grand Prix.

The eleventh race of the season in numbers

Der Red Bull Ring in Spielberg

The Moto2 World Championship stand after round 11

P, Rider, Bike, Nat, Points
1, Remy GARDNER, Kalex, AUS, 206
2, Raul FERNANDEZ, Kalex, SPA, 187
3, Marco BEZZECCHI, Kalex, ITA, 159
4, Sam LOWES, Kalex, GBR, 114
5, Aron CANET, Boscoscuro, SPA, 83
6, Augusto FERNANDEZ, Kalex, SPA, 82
7, Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO, Kalex, ITA, 80
8, Ai OGURA, Kalex, JPN, 80
9, Marcel SCHROTTER, Kalex, GER, 72
10, Xavi VIERGE, Kalex, SPA, 59
11, Joe ROBERTS, Kalex, USA, 50
12, Celestino VIETTI, Kalex, ITA, 42
13, Jorge NAVARRO, Boscoscuro, SPA, 42
14, Bo BENDSNEYDER, Kalex, NED, 39
15, Somkiat CHANTRA, Kalex, THA, 35
16, Tony ARBOLINO, Kalex, ITA, 33
17, Cameron BEAUBIER, Kalex, USA, 26
18, Albert ARENAS, Boscoscuro, SPA, 23
19, Jake DIXON, Kalex, GBR, 21
20, Stefano MANZI, Kalex, ITA, 20
21, Marcos RAMIREZ, Kalex, SPA, 16
22, Hector GARZO, Kalex, SPA, 12
23, Thomas LUTHI, Kalex, SWI, 11
24, Nicolò BULEGA, Kalex, ITA, 10
25, Lorenzo DALLA PORTA, Kalex, ITA, 10
26, Hafizh SYAHRIN, NTS, MAL, 8
27, Simone CORSI, MV Agusta, ITA, 7
28, Alonso LOPEZ, Boscoscuro, SPA, 4
29, Fermín ALDEGUER, Boscoscuro, SPA, 4
30, Lorenzo BALDASSARRI, MV Agusta, ITA, 3
31, Barry BALTUS, NTS, BEL, 2

The combined calendar for MotoGP and WorldSBK

In red letters are the collisions in which, especially in the first three cases, the simultaneous implementation of the MotoGP with the WSBK causes enormous damage to the latter. Hardly any broadcaster is likely to broadcast the WSSP and Superbike World Championship races live. Especially the Malaysian GP in Sepang, WorldSBK Mandalika (Indonesia) and San Juan (Argentina) are still questionable. In this respect, a few more changes in the permanently provisional and chaotic calendar of FIM & Dorna can be expected.

Unless otherwise stated, this applies to all images (© MotoGP).