MotoGP 2024 Sprint Race Round 11 Motorrad Grand Prix von Osterreich

Austria, August 18, 2024: Both Repsol Honda Team riders fought back to setup for a stronger Sunday in a complicated Sprint where Luca Marini and Joan Mir took 17th and 19th, masking their true potential.

Overnight thunderstorms did little to change the conditions in Spielberg as another day of intense heat enveloped the 4.35 kilometres of the Red Bull Ring. Q1 was an intense 15-minute session where inch-perfect precision was needed to gain any advantage in the tight group battling for the top two transfer spots. Setting the eighth and ninth fastest times in Q1 respectively, Luca Marini and Joan Mir lined up in close proximity for the Sprint Race.

Initially dropping back at the start, Luca Marini remained focused on his Repsol Honda Team RC213V. With the hot temperatures came even more challenging conditions, many around the #10 making mistakes while Marini steadily matched his pace lap after lap. Crossing the line in 17th, the Italian was hoping for much more from the Sprint but is positive that the data collected will help on Sunday.

Joan Mir’s race started well, the #36 immediately gaining ground with a rapid start when the lights went out. Contact with another rider and an early long lap penalty for track limits would also force Mir into recovery mode. Ending just behind his Repsol Honda Team teammate, Mir is confident his true potential will be on show in the full-length Grand Prix.

The lights are set to go out for the Motorrad Grand Prix von Oesterreich at 14:00 Local Time tomorrow, Sunday August 18.

Luca Marini (17^th)

“We were hoping for more in the Sprint speaking honestly. I didn’t make a good start and then in this heat it’s quite complicated with the carbon brakes. The positive point is that we learned some more things for Sunday and also for the development in future. Once we were in the race we were able to set an OK pace given we were playing catch up, but we were far behind because of the opening lap.”

Joan Mir (19^th)

“I made a really good start to the race and was able to gain a lot, then I had some contact with Raul Fernandez and lost about four positions. Then with the Long Lap Penalty, I dropped far back, and we did what we could. It’s a shame because our pace was much better than what we were able to show in the race. Tomorrow will be another tough race for everyone on the grid with these conditions.”

Austrian GP – Sprint Result

Pos.	Rider	Num	Nation	Points	Team	Constructor	Time/Gap
1	Bagnaia Francesco	1	ITA	12	Ducati Lenovo Team	Ducati	20’59.768
2	Martin Jorge	89	SPA	9	Pramac Racing	Ducati	4.673
3	Espargaro Aleix	41	SPA	7	Aprilia Racing	Aprilia	7.584
4	Bastianini Enea	23	ITA	6	Ducati Lenovo Team	Ducati	9.685
5	Miller Jack	43	AUS	5	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	KTM	10.421
6	Morbidelli Franco	21	ITA	4	Pramac Racing	Ducati	10.523
7	Binder Brad	33	RSA	3	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	KTM	10.941
8	Bezzecchi Marco	72	ITA	2	Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team	Ducati	11.932
9	Espargaro Pol	44	SPA	1	KTM Test Team	KTM	15.101
10	Acosta Pedro	31	SPA	0	Red Bull GASGAS Tech 3	KTM	16.611
11	Vinales Maverick	12	SPA	0	Aprilia Racing	Aprilia	16.759
12	Quartararo Fabio	20	FRA	0	Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP	Yamaha	17.943
13	Oliveira Miguel	88	POR	0	Trackhouse Racing	Aprilia	18.304
14	Fernandez Raul	25	SPA	0	Trackhouse Racing	Aprilia	19.185
15	Zarco Johann	5	FRA	0	LCR Honda	Honda	21.330
16	Nakagami Takaaki	30	JPN	0	LCR Honda	Honda	22.940
17	Marini Luca	10	ITA	0	Repsol Honda Team	Honda	25.830
18	Savadori Lorenzo	32	ITA	0	Aprilia Test Team	Aprilia	26.622
19	Mir Joan	36	SPA	0	Repsol Honda Team	Honda	27.458
20	Marquez Alex	73	SPA	0	Team Gresini Racing MotoGP	Ducati	37.870
21	Fernandez Augusto	37	SPA	DNF	Red Bull GASGAS Tech 3	KTM	DNF
22	Rins Alex	42	SPA	DNF	Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP	Yamaha	DNF
23	Marquez Marc	93	SPA	DNF	Team Gresini Racing MotoGP	Ducati	DNF
24	Bradl Stefan	6	GER	DNF	HRC Test Team	Honda	DNF