Italian racer Celestino Vietti on a Kalex bike earned his first victory of the season, delivering a standout performance in Spielberg that also marked a notable shift in the Moto2 standings. The race took place on the Red Bull Ring, a circuit known for its rapid rhythm and technical turns.
Spaniard Pedro Acosta, riding a Kalex, secured a dominant runner-up finish, strengthening his lead in the interim world championship standings by ten points. He controlled the pace from the opening lap through the final six laps, maintaining pressure on Vietti while Tony Arbolino and other challengers chased the front pack.
Acosta asserted his authority from the start, with Vietti staying in the thick of the action as Italian Tony Arbolino proved a persistent threat. Arbolino, coming off the seventh row, surged through the field to climb into fourth place in the early stages, ahead of Vietti and fellow Spaniard Fermín Aldeguer.
The early tempo favored Acosta, who set a steady separation from rivals Jake Dixon of Great Britain and Ai Ogura of Japan, each chasing the pace that Acosta established. Vietti followed closely, slowly reducing the gap as the race unfolded.
In the fourth round, Acosta opened a clear advantage of around seven-tenths of a second over Dixon and Ogura, while Vietti trailed by nearly a second and a half, gradually clawing back ground. Somkiat Chantra of Thailand moved into contention, making life tougher for Arbolino as he slipped a bit in the wake of the leading trio.
The race suffered a setback when Albert Arenas and Alonso López crashed at Turn 3 and recovered later, though Arenas could not regain a competitive position. The incident highlighted the demanding nature of the circuit and the fine line between risk and reward in this class.
A tenth of a second separated Acosta as he sought to consolidate the lead, while Ogura attempted a late-race overtake on Dixon to reignite last year’s duel and perhaps close the gap. The relentless pace favored Acosta, who extended his advantage as the laps ticked away.
With around two dozen laps completed, the race remained dynamic, but Acosta continued to push while Arbolino faced a challenging stretch. The veteran rivalries within Moto2 were on full display as the field jostled for position behind the championship leader.
Meanwhile, Spaniard Manuel González and American Joe Roberts faced difficulties, with González hitting the ground and Roberts finding themselves far back in the pack. Aron Canet, another Spaniard, suffered a fall at Turn 3 while trying to regain ground from a mid-pack position.
Ogura pressed hard, remaining within striking distance of Acosta but unable to close the gap as the Spaniard maintained a disciplined pace. Vietti kept the pressure on the leader and, taking advantage of a moment when Acosta’s rhythm drifted, managed to close in before advancing to challenge in the closing stages.
In a dramatic late phase, Vietti leveraged the slipstream and overtook Acosta six laps from the end, briefly moving into the lead. The roles shifted again, and Acosta matched Vietti’s speed, using the draft to stay close and ultimately reassert the advantage that had defined the early portions of the race.
As the laps wound down, Acosta’s ability to sustain competitive pace remained evident, despite Vietti’s determined charge. The two traded positions, with Acosta reclaiming the lead and maintaining a steady tempo that left little room for a late surge from the chasing pack.
Andrea Ogura and Dixon remained in the hunt, but Acosta’s steadier rhythm and strategic tire management allowed him to reestablish a secure margin. Vietti settled into second, with Ogura in third as the field crossed the line.
The race also carried implications for the rest of the season. Arbolino’s early optimism faded as the front group pulled away, while Canet, Arenas, and López dealt with the earlier incidents, underscoring the volatility and high stakes of this class. The result solidified Acosta’s lead at the top of the standings, while Vietti demonstrated the capability to contend for wins on this stage.
Overall, the Austrian Grand Prix delivered a compelling mix of speed, strategy, and resilience. The outcomes reshaped the championship picture and set the stage for a tense battle in forthcoming rounds, as riders continue to push the limits on a circuit that rewards precision and courage.