Taking the bull by the horns! MotoGP riders put their off-road driving skills to the test in Austria

Bengaluru, August 19: Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix to be held on Sunday (August 21), MotoGP riders Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) and Remy Gardner (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) were joined by Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Moto3 rider Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) as they put their off-road driving to the test.

At the off-road car track at the Red Bull Ring, the riders got in a different kind of saddle ahead of the race and the results were surprisingly stunning!

A few races ago, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was starting to become the runaway favourite for the 2022 crown, but since his error at Assen and then a tougher race at Silverstone, both of which were won by Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), the momentum has most definitely turned.

Now the paddock heads to the Red Bull Ring and serious winning turf for Ducati, it could be another pivotal chance for Bagnaia to continue cutting that gap - especially as it is often been tougher Sunday turf for Yamaha.

List of hopefuls

With Bagnaia on form, team-mate Jack Miller fresh from the podium, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) already a winner at the track and Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) back up into the battle at Silverstone, there is a long list of hopefuls.

It does not even stop there, with the likes of Zarco and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) likewise quick and eager to make their mark.

Huge highside

Another factory eager to keep the pressure on Quartararo is Aprilia. Aleix Espargaro did not manage to capitalise on the number 20's P8 at Silverstone as he took ninth.

But after a huge highside on Saturday left him racing with a broken heel, that became a job well done in difficult circumstances as he only lost one point to the Frenchman. And there was still an Aprilia on the podium...

Poetic place

After speed before bad luck in Germany and then third at Assen, which marked his first rostrum finish with Aprilia Racing, second at Silverstone and only four tenths off Bagnaia was quite a statement from Maverick Vinales.

The trend says the next step should be the top one, but it is far from a simple task in MotoGP. Can Top Gun do it, in his 200th Grand Prix and at a poetic place to get back on top? The Aprilia remains as serious a threat as ever, and at the very least it may be a good weekend to chip away more points from Yamaha for both Noale machines.

Red Bull Ring

Is the Red Bull Ring still Borgo Panigale turf? Can Vinales put in a poetic weekend? Are KTM up to push forward on home turf? What will the standings look like as we head for San Marino?

We will find out this weekend, with MotoGP going racing at 2pm local time (5.30pm IST) on Sunday for the Austrian GP. Indian audience can catch all the action live on Eurosport channel.

(By a special arrangement with Dorna Sports)