MotoGP: 2nd place looks like a victory for Quartararo in Austria

World champion work. Even if he did not win this Sunday in Austria, Fabio Quartararo had a very good afternoon by winning a superb 2^e place, on a circuit that has everything from the Ducati garden. As demonstrated by Francesco Bagnaia, literally untouchable on the Red Bull Ring. From the start, the Italian played with an Enea Bastianini whose first pole position in MotoGP turned out to be a flash in the pan. And no one was going to be able to worry him anymore, except his teammate Jack Miller for a fleeting moment. With a lead of more than half a second, and even more than a second with five laps to go, Bagnaia managed his race by hand, without shaking. Almost effortlessly. Quite the opposite in the end of a Quartararo who had to whip on the handlebars of his Yahama to make his way between the powerful Ducati.

Fifth on the grid, the Niçois remained so for a certain number of laps, before taking advantage of the retirement of Bastianini, whom he had just overtaken, to climb a rank in the hierarchy. Initially outdistanced by the leading trio Bagnaia-Miller-Martin, Quartararo was wisely going to bide his time, to nibble tenth by tenth and first push Jorge Martin to the fault. Victory was no longer really an option, the reigning world champion then focused on second place from a less and less bleeding Miller. And four laps from the finish, “the Devil” came out of his box as surprising as it was impressive to surprise the Ducati and take this second place in the guise of victory.

Indeed, at the World Championship, Quartararo is performing an excellent operation since his runner-up, Aleix Espargaro, had to settle for 6th place, just behind a Johann Zarco inside in Austria. Suddenly, the lead of the French on the Spaniard now amounts to 32 units, again a full joker. All while controlling the rise of an incisive Bagnaia this summer, but still 49 lengths from the leader while the number of races remaining to be contested is dwindling week by week.