Into the Austrian hills for the Repsol Honda Team as round 11 beckons, Joan Mir and Luca Marini out to draw on past successes at the 4.35-kilometre-long circuit.
Returning to the MotoGP World Championship calendar in 2016, the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg has produced its fair share of racing spectacles. Characterised by hard braking and heavy acceleration, the track presents unique demands.
Feeling generally strong at stop-and-go circuits, Joan Mir is out to get over the rash of falls and bad luck which have hidden his form in recent rounds. The Austrian track has been a boon for the #36 in the past, claiming his first World Championship win there in 2016 and taking a debut premier class podium at the track during his 2020 title run. As always, the objective for the weekend will be to make forward progress and continue improving the Repsol Honda Team RC213V.
On the other side of the garage, Luca Marini lands in Austria with ever-improving form. Although the final result on Sunday was disappointing, Marini was able to put together a consistent weekend in Silverstone and cement his progress. Like his teammate, the #10 has achieved two podiums in Austria, both in Moto2, and taken three top five finishes in his last three premier class appearances at the circuit.
The Austrian GP marks the official start of the second half of the MotoGP World Championship season, starting an intense run of nine races across Europe and Asia in the next two months.