Quali saw Deniz Oncu show just how quick he is, putting his Red Bull KTM Tech 3 into pole position, with Sergio Garcia P2 and Romano Fenati P3. Pedro Acosta, the runaway championship leader was P4, much better than his usual qualification results, where he has struggled. He has been a Sunday man, and then some.
The Race:
The Styrian hills provided damp conditions for the race and, most of the grid had chosen wet weather tyres, including pole-sitter Deniz Oncu. A last-minute decision to change to slicks turned out to be a disaster, as the mechanics were still working on the bike when the three-minute board was up. Oncu was told to leave his hard-earned place and go to the pit lane, Deniz was visibly upset and understandably angry, the team trying to calm him down, he left pit lane to join the grid at the back.
With the absence of Deniz, it was Sergio Garcia and Romano Fenati off the line, with Pedro Acosta slotting into P3 from the second row. First lap and it was Sergio Garcia in the lead with Romano Fenati P2 and Pedro Acosta P3, Izan Guevara P4 and Pedro’s team mate Jaume Masia P5.
Twenty-one laps to go and Pedro Acosta pushed past Sergio Garcia to take the lead, all the riders taking care in the varying conditions, some areas of the track drying on the racing line, but other parts there was still standing water. For the few who had chosen slicks, it was precarious, and their lap times showed it, which brings into question why Deniz Oncu’s team made that disaster of a decision to go to slicks… as he struggled in 20th place.
With the racing line drying rapidly, the possibility of the rain tyres overheating was imminent, but the lead three were all on those tyres and they were holding up well. Within a lap, Sergio Garcia had slipped past Pedro Acosta for the lead or had he, as it was clear that Acosta was riding off the racing line, purposely getting his tyres wet to cool them down, and doing so more than Garcia. We know Pedro is an intelligent rider, who plans his whole race for the win, and P2 was the ideal spot.
For the best part of nineteen laps, the positions did not change with Sergio Garcia in the lead, Pedro Acosta P2 and Jaume Masia now P3. The slick shod bikes were starting to put in faster lap times, but the leading group of riders were so far ahead it seemed unlikely slicks were the right choice.
On the last lap, the stalking Acosta made his move on Garcia to take the lead, only to go a little wide and as he regained his composure the two riders made contact and Pedro went way off line, but he kept on the throttle and tucked into Garcia once again. With half a lap to go, Pedro Acosta made a clean inside line overtake on Sergio and just as he did Garcia slid out, hitting the tarmac and the gravel. Pedro Acosta had done it once again, planning the race for the win. By sheer determination and skill, Sergio Garcia had kept the bike running and jumped back on to take an amazing P2, just ahead of the charging Jaume Masia, who then lost P3 to Romano Fenati at the last corner.
The Results:
Pedro Acosta. Red Bull KTM Ajo P1. Sergio Garcia Santander Consumer GASGAS P2, and Romano Fenati Sterilgarda Max Racing Team Husqvarna P3.
In the post-race interviews, Pedro dedicated the race to Hugo Millan, the young rider who tragically lost his life in a terrible accident whilst racing a week earlier in the FIM CEV series. Acosta is mature way beyond his years in so many ways.
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Author: Martin Northern
Founder of Bike Directory
