Moto2 Austria: Brilliant Binder earns home win for KTM
Brad Binder got a perfect start off the line and saw off every challenger to win the the Moto2 Austrian Grand Prix by just 0.330s after a thrilling race.
With his early rivals slipping out of contention the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider got the chance to build a gap at the front, though he was soon in a battle again, most notably with Remy Gardner.
When Gardner (SAG Team) slipped out of contention after running wide and colliding with Alex Marquez the South African had further company to deal with as Enea Bastianini (Italtrans) and Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) took advantage to join the lead group.
Soon after Marini saw a gap and then collected his fellow countryman as he slid out of the race, Marquez made sure he kept Binder honest all the way to the line.
There was, however, no way past for the Spaniard as the determined South African continued to confidently defend his first place all the way to the chequered flag, with Binder giving himself a birthday win a the team a hugely celebrated home success.
Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) still made strong gains from his hard-earned second place - the Kalex man now holds a 43 point lead over his main title rival Tom Luthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) , who could only manage sixth in a highly competitive race.
There were three different manufacturers in the rostrum places after the spills in front of him on the track saw Jorge Navarro climb into the final podium spot for Beta Tools Speed Up.
Lorenzo Baldassarri heeded his late track limits warning to ensure he kept fourth for Flexbox HP40.
Fifth went to his team-mate Augusto Fernandez, who was neither close enough to challenge Baldassarri or be challenged by sixth place finisher Luthi.
With Bastianini being taken out, top rookie honours instead fell to Jorge Martin, who ensured both the Red Bull KTM Ajo bikes were inside the top ten with a solid seventh.
He was challenged all the way to the line by American Racing KTM rider Iker Lecuona who had to settle for eighth.
Ninth went to Marcel Schrotter who had a lonely ride on the second Dynavolt entry with Mattia Pasini making up several places after starting 15th to complete the top ten for Tasca Racing.
Andrea Locatelli was the best of the rest in eleventh for Italtrans, ahead of front row starter Somikat Chantra (idemitsu Honda Team Asia) who faded to twelfth.
Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46) was back in the points in 13th, ahead of Brno’s second place podium finisher Fabio Di Giannantonio (Speed Up) in 14th and Bo Bendsneyder who pushed the unfavoured NTS to 15th.
The MV Agusta pair of Stefano Manzi and Dominique Aegerter were not far behind, in 16th and 17th respectively.
Jonas Folger replaces Khairul Idham Pawi again at Petronas, he finished 18th, three seconds ahead of Brit Jake Dixon(Sama Qatar Angel Nieto KTM), who missed the whole of FP1 in a weekend filled with bike issues on his way to 19th. Gresini’s Sam Lowes also endured a tough weekend. He finished 24th in Spielberg.
Teppei Nago replaces Dimas Ekky Pratama at Idemitsu Honda Team Asia. He placed 25th.
Pole man Tetsuta Nagashima had just fought back for second with a fastest lap and beautiful overtake on Xavi Vierge when Vierge tried to fight back and clipped the back of the Japanese rider, taking them both out of the race after just a handful of laps had taken place.
