Austrian Moto2: Raul Fernandez pulls the pin to win rookie battle

Raul Fernandez looked comfortable once in the lead and had held back enough to win the Moto2 Austrian Grand Prix, round eleven of the championship, which the Spaniard controlled at the front.

Fernandez brought his Red Bull KTM Ajo liveried Kalex home first at the Red Bull Ring after moving ahead of pole starter Sam Lowes early in the race.

Fellow rookie Ai Ogura followed and kept his fellow Kalex rider in check. The Idemitsu Honda Team Asia rider made his move over the final laps, but Fernandez absorbed the pressure and picked up the pace, nullifying the Japanese rider’s personal best lap.

Increasing the gap from 0.3 to 0.845s over the line the number 25 took his fourth win of the season in style. The win cuts team-mate Remy Gardner’s championship advantage to just 19 points.

Ogura’s second is his first podium finish in the intermediate class and matches his best result to date in any world championship race.

The wheelie-pulling Fernandez and fist pumping Ogura were joined on the rostrum by an equally pleased Augusto Fernandez in third for Elf Marc VDS Racing Team.

With a different rear tyre option, Sam Lowes may have not been able to hold on to his early, brief lead, but a fourth place finish just behind his team-mate will do much to remove Spielberg as a ‘bogey’ track for the British rider.

A great day for the rookies saw Celestino Vietti cross the finish line just in fifth after a fiery battle with Somkiat Chantra. Their final corner clash saw the Italian's move judged to be too harsh by race direction who demoted him one place after the race to sixth.

That saw both Idemitsu bikes in the top five, with Sky Racing VR46’s Vietti still matching his best result - achieved last weekend at the same track.

Remy Gardner looked more cautious and a little off the pace after last weekend's race result, which saw him finish fourth. A poor start from fifth saw him drop into the pack. 

The Red Bull rider’s battle with Aron Canet lead to an amusing exchange, which saw Gardner pass and wave to apologise for running his rival wide, only for the Spaniard to pass straight back and send a return massage of a wagging finger.

The number 87 responded and went in front again, this time making it stick and gesturing for Canet to follow by hitting the back of the seat as the duo then gave chase to Chantra and Vietti.

The promised catch up never quite occurred, with the pair crossing the line almost five seconds later.

Tom Luthi (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) was next to see the chequered flag, looking back to form it was his first top ten finish of the season, in ninth.

Styria winner Marco Bezzecchi never featured at the front of the race as he failed to recover from a poor qualifying. From 16th on the grid he made progress in the early stages to finish tenth on the second Sky bike.

Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) also picked up a few positions to take eleventh, holding off a late advance from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini) who also struggled in qualifying, where he was 15th, and came through the pack for twelfth.

Tony Arbolino climbed to 13th for Liqui Moly Intact GP, with Xavi Vierge on the second Petronas bike and Flexbox HP40’s Hector Garzo picking up the remaining points on offer in 14th and 15th respectively.

A big crash at the first corner, which ended the hopes of both Jorge Navarro and Stefano Manzi was deemed to have been started by Cameron Beaubier, who clipped Joe Roberts and started a ripple effect. He was handed a double long lap penalty.

Beaubier finished 20th - just ahead of wildcard Taiga Hada who is riding for SAG Team. Manzi remounted and finished behind him in 24th.

Marcel Schrotter also slid off into the gravel and rejoined the race. Fifth at the time of his spill he ended his race just ahead of Manzi in 23rd. 

Barry Baltus was due down the long lap for exceeding track limits too often but crashed out at turn one with fifteen laps remaining.

Marcos Ramirez and Yari Montella also failed to go the distance.

Lorenzo Baldassarri was ruled out before the race as he is struggling with the left hand fracture he sustained at the Sachsenring.