Binder completes Austrian masterclass, survives wet final five laps on slicks
Brad Binder has won KTM’s home Austrian MotoGP after taking one of the biggest gambles in recent MotoGP history.
As heavy rain fell with six laps to go, Brad Binder chose to stay out on slicks while the leaders pitted for wet tyres - a dicey gamble that paid off in stunning fashion.
At the beginning of the race, Jorge Martin initially made the perfect start from pole, but it was fellow Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia who led after lap one.
There was a contact between Martin and Fabio Quartararo at turn 6 as the Yamaha rider attempted to go down the inside.
Both riders ran wide, which allowed Johann Zarco into second, while Marc Marquez moved Quartararo down to fifth.
Marquez then got ahead of Martin for third just as Jack Miller made it four Ducatis inside the top five after relegating Quartararo to sixth.
The Repsol Honda rider’s charge didn’t stop there, as on lap three Marquez went through on Zarco for P2.
Martin then made a double overtake on lap four as he passed team-mate Zarco and Marquez.
Martin followed that up by making a move for the lead on lap six, but ran wide at turn seven which allowed Bagnaia, Marquez and Quartararo past.
Quartararo and Bagnaia then exchanged the lead of lap eight, but Bagnaia remained ahead as the Yamaha rider ran wide at turn one.
The top five of Bagnaia, Quartararo, Marquez, Martin and Zarco then held station for several laps, while Mir got ahead of Miller for sixth on lap 11.
Enea Bastianini had to retire from the race after his fairing came off along the second straight, while second in the championship Zarco crashed out with ten laps to go.
With nine to go, Marquez got ahead of Quartararo for second as the Frenchman ran wide at turn three.
As the rain came for the second time, Miguel Oliveira crashed at turn one, while Marquez and Bagnaia battled for the lead. The Ducati rider resisted Marquez’s first attempt.
Miller and Alex Rins made an early choice to enter pit lane and do a bike change to wet tyres.
Martin and Mir closed up to the front three - making it a five-way battle for the podium before Binder did the same. The lead changed hands again as Marquez made his second move on Bagnaia stick.
The front five then pitted for wet tyres, while Binder remained out on track along with Aleix Espargaro to go 1-2.
Marquez then crashed with just two laps to go as Binder extended his lead with dry tyres on a completely wet track. Binder went on to take victory after astonishingly sliding his way around the final two laps.
The battle for second - led by Iker Lecuona and Aleix Espargaro looked poised to fill out the remaining podium places, however, the first wet tyre riders of Bagnaia and Martin overhauled a seven rider group in the final two secors to claim a Ducati 2-3.
