The Ducati Team returns to action this weekend for the first of the two events scheduled at the Red Bull Ring in Austria

Just a few days after the Czech GP in Brno, the Ducati Team is ready to return to action this weekend for the Austrian GP, which will be held on the spectacular race track of the Red Bull Ring. The Austrian circuit, which was reintroduced to the calendar in 2016, will host the MotoGP World Championship on two occasions this year, as it will also set the stage for the fifth round of the 2020 season from 21st to 23rd August for the Styria GP.

For Ducati, it is historically a favourable venue, as in the four editions of the Grand Prix held till now, the Borgo Panigale manufacturer has always triumphed at Spielberg race track. Its most recent success came in 2019, when Andrea Dovizioso, after a very tight duel, achieved an incredible victory with a masterful overtake on Marc Márquez at the final corner.

After a challenging weekend in the Czech Republic, the rider from Forlì arrives at the Red Bull Ring this year intending to regain is usual competitiveness on a track that has always seen him climbing on the podium for the last four years. After the first three races of the season, Dovizioso is currently fourth in the championship standings tied with Franco Morbidelli in third place.

Danilo Petrucci also heads to Spielberg determined to find again the feeling with the Desmosedici GP bike. The rider from Terni is currently 15th in the overall standings and has the fifth place in 2018 as his best result at the Red Bull Ring.

In the manufacturers’ standings, Ducati is third, while the Ducati Team is currently fourth in the team standings, 48 points off the leader.

Andrea Dovizioso (#04 Ducati Team) – 4th (31 points)

“The Czech GP has shown everyone how difficult it is to make predictions this year. Every race has a different story and so, although Ducati has achieved four successes at the Red Bull Ring in the last four years, now we have to think that our priority is to regain the feeling with the Desmosedici GP bike. It is in difficult times like this that we have to stick together, and I see the next race in Austria as a good opportunity. We have to keep calm and work as we’ve always done.”

Danilo Petrucci (#9 Ducati Team) – 15th (11 points)

“The race in Brno was disappointing because, honestly, I thought I would get a better result, especially after the good qualifying on Saturday. We are struggling to find the feeling with these tyres and have been inconsistent throughout the weekend. We must try to stay positive and work hard to change this dynamic. The only goal I set myself for the Austrian GP is to improve in each session, to get to have good feelings for the race. If we continue to work hard, our time will come”

On Friday, 14th August, the Austrian GP will officially kick off with the first free practice session starting at 9:55 AM local time (GMT +2.00).

Circuit information

Country: Austria

Name: Red Bull Ring

Best lap: Dovizioso (Ducati), 1: 23.827 (185,4 km/h) – 2019

Circuit record: Márquez (Honda), 1:23.027 (187,2 km/h) – 2019

Top speed: Dovizioso (Ducati), 316,7 km/h – 2019

Track lenght: 4,3 km

Race distance: 28 laps (120,9 km)

Corners: 10 (3 left, 7 right)

2019 Results

Podium: 1 ° Dovizioso (Ducati); 2 ° Márquez (Honda), 3 ° Quartararo (Yamaha)

Pole Position: Márquez (Honda), 1: 23.027 (187,2 km/h)

Fastest lap: Dovizioso (Ducati), 1: 23.827 (185,4 km/h)

Rider information

Andrea Dovizioso

Bike: Ducati Desmosedici GP

Number: 04

Age: 34 (born 23rd March 1986 in Forlimpopoli, Italy)

Residence: Forlì (Italy)

Races: 316 (218 x MotoGP, 49 x 250cc, 49 x 125cc)

First GP: Qatar 2008 (MotoGP), Spain 2005 (250cc), Italy 2001 (125cc)

Wins: 23 (14 MotoGP + 4 250cc + 5 125cc)

First Win: UK 2009 (MotoGP), Catalunya 2006 (250cc), South Africa 2004 (125cc)

Pole Position: 20 (7 MotoGP + 4 250cc + 9 125cc)

First Pole: Japan 2010 (MotoGP), France 2006 (250cc), France 2003 (125cc)

World Titles: 1 (125cc, 2004)

Danilo Petrucci

Bike: Ducati Desmosedici GP

Number: 9

Age: 29 (born 24th October 1990 in Terni, Italy)

Residence: Forlì (Italy)

Races: 140 (MotoGP)

First GP: 2012 Qatar (MotoGP)

Wins: 1 (MotoGP)

First Win: Italy 2019 (MotoGP)

Pole Position: –

First Pole: –

World Titles: –

Championship information

Riders standings

Andrea Dovizioso (#04 Ducati Team) – 4º (31 points)

Danilo Petrucci (#9 Ducati Team) – 15º (11 points)

Manufacturer standings

Ducati – 3º (42 points)

Team standings

Ducati Team – 4º (42 points)​