Early race incidents mask Marini and Mir’s pace

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Early race incidents mask Marini and Mir’s pace
Early race incidents mask Marini and Mir’s pace
MotoGP 2024 Sprint Race Round 11 Motorrad Grand Prix von Osterreich

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 (17th)

“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 (19th)

“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