SPIELBERG, Austria: Marc Marquez chalked up his ninth win of the season at the Austrian MotoGP at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday to stretch his lead at the head of the championship standings.
The Ducati rider, who started fourth on the grid, swept past pole-sitter Marco Bezzecchi on lap 20, and pulled away for victory.
Rookie Fermin Aldeguer closed on him in the final laps but had to settle for second, the best result of his fledgling career, with Bezzecchi completing the podium.
Marquez’s victory in the 1000th MotoGP race completed a perfect weekend for the Spaniard who, after a poor qualifying that saw him slide off the track, also won his 12th sprint of the season on Saturday.
Remarkably for a man who has already won six world titles, this was the first time that he had ever won at Spielberg.
After 13 rounds of the 22-race season, Marquez is now 142 points clear of his brother Alex Marquez in the standings.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
