Spielberg bei Knittelfeld (Austria) (AFP)

The South African Brad Binder (KTM) attempted a daring "bet" on Sunday to win the Austrian Grand Prix, the 11th round of the MotoGP season, in which the French leader of the championship, Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), leaves with a increased advance.

Winner in the midst of a deluge on slick tires, after taking the risk of not changing motorbikes, Binder "achieved something incredible", according to his Italian runner-up Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati), returned to the pits, like the others favorites.

The joy of South African rider Brad Binder (KTM), winner of the Austrian MotoGP Grand Prix, on August 15, 2021 on the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg Joe Klamar AFP

On a circuit (Spielberg's Red Bull Ring) which is not the most favorable to his Yamaha and in weather conditions which do not favor him either, Quartararo could not do better than 7th.

This does not prevent him from increasing his lead at the top of the world championship from 40 to 47 points.

Almost a margin of error of two races with another 7 or 8 GP to run!

"A little disappointed with the result", El Diablo is content to have "taken 13 points in the championship" in Austria, this week and the previous one, during the GP of Styria.

Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), followed by Spaniard Marc Marquez (Honda), during the Austrian MotoGP Grand Prix, August 15, 2021 on the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg Joe Klamar AFP

The Frenchman benefited in particular from the fall, before the storm, of his compatriot Johann Zarco (Ducati-Pramac), who until then was his runner-up in the drivers' standings.

Zarco, suddenly, is relegated to 4th place in the championship, two lengths behind Bagnaia and the Spaniard Joan Mir (Suzuki), 2nd and 3rd on equal points.

"I am sad and a little disappointed", he does not hide.

I tried to push myself to the limit to stay with the leading group and I fell.

I'm sorry because we had done a really good job all weekend. "

- "Like driving on ice" -

In front of full stands, it is a GP with a crazy scenario that unfolded and it is its protagonists who talk about it best.

Spaniard Jorge Martin (Ducati-Pramac) leads ahead of his French teammate Johann Zarco, Spaniard Marc Marquez (Honda) and French Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), during the MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix on August 15, 2021 on the Red Bull Ring at Spielberg Joe Klamar AFP

"Six laps from the finish, it started to rain a lot," said Bagnaia.

"Going back to the pits to change bikes (in order to continue with wet tires, note) or stay on the track was a really difficult decision."

The favorites returned at the end of lap 24 of 28. Binder, then 6th, decided not to follow them.

"When I saw the rain coming, I was trying to calculate how many seconds per lap I could lose if I stayed on slicks, explains the South African. When I saw everyone come in, I decided to take that bet. "

The South African Brad Binder, winner of the Austrian MotoGP Grand Prix, on August 15, 2021 on the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg Joe Klamar AFP

“I could still attack quite a bit the first few days but my tires got cold and it became like driving on ice, he recalls. Then my brakes got cold too and they were useless! There must have been someone watching over me today because several times I thought it was over. It was a real relief on arrival. "

- "I thought my race was screwed up" -

For Bagnaia and Spaniard Jorge Martin (Ducati-Pramac), 3rd after his victory last week on the same circuit, it was a different relief.

While they were fighting at the forefront before the rain, their change of motorbike relegated them to 10th and 11th places at the start of the last lap!

"At that point, I was angry when I saw the group in front of me," admits the Italian.

"I thought my race was screwed up, then I saw this group of drivers almost at a standstill and I attacked like crazy" to overtake them, adds the Spanish "rookie".

Spanish rider Jorge Martin (Ducati-Pramac), 3rd, congratulates the winner of the Austrian MotoGP Grand Prix, South African Brad Binder, on August 15, 2021 on the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg Joe Klamar AFP

The 2020 champion, Mir, finished 4th, ahead of the Italian Luca Marini (Ducati-Avintia) and the Spaniard Iker Lecuona (KTM-Tech3), who made the same bet as Binder.

The Italian Valentino Rossi (Yamaha-SRT) also took this risk paying off, which gave him his best result of the season (8th).

Falling on the penultimate lap, after changing his bike, Marc Marquez (Honda) is only 15th.

But in the dry, the Spaniard, who continues to improve after more than a season of absence due to injury, was fighting for victory, on one of the few circuits on which he has never won.

"We made a lot of progress this weekend and we need to unlock even more," he urges.

The next round will be held at Silverstone, Britain on August 29.

On a track where Yamaha and Suzuki are favorites, Quartararo intends to "make a little difference in the championship".

© 2021 AFP