Andrea Dovizioso of Ducati pips Marquez in Austrian Grand Prix

As expected at the Austrian Grand Prix Red Bull Ring, a track that suits the ‘Desmosedici’ like no other, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) nudged ahead of an equally brilliant Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) for a win. The two were almost side-by-side over the line. Marquez’s teammate Dani Pedrosa came in third and completed the podium.

As the race began, it was Marquez in the lead but then in a stunning move, Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) cut inside second-placed Dovizioso and then took Marquez on the exit. The others who were the front runners included Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and his teammate Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP).

Early retirements saw Pol Espargaro of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing exiting after his rear brake was damaged in an incident and Jonas Folger of Monster Yamaha Tech 3 also exiting.  Later as the race progressed, it was a battle between Lorenzo, Marquez and Dovizioso as the three machines were almost neck-and-neck.

Finally, as the race progressed, Marquez and Dovizioso began to pull away as the two men fought it out until the end. Lunging for the inside on the final corner and then sliding out just wide, Marquez rode spectacularly but his Italian rival cut back inside to cross the line for his third win of the year.

After the NeroGiardini Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, Marquez remains ahead on the road to Silverstone, but it's now Dovizioso hot on his tail - 16 points adrift.