A brave fight to fifth place at the Austrian GP was enough for injured Spaniard Marc Marquez to protect his MotoGP championship lead overnight.

His main rivals for the title this season, Yamaha team-mates Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi finished just ahead of him in third and fourth place respectively.

Meanwhile, Italian Andrea Iannone won the race and hailed his maiden premier-class victory in Austria as a ‘magic moment’, becoming the first Ducati rider to win since Australian Casey Stoner at Phillip Island in 2010.

Iannone, who had been much criticised for numerous incidents this season, which cost him his Ducati ride, held off team-mate Andrea Dovizioso to claim victory at the Red Bull Ring and afterwards said it was a special feeling to follow in Stoner’s footsteps, who was present to witness the achievement in Austria.

“It’s a very beautiful moment, it’s a magical moment for me, but also for Ducati to come back with a victory after six years, and especially after Casey Stoner because he is a very strong rider,” said Iannone.

“Always he is very fast, so I think for me and for us, it is a very special moment. It’s very difficult to explain the feeling, but it was an incredible race. Andrea was riding very fast and had a very strong braking point, also Jorge [Lorenzo] from the beginning of the race pushed very fast to try to stay in front of me.

“I wanted to make the best race and not push a lot because I started with the soft tyre. For me it was very important to manage the tyres and not use at 100 percent, not spin a lot and not slide, and I thin this strategy is fantastic,” he added.

“Also I managed the fuel and used less fuel for half race. After I made changes with the map and pushed a little bit more. I think the strategy with the team from the box was perfect and I’m very happy because it’s a very special moment for me.”

Iannone made a last-minute decision to switch to the medium rear tyre in contrast to his key rivals, who used the harder option. It was a gamble that paid off and Iannone said the strategy worked to perfection.

“When you have a very good chance to fight at the top and everybody starts with the hard one and you start with the soft … I’m not sure [why I chose the soft]! Yesterday I rode with the hard and the soft one and I feel the soft one is better for the drop in grip. I think it was a very good decision but not so easy, but I believe in myself,” said the 27-year-old, who says his debut victory has boosted his confidence.

“I think the first victory for me in the MotoGP class is very important because in the past I won many races in Moto2, but in the MotoGP class it is another story because you fight with the best riders ever, with Vale, Jorge Dovi – with many world champion riders and this is very incredible for me,” said Iannone.

“For sure it helps me to believe a little more in my potential and I want to continue in this way, improve year by year and race by race.”

Looking ahead to the next race in the Czech Republic, Iannone feels Brno is another circuit that will play to the strengths of the Desmosedici and is confident he can challenge for the rostrum again.

“I think Brno is also a very positive track for us because last year we had a very good potential. I had a small technical problem but without this, I think we have a very strong possibility to fight for the podium,” he said.

“Also, I think after this race and after this week and also after Sachsenring – where we didn’t have the pace to fight for the victory but we finished on the podium – I think me and Andrea have a very good chance.”

Iannone will end a four-year career at Ducati and join Suzuki for 2017. Dovizioso was chosen to remain alongside new signing Lorenzo, who completed Sunday’s podium with third place for Yamaha (+3.389s).

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MOTOGP RACE RESULT:

1. Andrea Iannone ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP) 39m 46.255s
2. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP) 39m 47.193s
3. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 39m 49.644s
4. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 39m 50.070s
5. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 39m 58.068s
6. Maverick Viñales ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 40m 0.596s
7. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 40m 3.318s
8. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Yakhnich (Desmosedici GP15) 40m 15.692s
9. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 40m 16.040s
10. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 40m 23.349s
11. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Yakhnich (Desmosedici GP15) 40m 26.020s
12. Michele Pirro ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP) 40m 26.021s
13. Loris Baz FRA Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 40m 30.539s
14. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V)* 40m 31.259s
15. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 40m 49.501s
16. Alvaro Bautista ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 40m 58.703s
17. Yonny Hernandez COL Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP14.2) 41m 0.772s
18. Eugene Laverty IRL Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP14.2) 41m 22.765s
19. Stefan Bradl GER Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 40m 53.077s
Aleix Espargaro ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) DNF
Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) DNF
 

MOTOGP CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:

1. Marc Marquez SPA Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 181 points
2. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 138 points (-43)
3. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 124 points (-57)
4. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 105 points (-76)
5. Maverick Viñales SPA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 93 points (-88)
6. Andrea Iannone ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP) 88 points (-93)
7. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP) 79 points (-102)
8. Pol Espargaro SPA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 78 points (-103)
9. Hector Barbera SPA Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 65 points (-116)
10. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Yakhnich (Desmosedici GP15) 53 points (-128)
11. Eugene Laverty IRL Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP14.2) 53 points (-128)
12. Aleix Espargaro SPA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 51 points (-130)
13. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 42 points (-139)
14. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 42 points (-139)
15. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 41 points (-140)
16. Stefan Bradl GER Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 37 points (-144)
17. Alvaro Bautista SPA Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 35 points (-146)
18. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Yakhnich (Desmosedici GP15) 29 points (-152)
19. Michele Pirro ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP) 23 points (-158)
20. Tito Rabat SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V)* 20 points (-161)
21. Loris Baz FRA Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 11 points (-170)
22. Yonny Hernandez COL Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP14.2) 3 points (-178)