Race summary: Exciting duels at the front
The start of the 13th race of the season went smoothly. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) started the race from pole position, followed by Francesco Bagnaia and the two Marquez brothers. Marc Marquez was able to pass Bagnaia on the second lap, while Alex Marquez fell back due to a long-lap penalty.
Bezzecchi led the field for a long time and was initially able to fend off Marc Marquez’s attacks. The Aprilia rider even pulled away slightly at one point, but as so often, Marquez upped the pace in the middle of the race. On lap 20, he finally took the lead in turn 1 and defended it until the finish.
Behind him, Fermin Aldeguer really turned up the heat in the final stages. The Gresini rookie first overtook Pedro Acosta, then Bezzecchi, and set off in pursuit of the leader. With four laps to go, he was just one second behind, but Marquez made no mistakes and confidently took the win.
For Aldeguer, second place was the best result of his career so far. Marco Bezzecchi secured third place, but complained after the race about problems with his bike, without giving any further details.
Result: Bagnaia falters, KTM impresses at home race
The result in Spielberg painted a mixed picture for some of the top riders. Pedro Acosta finished fourth on his KTM, confirming the team’s upward trend. Enea Bastianini followed in fifth place. Honda rider Joan Mir achieved his best result of the season so far with sixth place, ahead of Brad Binder (KTM) in seventh.
Francesco Bagnaia struggled with numerous riding errors and could not finish higher than eighth. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse-Aprilia) and Alex Marquez completed the top 10. Yamaha disappointed again: Fabio Quartararo took the last point in 15th place, while his brand colleagues Rins, Oliveira, and Miller finished in the last places.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (engine failure) and Jorge Martin (crash) retired. Maverick Vinales had to pull out due to injury.
Spectator numbers in Spielberg: slump to historic low
As spectacular as the race was, the spectator numbers were sobering. Only 117,560 fans attended the MotoGP weekend in Spielberg – a new negative record since the series returned to the Red Bull Ring in 2016. On race Sunday itself, only 49,901 visitors were in attendance – fewer than at Le Mans on Friday.
By comparison, in 2024, around 150,000 fans attended over the weekend. In 2016, the number of spectators was over 215,000. The reasons for the drastic decline seem clear: it is not the quality of the sport or the supporting program that is the problem – it is the high costs on site.
A beer for €7.50, a schnitzel sandwich for €12, plus expensive campsites and rising ancillary costs make a visit unattractive for many fans. While Spielberg aims to score points with stunt shows, a parade of legends, and perfect organization, many spectators are turning to cheaper alternatives – such as Brno or the new Grand Prix in Hungary, where well over 200,000 spectators were counted.
World Championship standings: Marquez pulls away, Bagnaia left behind
With his sixth consecutive double victory, Marc Marquez further extends his World Championship lead. His lead over his brother Alex Marquez is now 142 points, with Francesco Bagnaia already 197 points behind. For the defending champion, the season is thus becoming increasingly disappointing.
Outlook: Premiere in Hungary
MotoGP travels directly to the next race: Next week, the new Balaton Park Circuit in Hungary will celebrate its premiere on the calendar. It will be the first time that the premier class has visited the region around Lake Balaton.
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