2021 MotoGP: Jorge Martin bags first win at Styrian GP

Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin bagged his maiden MotoGP win at the action-packed Styrian GP. The rookie spent the better part of this season in rehab, following injuries sustained during a big crash earlier this year, making his victory all the more incredible.

• Race red flagged due an incident involving Pedrosa and Savadori
• Rookie sensation Martin stuns the competition
• Joan Mir finishes a strong second

Chaotic start

Martin stunned the crowd by taking pole at the high-speed Red Bull Ring. Come Sunday, he made a brilliant getaway as the lights went out. However, a few corners later, he was reeled in and passed by Fransesco Bagnaia on the factory Ducati. The rookie held his nerve, amidst mounting pressure from Joan Mir on the Suzuki and Fabio Quartararo on the Factory Yamaha as the race continued.

The race took a dramatic turn with 26 laps to go as Dani Pedrosa, Red Bull KTM’s wildcard entry, crashed in the middle of the track, and Aprilia’s Lorenzo Savadori’s rammed into the KTM. There was carnage with spilt fuel, oil and the bikes on fire, causing the race to be red flagged.

Dream restart

Just before the red flags were out, Martin had managed to get into P1 and that meant he’d restart the race from the lead. He made a brilliant launch with Ducati Lenovo Team’s Jack Miller and Joan Mir in hot pursuit. Mir soon moved into second position  with Jack Miller trying hard to stay in touch. Sadly, the Aussie crashed out trying to keep up with the superb cornering speed of the Suzuki. The factory Suzuki bike, in fact, has benefitted with the introduction of a new ride height lowering device, like on the Ducati’s and Yamahas. It permits better traction out of corners, which allowed Mir to stay in touch with Martin’s Ducati for the most part of the race.

But try as much as he did, Mir couldn’t pass Martin’s Pramac Ducati, that went on to cross the line 1.5 seconds ahead of the Suzuki. Mir kept his cool and settled for second, keeping the bigger picture of the 2021 championship in mind. After all, it was consistent podiums that helped Mir bag the 2020 MotoGP World Championship. Speaking of the championship, Fabio Quartararo is still in the lead with 172 points, after finishing third in the race.

A special mention must be made of Brand Binder on the Red Bull KTM factory machine, who rose from 16th to 4th by the end of the Race. It gave KTM something to salvage at their home Grand Prix, following Miguel Oilivera’s disastrous race. Dani Pedrosa finished in 10th position, bringing added cheer to the KTM camp.

The next race will take place on August 15, once again at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg.

2021 Styrian GP results

Also see:

John Abraham on his love for MotoGP, being a Rossi fan and more