MotoGP Grand Prix of Austria 2019: Race Schedule, Live Stream and Top Riders
August 9, 2019
Marc Marquez will attempt to continue his MotoGP dominance during the 2019 Grand Prix of Austria on Sunday.
The five-time world champion has placed in the top two in nine out of 10 races this season, and the Spaniard holds a 63-point advantage at the top of the standings.
Andrea Dovizioso has remained Marquez's nearest challenger this term, but the Italian has only made the podium once in the past four races.
Race Schedule
Friday, August 9
FP1: 9:55 a.m. local/8:55 a.m BST/3:55 a.m. ET
FP2: 2:10 p.m. local/1:10 p.m BST/8:10 a.m. ET
Saturday, August 10
FP3: 9:55 a.m. local/8:55 a.m BST/3:55 a.m. ET
FP4: 1:30 p.m. local/12:30 p.m. BST/7:30 a.m. ET
O1: 2:10 p.m. local/1:10 p.m BST/8:10 a.m. ET
O2: 2:35 p.m. local/1:35 p.m. BST/8:35 a.m. ET
Sunday, August 11
WUP: 9:20 a.m. local/8:20 a.m BST/3:20 a.m. ET
Race: 2 p.m. local/1 p.m. BST/8 a.m. ET
Live-stream links: BT Sport App, beIN Sports Connect
Preview and Top Riders
It appears only a matter of time before Marquez retains his crown, having recorded six victories this season. The 26-year-old sets the standard, with his competitors unable to match his consistency.
The field have not exerted sufficient pressure on the Repsol Honda rider, and Marquez has stamped his authority on the championship once again.
Dovizioso, meanwhile, is falling out of touch with the leader. The Ducati man came second in the Czech Republic on August 4, but fourth- and fifth-placed finishes earlier this summer in the Netherlands and Germany, respectively, damaged his chances of catching Marquez.
After the Czech Grand Prix, Dovizioso admitted Marquez is in a class of his own but said he is ready to fight at Red Bull Ring, according to Kyle Francis of Motorsport Week:
"We have to be happy, as Marc is showing special speed every race unlike last year so we have to work harder. ...
"For sure we will be competitive in Austria, our bike works well there but the Honda is different this year, they have much better acceleration so they should be much more competitive than last year. The tyres also work differently this year, so we are seeing the races go differently this year compared to last so you never know how the tyre will work so we’ll see how we are in the race there."
Alex Rins is closing in on the third-place Danilo Petrucci in the championship. The Barcelona-born racer seemed set to be a title contender after his victory at the Grand Prix of the Americas on April 14, but two retirements since have lost him vital points.
Petrucci's form has plummeted since winning the Italian Grand Prix on June 2, most recently finishing eighth in the Czech Republic. Rins will be confident of further reducing the 15-point gap between himself and the Italian on Sunday.