Image: Supplied.

Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia proved to be too strong at the 2023 Austrian GP, sweeping the weekend with pole and victories on both Saturday and Sunday, while Celestino Vietti and Deniz Oncu emerged on top in Moto2 and Moto3 at the Red Bull Ring.

Leading every lap, Bagnaia stretched out his advantage to second-placed Brad Binder as the 28-lap Austrian GP progressed, ultimately taking the chequered flag with a 5.191s advantage.

Fresh off signing a contract extension through to the end of the 2026 season with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Binder was a solid second in the team’s home race and Marco Bezzecchi worked his forward to finish third.

Mooney VR46 Racing Team teammate Luca Marini edged Gresini Racing’s Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing) for fourth, as positions six to 10 featured Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing), Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) – who served a long lap penalty for irresponsible riding in Saturday’s sprint, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team).

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) scored his first Sunday points of the season in P12, while Australia’s Jack Miller was P15 after struggling with rear grip as the outing progressed.

The 2023 MotoGP World Championship standings now see Bagnaia lead Martin by 62 points, while Bezzecchi is third and a further six points back. Notably, the number 72 was one of the riders brought down in that first turn incident during the sprint.

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In Moto2, it was looking like it would be the Pedro Acosta show until a spirited charge in the second half of the race from Vietti (Fantic Racing) saw him best the current championship leader.

Acosta attempted to respond in the last five laps but it wasn’t to be and he ultimately settled for P2, with Japanese talent Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) completing the podium ahead of Jake Dixon (Autosolar GasGas Aspar Team) and Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia inside the top five. Title-contender Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was P6.

The number 37 now leads the 2023 Moto2 World Championship standings on 176 points, with Arbolino second on 164 and Dixon third with 117.

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A crafty last corner from Oncu (Red Bull KTM Ajo) saw the Turkish rider secure the Moto3 victory in what was a thrilling lightweight-class encounter at the Red Bull Ring.

Entering the final lap, Oncu, championship leader Daniel Holgado, Ayumu Sasaki and teammate Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP teammate Collin Veijer from pole position were all in contention, with Sasaki leading into the final sector.

Holgado made a move for P1 into the last corner, which forced both himself a Sasaki wide and allowed Oncu to slice underneath and take the victory in a photo finish, with the number 96 second and Sasaki third.

In P4 was Veijer, as Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) completed the top five and Australia’s Joel Kelso (CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP) finished the outing in P16.

Holgado continues to lead the 2023 Moto3 World Championship standings, his advantage now 26 points ahead of Sasaki, as Oncu is third and 37 points from the lead.

The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup also competed at the Red Bull Ring, with Australians Jacob Roulstone and Carter Thompson going DNF-7 and 19-14 respectively.

Detailed results