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Bagnaia takes third consecutive MotoGP win in Austria as Binder finishes seventh
Italian Ducati rider closes gap on championship leader Fabio Quartararo with third successive win.
Ducati Lenovo’s Italian rider Francesco Bagnaia leads Austrian MotoGP at the Redbull Ring racetrack in Spielberg on August 21, 2022. Picture: AFP
Italy’s Francesco Bagnaia maintained his magnificent run of form winning the Austrian MotoGP on Sunday for his third successive victory although series leader Fabio Quartararo limited the damage.
Bagnaia led from start to finish on his Ducati – their sixth win in the seven MotoGPs since the race returned to the programme – but world champion Quartararo battled gamely on a circuit that did not favour Yamaha to finish second.
The Frenchman extended his lead over second-placed Aleix Espargaro – who rode with a broken heel – to 32 points with Bagnaia 44 adrift with seven races remaining.
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Red Bull KTM rider Brad Binder finished in seventh place after starting from 12th on the grid. Binder remains seventh in the championship with 107 points.
“It was a very very long race, very tough,” said 25-year-old Bagnaia, who was winning his fifth race of the campaign.
“However, I am very happy it was tough at the end for the last two laps. I tried to be as calm as possible so I did not make an error.”
Quartararo never let up, constantly harassing Bagnaia’s team-mate Jack Miller in second and finally bore fruit with four laps remaining.
“That was one of my best races,” said the 23-year-old.
“It was so difficult out there and I could have fallen several times. I am though super happy.”
Miller held on for third helped when Jorge Martin – who soldiered on to finish 10th – came off his bike on the penultimate lap.
“That was lucky, though, not for Jorge!” said Miller.
“It was a fantastic run but I had run out of everything by the end of the race,” the Australian added with a grin.
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Bagnaia’s compatriot, Enea Bastianini’s miserable run of form, since winning his third race of the season in mid-May, continued.
Having secured his first ever pole position he saw Bagnaia pass him and although still in contention he rode off into the gravel with 23 laps remaining.
Brad Binder’s younger brother Darryn Binder retired on lap 17.
To see the 2022 MotoGP championship standings, click here.
