---
title: "MotoGP Austria: Jorge Lorenzo Beats Marc Marquez in Epic Last-Lap Showdown"
description: "Marquez was sandwiched by the mighty straight-line power of the factory Ducatis."
date: "2018-08-12"
modified: "2018-08-12"
authors:
  - name: "Jerry Perez"
    job_title: "Deputy Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/22822/motogp-austria-jorge-lorenzo-beats-marc-marquez-in-epic-last-lap-showdown"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "Austria"
  - "Austrian GP"
  - "Ducati"
  - "Jorge Lorenzo"
  - "Marc Márquez"
  - "MotoGP"
  - "motorcycle racing"
  - "racing"
  - "Racing News"
---

# MotoGP Austria: Jorge Lorenzo Beats Marc Marquez in Epic Last-Lap Showdown

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/08/gettyimages-1015578524.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Jorge Lorenzo rode a precisely calculated race at the [MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/22813/motogp-champ-marc-marquez-clinches-pole-in-austria-by-0-002-seconds>) at the Red Bull Ring that ultimately earned him his third win of the season. The Spaniard was able to hold off a charging Marc Marquez, who partially led the field just two laps before the end but couldn't get a run on Lorenzo on the closing corners of the challenging circuit.

Lorenzo made his intentions known from the very beginning, as he rocketed out of his grid spot and onto the lead as soon as the green flag fell. Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso could only watch as Lorenzo picked his way through the field and led the entire pack by Turn 1, only to relinquish it three laps later to Marquez.

![message-editor%2F1534115340153-a4abf043-76f9-4be2-bdb4-28901d2894e2.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1534115340153-a4abf043-76f9-4be2-bdb4-28901d2894e2.jpg>)
*Jorge Lorenzo., *MotoGP**

In an effort to switch up his strategies from recent races, Lorenzo comfortably sat in second and sometimes even third place while [Marquez pushed hard](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/21314/marc-marquezs-motogp-championship-lead-shortens-after-mugello-snafu>) to build a gap at the front. The field settled after six laps or so and the race became somewhat uneventful, at least until Suzuki's Andrea Ianonne ran wide on a turn and retired just eight laps into the race.

Meanwhile, further down the order, the factory Yamahas of Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales were struggling to deliver any kind of pace, with The Doctor riding in eighth place after starting 14th, and Vinales in 14th after starting all the way at the back of the grid. The blue riders have endured poor luck this year, with performance either being good enough to lead or poor enough to not even be able to contest in the top six.

![message-editor%2F1534115360973-95995e9a-2645-4ce1-9b6d-594aecdc2f87.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1534115360973-95995e9a-2645-4ce1-9b6d-594aecdc2f87.jpg>)
*The heated dual lasted until the last corner., *MotoGP**

With just three laps to go, Marquez regained the lead of the race courtesy of some risky passing maneuvers on Turn 3 and 9, but Lorenzo quickly caught on to Marquez's strong points and defended strongly on the last two laps. In the end, Marquez didn't have [the horsepower necessary](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/21340/motogps-marc-marquez-makes-his-formula-1-debut-with-toro-rosso>) to blast out of corners the way the Ducatis of Lorenzo and Dovizioso, the latter who eventually finished third, could.

After Sunday's race, it's Marquez who still leads the point standings with 201 points, Valentino Rossi with 142, and Lorenzo passed Dovizioso in the championship now with 130 points compared to his teammate's 129.

## Author
Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/drive_jerry/>)