Tech3 E-Racing’s Lukas Tulovic is an FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup race winner after claiming victory at the Bitci Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich by 0.8s in another thrilling electric class battle. Comeback king Eric Granado (One Energy Racing) came out on top in a fantastic battle for the podium to grab P2 from P13 on the grid, with Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) picking up the final rostrum spot in third.
He's never been on the podium before ????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) August 15, 2021
And now @3Tulovic will be on the top step! ????#MotoE | #AustrianGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/gH4MXC5WIg
A five-lap dash in Austria
Tulovic grabbed the holeshot from second on the grid to demote polesitter Fermin Aldeguer (Openbank Aspar Team) to P2 and unleashed a stellar opening lap. The German pulled out a 1.8s lead over the chasing pack and from there, he never looked back.
Starting 8th, Aegerter was soon in the thick of the action and managed to climb up to P2 by Lap 3, with Tulovic’s lead at 1.5s. A ferocious battle then played out between Aegerter, Aldeguer and Granado as the trio scrapped it out for the final two spots on the podium, with Turn 3 seeing Granado initially get the better of both, as the trio went into Turn 4 locked together.
Let that sink in! ????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) August 15, 2021
A special day for @3Tulovic and @Tech3Racing! ????#MotoE | #AustrianGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/6MLgI5plVj
Eventually, Granado did get the better of Aldeguer and Aegerter as the latter then grabbed P3 at Turn 9. Tulovic saw his lead slashed in the last couple of laps but held on for a maiden victory, as Granado and Aegerter made Aldeguer wait a little longer for a MotoE™ podium.
The remaining points scorers
Rookie Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) claimed P5 to celebrate his best result, the Japanese rider beat title leader Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE) by just under half a second. Zaccone’s lead is seven points ahead of the final round of the season at Misano, reigning World Cup winner Jordi Torres (HP Pons 40) was 0.053s off the Italian in P7. Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) slipped to P8 from the front row, the maiden World Cup winner crossed the line less than a second ahead of Kevin Zannoni (LCR E-Team) and Yonny Hernandez (Octo Pramac MotoE).
Andrea Mantovani (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) beat Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) to the line to grab P11, Tech3 E-Racing’s Corentin Perolari, Jasper Iwema (HP Pons 40) and Stefano Valtulini (Ongetta SIC58 Squadracorse) were the final points scorers in P14 and P15 respectively.
11 points, four riders. Two races remain in the 2021 MotoE™ title race, who wins it from here? Zaccone still leads the way but Granado, Torres and Aegerter and waiting to pounce.
Top 10:
1. Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing)
2. Eric Granado (One Energy Racing) + 0.839
3. Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) + 1.145
4. Fermin Aldeguer (Openbank Aspar Team) + 1.163
5. Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) + 1.892
6. Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE) + 2.371
7. Jordi Torres (HP Pons 40) + 2.424
8. Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) + 4.805
9. Kevin Zannoni (LCR E-Team) + 5.199
10. Yonny Hernandez (Octo Pramac MotoE) + 5.510