Just six laps before the home game, Remy Gardner sensed a first Moto2 victory.
However, two small mistakes cost the Australian dearly when he fell out of the race in Austria.
Gardner had shadowed eventual winner Brad Binder throughout the race as he envisaged a second visit to the podium in 2019.
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When he crossed the finish line with six laps to go, Gardner ran right behind Binder in the first corner and Enea Bastianini snuck through.
Gardner drove over to the racing line. The problem was that Alex Marquez was there and the Aussie cut off the rear of the championship leader’s bike.
Moment before the disaster for Gardner.Source: FOX SPORTS
Gardner fell, and when his bike slid down the street, the 21-year-old was lying in the middle of the track.
In a few heart-stopping seconds, Gardner raised his hands to warn his competitors as they came off the first corner into the second straight.
An angry Gardner, having made his way to safety beyond the barriers, then protested when he found he had lost his best chance yet of winning a Moto2 race.
Get down! Gardner falls after a collision with Marquez.Source: FOX SPORTS
The manic race also had a major accident early on when Tetsuta Nagashima was wiped out by Xavi Vierge.
Luca Marini then got out of control with five laps to go and took Bastianini with him.
Binder emerged victorious while Marquez expanded his championship lead with a thrilling run from 11th to second while Jorge Navarro finished third.
It’s been a season of ups and downs for Gardner, who stood on the podium in Argentina, suffered a concussion in a serious crash in Jerez and cracked pole at the Dutch TT.
Speaking to Chris Vermeulen of FOX Sports after the race, Gardner couldn’t hide his disappointment.
“We did everything perfectly this weekend … I really only had the eyes of the tiger today,” said Gardner.
“I wanted to overtake Brad and just go ahead. But I didn’t expect Brad to be so slow on the first corner.
“I raised the bike a little, I went a bit far, Bastianini overtook me and when I came back Marquez came back and shot under my front wheel.
“He knew what he was doing, but unfortunately it ended badly.”