In a stunning display of skill and dominance, Francesco Bagnaia of the Ducati Lenovo Team secured yet another victory at the Austrian GP, held at the iconic Red Bull Ring.
- Bagnaia’s recorded his fifth win of the season in the 2023 MotoGP World Championship and solidifies his position as a leading contender for the championship title.
- The Italian now leads the championship with 62 points ahead of Jorge Martin.
Bagnaia’s masterclass performance was a continuation of his previous day’s success, where he claimed victory in the Sprint race. Starting from pole position, the Italian rider wasted no time in asserting his control over the race, leading from start to finish across the 28-lap battle. Bagnaia’s consistent and impressive lap times, consistently lapping in the low 1’30s range, allowed him to gradually distance himself from his closest competitor, Brad Binder of KTM, ultimately securing a five-second lead at the checkered flag.
With this win, Bagnaia not only extended his points lead to 62 over Martin from Pramac Racing but also celebrated his 16th MotoGP victory. Ducati also rejoiced as this victory marked their 78th overall win in the premier class. Bagnaia’s flawless performance also earned him the prestigious title of achieving a ‘Grand Slam’ victory, having secured pole position, the win, the fastest lap, and leading every lap, which he had previously achieved at Algarve in ’21, Jerez in ’22, and Mugello in ’23.
The Austrian GP was a testament to Ducati’s prowess, with four of their riders placing in the top 5. VR46 Racing’s Marco Bezzecchi and Luca Marini claimed third and fourth positions respectively, followed by Gresini Racing’s Alex Marquez in fifth.
Teammate Enea Bastianini, who started from 13th on the grid, showcased his determination as he battled with five other riders for a sixth-place finish. Despite facing challenges, Bastianini secured a commendable top-ten finish, closing in at 10th place.
Reflecting on his victory, Bagnaia shared his thoughts, “Sincerely, I’m very happy. We managed to do an incredible job all weekend, the engineers and my team gave me everything I asked for, and this was the result.” He also expressed his excitement for the upcoming challenges in the season and his dedication to maintaining this momentum.
As the championship continues, Bagnaia’s performance has set the stage for an exhilarating second half of the season. With his consistent victories and commanding lead, the racing world eagerly awaits the battles that lie ahead in the MotoGP World Championship.
