Moto2 Styria Race: Bezzecchi the strongest despite Gardner and Ogura!

The Moto2 Styrian Grand Prix takes place over 25 laps of the Red Bull Ring circuit in Austria.

Coming after five weeks of summer break, this is the 10th event of a season which has so far seen the domination of the two Red Bull KTM teammates Ajo, Remy gardner et Raul Fernandez. The two boys are currently fighting for the title, the Australian having a 31-point lead over the Spaniard, before meeting next year in MotoGP in the Tech3 KTM Factory Racing box…
Although each had three victories, Wayne's son was nevertheless more consistent, with a record of eight podiums in nine races.

Currently third in the championship, Marco Bezzecchi (Kalex, Sky Racing Team VR46) could see himself playing spoilsport. He has already triumphed on this Austrian track, whether in Moto2 or Moto3, but this season his tally remains hopelessly stuck at zero victories, despite the fact that he has never done worse than fifth.

Sam Lowes (Kalex, ELF Marc VDS Racing), which experienced a slight slump at the Le Mans and Mugello events, is gradually returning to the forefront. The Briton is isolated in fourth position.

Behind, however, a platoon was formed, led by Fabio DiGiannantonio (Kalex, Federal Oil Gresini Moto2). The Italian, who made three mistakes in four meetings, will be keen to make amends, especially since Marcel Schrötter (Kalex, Liqui Moly Intact GP) is now becoming more and more threatening. His last podium was during the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix.

Aron Canet (Boscoscuro, Aspar Team Moto2), author of his very first pole in Moto2 precisely on this route, also hopes to bounce back there, to the extent that he was trapped in Assen. Conversely, Augusto Fernandez (Kalex, ELF Marc VDS Racing) has just returned to the podium. Here he is now tied with Xavi Verge (Kalex, Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Joe Roberts (Kalex, Italtrans Racing Team), determined to put an end to this series of retirements.

The different test sessions for this 2021 Styrian Grand Prix did not really upset a now well-established hierarchy, only three men, Marco Bezzecchi, Remy Gardner and Sam Lowes, proving to be the fastest in free practice and qualifying, even if Ai Ogura (Kalex, IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) is in second position on the grid, his best qualification in the intermediate category.

 

 

More crucial will undoubtedly be the weather conditions which, in an environment with pronounced relief, are always very difficult to anticipate and manage: Dry, rain, drying?

The Moto3 race which has just taken place on drying surfaces showed us riders on slicks faster than those on wet tyres. If a downpour does not change the situation the choice is clear and, indeed, the race is declared DRY and everyone sets off on slicks.

 

 

Bull Ring 2	2020	2021
FP1	1'28.733 Sam Lowes	1'29.115 Marco Bezzecchi
FP2	1'29.092 Marco Bezzecchi	1'29.244 Remy Gardner
FP3	1'28.501 Jorge Martin	1'28.680 Remy Gardner
Q1	1'29.226 Somkiat Chantra	1'29.202 Fabio Di Giannantonio
Q2	1'28.787 Arón Canet	1'28.668 Remy Gardner
Warm up	1'28.666 Arón Canet	1'39.026 Sam Lowes
Course	Bezzecchi, Martin, Gardner	Bezzecchi, Canet, A. Fernández
All time lap record	1'28.501 Jorge Martin 2020

 

When the red lights go out... The track still has some large areas of humidity outside the trajectories but Remy gardner reacts first before being passed by Marco Bezzecchi at the first turn. The Australian tries to regain command during the following braking but widens and loses a place to the benefit of Raúl Fernández.

 

 

Simone Courses does not finish the first lap, suffering a fall at turn three. Joe Roberts et Barry Baltus will do the same a few turns further…

At the end of the first two rounds, Marco Bezzecchi is 3/10 ahead of Remy Gardner, Raúl Fernández, Arón Canet, Ai Ogura and Sam Lowes.

 

 

Aron Canet quickly gets the best of Raul Fernandez for third place, then Sam Lowes pass Ai Ogura, the latter finding himself under pressure fromAugusto Fernandez, the second driver of the Marc VDS team.

On your mind, Remy gardner returns to the wheel of Marco Bezzecchi and take with him Arón Canet.

The trio is a good half a second ahead of Raul Fernandez and the attack occurs 19 laps from the checkered flag on a mistake Marco Bezzecchi, Arón Canet ultimately making the most of this situation, finding himself in command ahead of Remy gardner.

 

 

The Australian did not stop there, however, and took the lead in the next round, when Raúl Fernández completely misses and falls back to seventh position.

 

 

The pace quickens and Marco Bezzecchi has difficulty keeping up with the leading duo, while Sam Lowes, fourth, continues his effort but is passed again by Ai Ogura...

Remy gardner is the fastest on the track and gradually builds up a lead of half a second over Aron Canet.

At 13 laps from the checkered flag, the positions are generally stabilized for the first six, the suspense remaining for the seventh position occupied by Raúl Fernández which must resist the pressure of Somkiat Chantra, Héctor Garzó, Xavi Virgo and Jake Dixon.

In front, we observe with relative surprise the rhythm of Ai Ogura, author of the best lap in the provisional race, who completely detaches himself from the Marc VDS drivers and returns to the wheel ofAron Canet, currently 3rd after being overtaken by Marco Bezzecchi.

 

 

The overtake takes place nine laps from the finish but the Aspar driver regains his position a few turns further on.

With eight laps remaining, Marco Bezzecchi achieves the best lap in the race in 1'29.048 and returns to the saddle of Remy gardner.

The attack took place at the end of the main straight and was crowned with success for the Italian. From then on, the two men pass and replay each other, for the greatest pleasure ofAi Ogura who ultimately prays for the best Arón Canet and undertakes to reduce the gap of 7 tenths which separate him from the leading duo…

Six laps from the checkered flag, a dramatic turn of events, Remy Gardner misses and goes straight, which relegates him to fifth position!

 

 

Unfortunately for the Japanese driver who occupies second position, he inherits a Long Lap for having left the limits of the track five times.

 

 

In these conditions, Marco Bezzecchi seems to have won the race, even if Aron Canet don't give up for half a second. In third position, it is ultimately Augusto Fernandez who is trying to preserve the third step of the podium against Remy Gardner who must himself face the pressure ofAi Ogura.

In the end, the Sky VR46 rider won his first victory of the season, the third in Moto2, before a scheduled move to MotoGP next year.

 

 

Very nice raceAi Ogura who was however sanctioned after the finish for having done his Long Lap incorrectly.

 

 

In the Championship, Remy gardner increases its lead to 35 points over Raul Fernandez, but the two teammates of the Ajo team are losing ground on Marco Bezzecchi third…

 

 

Standings for the Styrian Moto2 Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com