[Auto / Moto] Styrian MotoGP: Miguel Oliveira swoops late to claim maiden win

[shVury]

 

Portugal's Miguel Oliveira made a late surge to claim a dramatic victory in an interrupted Styrian MotoGP in Austria.

The race was halted after 15 of the 27 laps following an accident involving Spain's Maverick Vinales.

After the restart, Pol Espargo and Jack Miller battled it out right up to the last corner.

But as Espargo ran wide under Miller's challenge, the 25-year-old KTM-Tech 3 rider took advantage to sweep through for his first MotoGP victory.

 

"I was very surprised," said the winner. "Because when I crossed the finish line I saw the chequered flag and no-one was around me and I was like 'I'm going to win'. It was sweet. Super cool.

 

"I'm very emotional right now. I'm thankful to all the people who believed in me, including my family, the team and the sponsors.

"It's history today for me and my country. I couldn't be happier to have done it here at the Red Bull Circuit."

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Championship leader Fabio Quartararo, who finished 13th, retains his championship lead by three points from Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso.

 

KTM rider Espargo had started from pole but it was Joan Miro who was at the head of affairs when Vinales jumped from his Yamaha, which appeared to have a brake problem.

 

Vinales slid across the track as the bike went into the safety fence and caught fire but the Spaniard avoided serious injury.

 

RESULTS

 

Styrian MotoGP

 

1 Miguel Oliveira (Por) KTM 16mins 56.025secs

2 Jack Miller (Aus) Ducati 16:56.341

3 Pol Espargaro (Spa) KTM 16:56.565

4 Joan Mir (Spa) Suzuki 16:56.666

5 Andrea Dovizioso (Ita) 16:57.439

6 Alex Rins (Spa) Suzuki 16:57.475

7 Takaaki Nakagami (Jpn) Honda 16:57.889

8 Brad Binder (Rsa) KTM 17:00.175

9 Valentino Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 17:00.542

10 Iker Lecuona (Spa) KTM 17:01.093

World Championship standings

 

Riders

1 Fabio Quartararo (Fra) 70pts,

2 Andrea Dovizioso (Ita) 67

3 Jack Miller (Aus) 56

4 Brad Binder (Rsa) 49

5 Maverick Vinales (Spa) 48

Manufacturers

1 Yamaha 88pts

2 Ducati 87

3 KTM 82