Spielberg, a race of character. Pecco Bagnaia, who continues to fight and finishes seventh after taking sixth in the Sprint, is satisfied. Ortolá is once again among the protagonists and secures a solid fifth place in Moto2! Well done, guys…
The Red Bull Ring is a unique track, a circuit where long acceleration zones and hard braking put both riders and bikes to the test. Ten corners, significant elevation changes and an extremely high average speed make every lap a challenge requiring precision, courage and the ability to make the most of every single metre. It is precisely on this circuit that our Suomy Rider Francesco Bagnaia tackled the fifteenth round of the season, with the aim of building on the work started during the previous weekend in Misano. After the difficulties encountered in Italy, Pecco arrived in Austria aware of the importance of gradually rediscovering feeling and competitiveness with his Ducati Lenovo Team. Friday was not easy. Bagnaia once again had to go through Q1, his fifth consecutive Q1 appearance, despite being just eight tenths of a second away from the fastest time. Once again, the situation required hard work and concentration from both the rider and the team. Saturday, however, brought some encouraging signs. Francesco managed to progress through Q1 and reach Q2, securing seventh place in qualifying and therefore seventh on the starting grid. An important step forward compared to the difficulties encountered at the previous rounds and, above all, confirmation of his determination to keep working and never stop looking for solutions.
SPRINT RACE
Saturday afternoon is all about the Sprint. Fourteen laps to be experienced at full speed, where there is no room to wait and every position gained can prove crucial.Francesco Bagnaia started from seventh position and, together with his team, opted for a different strategy compared to most of his rivals, choosing a medium rear tyre. A decision that allowed Pecco to build a solid and consistent race, maintaining a competitive pace all the way to the chequered flag. At the end of the Sprint, our Suomy Rider crossed the finish line in sixth position, taking valuable points and showing a step forward compared to the previous races. A result that does not represent a final destination, but rather another important piece in the work being carried out by Pecco and his team.
“We are working well. Today we improved in terms of the time attack, while in the Sprint we decided to focus mainly on race preparation, choosing the medium tyre because we know how important it will be to manage tyre consumption. I believe it was the right decision. It is true that I struggled during the first few laps, but then the pace wasn’t bad. The feeling improved and now I hope we can make another step forward in terms of grip and traction on corner exit ahead of tomorrow.”
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – Sprint Race 6°
RACE
Sunday at the Red Bull Ring brings a long and demanding race. Twenty-eight laps in which tyre management, pace and concentration become essential. Francesco Bagnaia once again started from seventh position, ready to turn the work built up throughout the weekend into a strong race result. The pace at the front of the field proved extremely high, while behind them Pecco had to manage a close battle to remain among the protagonists. Lap after lap, our rider maintained his focus and completed a solid, mistake-free race. The chequered flag saw him cross the finish line in seventh position, 9.686 seconds behind the winner. A result that confirms the positive signs shown in the Sprint and allows Pecco to leave Spielberg with another important reference point on which to continue building towards the final part of the season.
“All things considered, it was a good race, especially considering the results of the previous three Grands Prix. It wasn’t easy, because the conditions were different and we struggled to find the right traction, while also losing a lot of grip. After five laps, I decided to increase the pace by half a second to try to reach the finish in the best possible way. This allowed me to close the gap to Aldeguer and Binder towards the end. Unfortunately, around the sixth lap, I started to experience a small issue with the brakes, which made it difficult to slow the bike down. Nevertheless, I managed to react correctly and finish the race well.”
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – Race 7°
MOTO 2
While in MotoGP Spielberg represented another step in Pecco’s process of growth and development, in Moto2 our Iván Ortolá once again confirmed that he is among the protagonists of the intermediate class. The Spanish rider’s weekend did not get off to the best possible start. During Friday’s practice session, Ortolá showed a strong pace, but finished the Practice in seventeenth position. Everything changed, however, on Saturday. Iván was the protagonist of a highly competitive qualifying session and secured fourth place, earning a spot on the second row of the grid. A result that put him in a position to approach Sunday’s race with a clear objective: fighting for the podium. And once again on Sunday, Ortolá was among the protagonists. From the very start, he immediately matched the pace of the leading riders, joining the battle for the top positions and remaining for a long time within the group fighting for the podium. For several laps, Iván held second position, before being overtaken by two rivals. The battle remained open until the final stages of the race. On lap seventeen, Gonzalez also managed to pass Ortolá, although Iván continued to remain close to the Championship leader all the way to the chequered flag. Our rider ultimately secured fifth position, just 4.868 seconds behind the winner. Another important result for Ortolá, achieved after a weekend in which Iván demonstrated speed, consistency and the ability to remain at the front for much of the race. The podium slipped away this time, but his consistent presence among the leading riders confirms the progress he is making and the competitiveness of our Suomy Rider.
Click the button below to find out all the images of the #SuomyCrew during the weekend in Spielberg.
