SPIELBERG, Austria — Andrea Iannone claimed his maiden MotoGP victory in the Austrian Grand Prix Sunday, giving Ducati its first win since 2010.
Iannone started from pole at the Red Bull Ring circuit, and despite losing the lead temporarily to teammate Andrea Dovizioso, hit the front again in the closing stages and held on with ease.
Italian team Ducati had last tasted success when Casey Stoner won in Australia almost six years ago, but they were the fastest team all week as MotoGP returned to Austria for the first time since 1997.
Yamaha rider Lorenzo completed the podium in third behind Dovizioso to cut the gap in the drivers’ standings behind championship leader Marc Marquez to 43 points.
The Ducati team was joined in its celebrations in the pits by former riders Stoner and Valentino Rossi, who is now with Yamaha and ended up fourth Sunday.
Moto2 defending world champion Johann Zarco eased to his fifth win of the season to extend his lead in the world championship.
The Kalex rider dominated the category last season as he romped to the title with eight victories, and this term is proving to be no different as he now leads the drivers’ standings by 34 points from Spaniard Alex Rins.
“It was not easy at the start, the other drivers were very strong,” Zarco told Eurosport. “I felt pretty good even though I did not do great braking today, I knew to stay calm.”
Despite retiring in the last race before the mid-season break in Germany to slip behind Frenchman Zarco overall, Rins bounced back to some extent at the Red Bull Ring circuit by finishing third.
Italian Franco Morbidelli split the two title chasers in second place.
Rookie Joan Mir, meanwhile, claimed his first Moto3 win also Sunday, by pulling away from his rivals over the final two corners of the Red Bull Ring circuit.
The 18-year-old Spaniard became the first rider to win from pole in Moto3 since September 2015, beating championship leader Brad Binder, also on a KTM, into second place.
Italian Enea Bastianini finished third for the third time in the last four races.
South African Binder now leads the riders’ standings by 67 points from Jorge Navarro with eight races to go.
