MOTOGP
FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 4 / AUGUST 14-16, 2020
RED BULL RING / SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA
P68
when third-placed Joan Mir slipped passed Miller after the Austra-
lian made a slight mistake on braking. It would be Mir's first-ever
MotoGP podium in second, with Miller backing up for third.
Red Bull KTM's Brad Binder salvaged some pride for the home
team in fourth, with Valentino Rossi recovering to fifth.
In the championship, Fabio Quartararo (eighth today) leads with
67 points from Dovi at 56, with Vinales (10th today) third at 48.
ANGRY POL
A big factor in Espargaro's early
speed was the anger he feels
toward the cruel end to his Czech
Grand Prix. "I just wanted to
perform well, and I couldn't in the
last race," he said. "After so much
in this project and to be so close
to achieve something and not be
able is painful and that is why I am
trying to make it now. I'm just trying.
I had this angry feeling because
I felt I had the speed to be where
Brad was in the Czech Republic
and I couldn't show it." He couldn't
in Austria, either, crashing out with
Miguel Oliveira.
YAMAHA
LOWERS REVS
A Yamaha down on speed is noth-
ing new to the MotoGP class. Top
speed was the M1's Achilles' Heel
a year ago and its four riders are
facing similar challenges at the Red
Bull Ring, the calendar's fastest lay-
out. On Friday morning, the fastest
Yamaha in terms of speed (Fabio
Quartararo) was 4.4mph down on
Andrea Dovizioso's Ducati. The
slowest (Valentino Rossi) was a full
seven mph slower on the straight.
Part of this disadvantage stems from
Yamaha engineers lowering the revs
of the M1 engines due to the reliabil-
ity concerns that affected its riders
at the two race weekends at Jerez.
Both Maverick Vinales and Franco
Morbidelli are already using the fifth
engine (from five) in their allocation.
And to avoid further issues at this
demanding track.
Briefly...
(Below) Miller (43) gambled on the soft front/soft rear tire
combination and made it last for a podium.
