A second Grand Prix in the space of seven days took place in the picturesque but challenging setting of the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg.
Espargaro set off from Pole Position for the fifth outing of the season.
The Spaniard launched from P1 for what was the first Pole for the factory (and the rider) in less than four terms in the premier class of MotoGP.
And just four years after KTM had announced their MotoGP plans and ambitions at the same circuit.
An accident midway through the 28-lap spectacle produced the red flag for an air fence to be repaired at Turn 1.
The 900th premier class race was restarted with a 12-lap distance and with all four KTM RC16s hunting the leading group. Espargaro surged to the front and engaged in a thrilling duel with Jack Miller on the last circulation.
Oliveria
Miguel Oliveira was also extremely close and poised to make the most of any mistake. When Espargaro and Miller ran deep into the final turn Oliveira read the situation to perfection. Powering past to claim the checkered flag on what was his 150th Grand Prix start.
The result was also noteworthy for Red Bull KTM Tech3, representing their maiden triumph in the premier class in just their second campaign wearing KTM colours.
Brad Binder secured 8 points for 8th position and remains 4th in a very close world championship table. The South African rookie was again very quick to make ground with the front-runners.
Iker Lecuona charged to 10th. The Spaniard ended a positive fortnight at the Red Bull Ring. He notched his best-ever MotoGP classification the previous Sunday with 9th and then his second top-ten result at the Styrian event.
Constructor standings
KTM is 3rd in the Constructors standings, just 6 points away from the top. Their excellent progress as the youngest manufacturer at the highest level.
Means they now concede their concession status and will join their rivals in terms of testing, wildcard and engine limitations.
An achievement in itself. Oliveira’s success ended Ducati’s clean sweep at the Red Bull Ring since 2016.
Quotes
Miguel Oliveira: “I’m very emotional…there is so much I want to say but I cannot at the moment.
A big thank you to all the people that believed in me starting with my family, everyone in the team, sponsors and the Portuguese crowd.
Thank you so much for your support. This is history today for me and my country and I couldn’t be happier to do it here in the home of KTM and Red Bull.”
Pol Espargaro: “Anyone can win those kinds of races! Pretty crazy. I was fighting with Jack until the last corner and Miguel was able to profit but that’s racing. It was a beautiful race. Anyway, we made the podium, we are up here and I’m super-happy.”
Brad Binder: “It was a good race. The first one was going really well and I was slowly catching up ground. To get up to 6th was already great. I felt really, really good.
Unfortunately with the red flag and the restart I didn’t make the best decision with the tires and really struggled to stop, even running off at Turn 1 but I was able to come back to 8th. All-in-all we should be happy.
I gave my best out there and the bike was fantastic. The team worked really well and I’m super excited for the next race. I think we can do a good job at Misano.”
Iker
Iker Lecuona: “For sure, I’m really happy. I finished in the top 10 again. In the first race, I overtook many riders, I had a very good pace and I was in ninth position.
The best for me was to pass [Valentino] Rossi because he was always my idol. This moment was very important to me. In the second part of the race, my start was not great, I lost some positions, but I came back, stayed in 10th position and was having some great fights.
I’m really happy. Thank you to my team. Thank you to KTM for the opportunity and congrats to KTM for Pol and obviously to my teammate Miguel!”
Quotes continue
Mike Leitner, Red Bull KTM Race Manager:“An unbelievable race. We had all four bikes in the top ten at our home race and with two riders fighting for victory.
Pol was pushing all the way with Jack on the last lap and we know that the last two corners are crucial at this track.
Both went wide but fortunately, Miguel was in a great position to bring home the race and we’re super happy about that.
Both riders deserved it because Pol rode so well. Brad and Iker also scored good points and we have shown that the performance of the RC16 is really there.”
Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director: “It is hard to find the right words after such a wonderful day. I remember so well our first GP in Qatar when we started from last place and my words to our CEO Mr Pierer that we would turn things around and park our bike on the other side of the grid.
We’ve had a double today: Pole and a win at our home Grand Prix with Moto3 as well and all four MotoGP bikes in the top ten with two on the podium. The project overall has been amazing. We have gone our own way and that approach is paying off.
The team spirit and the atmosphere with so many people here at the circuit and back at the factory pushing like crazy bringing the results: it’s like a dream come true. I will need some time now to realize what has happened these last weeks.”
More Quotes
Hervé Poncharal, Red Bull KTM Tech3 Team Principal: “What an incredible day, incredible emotions! It is something like forty years we’ve been in this business and we never won a MotoGP race.
Today our dream came true. Here in Austria, which is in front of our title sponsor Red Bull, in front of the KTM management, our manufacturer. I would like also to dedicate this victory to Miguel because he has been pushing a lot.
Year one was not easy; he was injured the second half of the season. We’ve been fast since the beginning of this year, the bike improved, he improved. Now we’ve done it. I’m very proud to see two KTMs on the rostrum.
Clearly, this is now one of the bikes to beat. So let’s celebrate tonight and let’s hope there will be some other exciting days like today.”
Moto2 & Moto3
SKY Racing Team VR46’s Celestino Vietti celebrated his very first Moto3 Grand Prix win and his fifth appearance on the podium.
The Italian used the speed of his KTM RC4 to rush across the finish line first. A collision between Red Bull KTM Tech3 riders Deniz Öncū and Ayuma Sasaki entering Turn1 sadly counted both out of the running for the top three.
Spaniard Albert Arenas was 5th and continues to lead the world championship standings by 15 points. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Raul Fernandez classified 8th and was one of five KTMs in the top nine.
Vietti
Celestino Vietti: “A lot of emotions: it was a very difficult race. I went backwards at the beginning and it was difficult to overtake but from last week we made a little step and today we had very good pace. In the last three laps.
I tried to get to the front and push, and then on the last lap, I was braking very hard. I think this is the best day of my life. Thanks to all my family because without them none of this would be possible and to the team for an awesome job.”
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jorge Martin was harshly denied a second consecutive Moto2 victory. The Spaniard rode brilliantly to lead from start to flag and deflected the attention of Marco Bezzecchi.
Martin was later demoted to 2nd after he marginally touched the green zone track limits on the final lap and was penalized. Martin is joint 2nd in the championship. Teammate Tetsuta Nagashima was 4th.
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
Pedro Acosta continued his 100% record in the 2020 championship by securing a fourth successive haul of ’25’ points at the Red Bull Ring. The faultless Spaniard heads the series by 36 points with another eight races to go.
MotoGP will now pause for three weeks before resuming action at the Misano World Circuit for the Gran Premio Lenovo di San Marino e Della Riviera di Rimini. The Italian event is the first of another triple header with two races on the Adriatic coast followed immediately by the trip to Barcelona.
Results MotoGP BMW M Grand Prix of Styria 2020
1. Miguel Oliveira (POR), Red Bull KTM Tech3 16:65.025
2. Jack Miller (AUS), Ducati +0.316
3. Pol Espargaro (ESP), Red Bull KTM +0.540
4. Joan Mir (ESP), Suzuki +0.641
5. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Ducati +1.414
8. Brad Binder (RSA), Red Bull KTM +4.150
10. Iker Lecuona (ESP), Red Bull KTM Tech3 +5.068
Results Moto2 BMW M Grand Prix of Styria 2020
1. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) 37.12.461
2. Jorge Martin (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo
3. Remy Gardner (AUS) +1.027
4. Tetsuta Nagashima (JPN) Red Bull KTM Ajo +1.974
