Pre-Race Austrian MotoGP stats
Words and images courtesy MGP
After an 18-year break, MotoGP returned to Austria in 2016. The first Austrian GP was in 1971 at the Salzburgring, which hosted 22 GPs. At that first event in 1971, Giacomo Agostini (MV Agusta) won in the 500cc class, finishing more than a lap ahead of Keith Turner in second. Agostini also won the 350cc race, with the other classes won by: 250cc – Silvio Grassetti (MZ), 125cc – Angel Nieto (Derbi), 50cc – Jan de Vries (Kreidler).
The last GP at the Salzburgring circuit was in 1994, when Mick Doohan won the 500cc race with an average speed of more than 194 km/h. Due to the high-speed nature of the circuit and the limited run-off, it was considered too dangerous thereafter. The Red Bull Ring then hosted two GPs when named the A1-Ring, in 1996 and 1997, before MotoGP returned in 2016. The layout of the track changed in 2022 with the addition of a chicane after Turn 1.
MotoGP winners at the Red Bull Ring:
Andrea Dovizioso 3 (2017, 2019, 2020/1) – Francesco Bagnaia 2 (2022, 2023) – Andrea Iannone 1 (2016) – Jorge Lorenzo 1 (2018) – Miguel Oliveira 1 (2020/2) – Jorge Martin 1 (2021/1) – Brad Binder 1 (2021/2).
Races at the Red Bull Ring:
36: 10 MotoGP, 2 500cc, 10 Moto2, 2 250cc, 10 Moto3, 2 125cc.
Best results by manufacturer at the Red Bull Ring:
Ducati: Ducati have eight MotoGP wins here since 2016, with Andrea Iannone (2016, from pole), Andrea Dovizioso (2017, 2019, 2020/1), Jorge Lorenzo (2018), Martin (2021/1, from pole) and Bagnaia (2022, 2023; both from pole). 2016 was Iannone’s first MotoGP win and gave Ducati their first victory since Casey Stoner in 2010 in Australia. With Dovizioso second, it was the first MotoGP 1-2 for Ducati since the 2007 Australian GP won by Stoner from Loris Capirossi. This is the most successful MotoGP track for Ducati, along with Lusail.
K: K have taken two MotoGP wins here: Miguel Oliveira at the 2020 Styrian GP (his maiden win in the class) and Brad Binder at the 2021 Austrian GP (his second and most recent win in the class).
Honda: Honda won the 500cc races held in Austria in both 1996 and 1997, with Alex Criville and Mick Doohan. Honda’s best MotoGP era result at the Red Bull Ring: second with Marc Marquez from 2017 to 2019.
Yamaha: Yamaha’s best MotoGP result here is P2 with Fabio Quartararo (2022). Other Yamaha podiums here are P3s with Jorge Lorenzo (2016) and Quartararo (2019, 2021/1). Norick Abe and Luca Cadalora also finished third in 1996 and 1997, respectively, in the 500cc class at the A1-Ring.
Aprilia: Aprilia best MotoGP result at the Red Bull Ring is P6 with Aleix Espargaro (2022) and Maverick Viñales (2023). Aprilia is the only current manufacturer that has not stood on the podium in MotoGP at the track yet.
Nine riders on the full-time MotoGP grid have podiums here in the class:
Marc Marquez (3), Quartararo (3), Bagnaia (3), Jack Miller (3), Joan Mir (2), Martin (2), Binder (2), Oliveira (1), Marco Bezzecchi (1). K wildcard Pol Esargaro has also one MotoGP podium here. 5 have taken pole: Marc Marquez (3), Martin (2), Viñales (1), Enea Bastianini (1), Bagnaia (1). Pol Espargaro took his maiden pole here at the 2020 Styrian GP.
By Numbers:
1029 – If Marc Marquez wins the Grand Prix race, it will mark 1029 days since his last win at the 2021 Emilia- Romagna GP. There were 581 days between his win at Valencia 2019, his last before sustaining his arm injury in Jerez in 2020, and his next win at the 2021 German GP.
71 – If at least one Ducati qualifies in the top three, it will be the 71st consecutive race that a Ducati rider starts on the front row, a run that stretches back to Valencia 2020.
57 – Ducati are on a streak of 56 consecutive GP races with at least one rider on the podium. If they take a podium this weekend, they will extend their own record to 57.
20 – Pedro Acosta will be 20 years and 85 days old on Sunday. He can now become the second-youngest premier class winner after from Marc Marquez (20 years 63 days old in Austin in 2013).
17 – Ducati can equal Honda as the manufacturers with most MotoGP podium lockouts (1-2-3 finishes) – 17. 6 – There are six full-time riders on the grid who could take their maiden MotoGP win this weekend: Alex
Marquez, Raul Fernandez, Luca Marini, Takaaki Nakagami, Augusto Fernandez and rookie Pedro Acosta.
1 – Honda, Yamaha and Aprilia riders could give their factory a maiden premier class win at the Red Bull Ring.
MotoGP facts and stats
Honda qualified on pole from 2017 to 2019 here, all with Marc Marquez. At the 2020 Austrian GP, Yamaha (Viñales) qualified on pole and in 2020/2, Pol Espargaro gave K their first premier class pole. Since then, Ducati have been on pole at the Red Bull Ring: Martin (2021/1, 2021/2), Bastianini (2022) and Bagnaia (2023).
With Oliveira, Miller and Pol Espargaro on the podium at the 2020 Styrian GP, it was the first premier class podium without a Japanese manufacturer since the 1973 Swedish GP with Phil Read (MV Agusta), Giacomo Agostini (MV Agusta) and Kim Newcombe (König).
The average speed of the MotoGP race in Austria in 2016 was 182.4 km/h, which was the highest average speed for a GP race since Mick Doohan won the 500cc German GP at Hockenheim in 1994 at an average speed of 203.8 km/h. At the 2021 Styrian GP, the average speed was 183.4 km/h (although the race was restarted).
In 2017, Cal Crutchlow finished P15 and crossed the line 28.096 seconds behind race winner Andrea Dovizioso, which was the closest top 15 of all-time in a full-length premier class Grand Prix at that time. Incredibly, this record is no longer within the top ten on the list of the closest top 15s in the class.
In the 1981 Swedish GP, MotoGP Legend Barry Sheene won the 500cc GP – the last premier class win for a Brit until Cal Crutchlow at Brno 2016. At that race in 1981, MotoGP Legend Marco Lucchinelli won the premier class world title.
At the 2008 Czech GP, Stefan Bradl won for the first time in the 125cc class, becoming the sixth son of a GP winner to also win in Grand Prix racing.
At the 1997 British GP held at Donington Park, MotoGP Legend Mick Doohan won the 500cc race from Tadayuki Okada and Alex Barros to clinch his fourth successive world title in the class.
At the 1996 Czech GP, MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi won the 125cc race which is the first of his 115 GP wins. He also started from pole for the first time in his GP career.
At the same GP, MotoGP Legend Alex Criville won the 500cc race with a 0.002 second margin over Mick Doohan, which is the second-closest premier class finish to date (tied with Portugal/2006) behind the 1975 Dutch TT, when Barry Sheene and Giacomo Agostini were credited with the same race time.
Previously at the Red Bull Ring:
#1 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) has finished on the podium four times here: a win in Moto2 in 2018 (from pole), P2 in MotoGP in 2021 and two wins in MotoGP in both 2022 and 2023. In 2023, he scored a double hat-trick (pole, Sprint and GP race wins, fastest lap in both). In 2020, he missed both MotoGP races the due to a right leg fracture sustained in FP1 at the previous GP in Brno and was replaced by Michele Pirro.
#5 Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) won in Moto2 at the Red Bull Ring in 2016 from pole (he also set the fastest lap). His best MotoGP result at the track is P5 scored in 2017 (with Yamaha) and in 2022 (with Ducati). In 2020 (Austrian GP), he was involved in a Turn 2/3 collision with Franco Morbidelli. As a penalty for the incident, he had to start from pitlane at the following race.
#6 Stefan Bradl (HRC Test Team – wildcard) has raced at the Red Bull Ring five times in MotoGP and has scored points once, finishing 13th in 2019.
#10 Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) has finished on the podium here twice, both times in Moto2: P3 in 2018 and P2 in 2020/1. He finished P4 in both 2022 and 2023 in MotoGP for his best MotoGP results here.
#12 Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) qualified on pole at the 2020 Austrian GP, becoming the first Yamaha rider to do so in the premier class in Austria since Christian Sarron at the Salzburgring in 1988. His best MotoGP result here is P5 scored in 2019 (with Yamaha). He finished P6 here in 2023, equalling Aprilia’s best result in MotoGP. In 2021 (Styria), he had a technical problem on the grid on the Warm Up lap of the restarted race and had to start from pitlane. He eventually retired from what was his final race with Yamaha as he was suspended by the manufacturer thereafter due to “unexplained irregular operation of the motorcycle” before their contract was ended by mutual decision.
#20 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team) has three podiums at the Red Bull Ring: P3 in 2019 after leading early on and P3 in 2021 at the Styrian GP. He went one better and was second in 2022, just 0.492 off the win, which is the best result for Yamaha at the track in the MotoGP era.
#21 Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) has finished on the podium here twice, both in Moto2: P2 in 2016 and a win in 2017, both from second on the grid. He has scored points three times on his six MotoGP visits to the track: P10 in 2019, P15 in 2020 (Styria) and P11 in 2023. In 2020 (Austria), he collided with Zarco on Lap 9 and both crashed, bringing out the red flag. He missed both races in 2021 due to a knee injury.
#23 Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) has finished on the podium here twice, both times in Moto3: P3 in 2016 and P2 in 2018. He took his maiden pole in MotoGP in 2022 but retired from the race with a broken rim while fighting in the leading group. His best MotoGP result here is P10 in 2023.
#25 Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) won the Moto2 race in 2021 (Austria) at the Red Bull Ring. He finished P18 in MotoGP in 2022 for his best result on his two visits in the class here.
#30 Takaaki Nakagami (Idemistu Honda LCR)’s best result at the Red Bull Ring is P5 in MotoGP at the 2021 Styrian GP. He qualified second in 2020 (Styria), which was his best qualifying result at that time in MotoGP.
#31 Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) has two podiums here: a win in Moto3 in 2021 (Styria) and a P2 in Moto2 in 2023.
#32 Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing – wildcard) has raced here three times in MotoGP. In 2021 (Styria), he crashed out on the third lap at Turn 3, colliding with wildcard Dani Pedrosa’s crashed K. He broke his ankle and missed the Austrian GP. In 2022 and 2023, he finished P19 for his best MotoGP results here
#33 Brad Binder (Red Bull K Factory Racing) has four podiums at the Red Bull Ring, including two wins: in Moto2 in 2019 (on his 24th birthday) and in MotoGP in 2021 (Austria) when he decided to stay out on slicks despite the rain to take his second – and most recent – win in MotoGP. His other podiums are P2s in Moto3 in 2016 on his way to clinching the title, and in MotoGP in 2023 (when he also finished P2 in the Sprint).
#36 Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) has four podiums at the Red Bull Ring, including two wins: in 2016 (his maiden GP win after qualifying on pole for the first time) and in 2017, both times in Moto3. He has stood on the podium twice here in MotoGP: P2 in 2020 (Austria) and in 2021 (Styria). In 2022, he crashed on the opening lap at Turn 4, injuring his right ankle.
#37 Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) has stood on the podium twice at the Red Bull Ring, both times in P3 in Moto2 in 2021. He finished P14 in his first MotoGP race here in 2023.
#41 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) gave Aprilia their best MotoGP result at the Red Bull Ring in 2022, finishing P6, later equalled in 2023 by teammate Maverick Viñales.
#42 Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team) finished P3 in Moto2 here in 2016 (his fifth podium in the opening 10 races of that season). His best MotoGP result here is P6 scored in 2019 and in 2020 (Styria). He missed the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix following a leg injury sustained in earlier at the Italian GP.
#43 Jack Miller (Red Bull K Factory Racing) has scored points five times over his 10 visits to the Red Bull Ring in MotoGP, including three podiums: in 2020 (P3 in Austria and P2 in Styria for his first back-to-back podiums in the premier class) and in 2022 (P3). His other point-scoring finishes are P11 scored in 2021 (Austria) and P15 in 2023.
#44 Pol Espargaro (Red Bull K Factory Racing – wildcard) qualified on pole in 2020 (Styria) for the first time in MotoGP. This was also the first pole for K in the class. He fought for the win with Miller until the last lap of the restarted race but was pushed wide at the final corner and finished P3, still his best result at the track. His other point-scoring finish here is P10 in 2016. He has finished P16 in the last four races held here.
#49 Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team)’s best result at the Red Bull Ring is P6 scored in Moto3 in 2017. In 2022, he finished P11 for his best MotoGP result here so far.
#72 Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) is the most successful rider here on win count, tied with Andrea Dovizioso and Francesco Bagnaia, with three wins: in Moto3 in 2018 (from pole), in Moto2 in 2020 (Styria) and in 2021 (Styria). At the 2020 Styrian GP, he crossed the line in second, but took the win after Jorge Martin was demoted to second for exceeding track limits on the last lap. He finished P3 in MotoGP in 2023, for his best result in the class here.
#73 Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) has had two podiums in Moto2 at the Austrian GP, in 2017 and 2019, both second places. His best MotoGP result at the track is P5 scored in 2023.
#88 Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing) has finished on the podium twice at the Red Bull Ring: P2 in 2018 in Moto2 and a win in 2020 (Styria) in MotoGP in the 900th premier class race. He became the first Portuguese rider to win in the premier class and gave the Tech3 team their first premier class win.
#89 Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) is the rider with most podiums at the Red Bull Ring: two P3s in Moto3 (2017 and 2018), a win (his first in the class) and P2 in 2020 (Styria) in Moto2 after he was demoted to second for exceeding track limits on the last lap, as well as two podiums in MotoGP: his maiden win in the class in 2021 (Styria), becoming the fifth rookie to win in MotoGP since the introduction of the class in 2002, and a P3 in 2021 (Austria), both times after qualifying on pole. In 2023, he finished P3 in the Sprint, but P7 in the Sunday’s race.
#93 Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) has three podiums at the Red Bull Ring, all of them second places after great battles with Andrea Dovizioso (2017 and 2019) and Jorge Lorenzo (2018). He qualified on pole here from 2017 to 2019. The Red Bull Ring is one of the four tracks where he has raced in MotoGP and never won, along with Portimão, Indonesia and Buddh.