Austrian MotoGP, Red Bull Ring – Friday Practice Results

* Rookie

Official Red Bull Ring MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Enea Bastianini ITA Ducati 1m 28.772s (2022)
Fastest race lap:
Jorge Martin SPA Ducati1m 29.854s (2022)

Johann Zarco, currently unsigned for 2024, gives a reminder of his talents by topping opening practice for the Austrian MotoGP at the Red Bull Ring.

It was also a promising session for countryman Fabio Quartararo, who provided a welcome boost for Yamaha by being fastest for most of the session, using the new larger M1 fairing.

Aprilia’s early leader Maverick Vinales likewise remained in second for much of the 45-minutes before Zarco’s late charge – on a new medium rear tyre – nudged him to third.

Silverstone sprint winner Alex Marquez was forced to pull off track in the opening minutes due to smoke rising from the front disc of his Gresini Ducati, apparently caused by leaking fluid.

The Spaniard overcame the early scare to clinch fourth place, ahead of VR46 Ducati’s Marco Bezzecchi (who ran wide) and Gresini’s Fabio di Giannantonio.

LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami was the top Honda rider in seventh.

Marc Marquez and Repsol Honda team-mate Joan Mir tried the new high-downforce RC213V fairing used by Nakagami at Silverstone.

Marquez later ran wide and toppled over in the Turn 4 gravel, his 16th accident of the season, after switching back to the old fairing.

Ducati’s reigning champion and title leader Francesco Bagnaia began the weekend in eighth, ahead of Silverstone winner Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia), with Zarco’s Pramac Ducati team-mate Jorge Martin completing the top ten.

Brad Binder was the fastest of the home KTM riders, in 14th, with Pol Espargaro 16th for GASGAS, rookie team-mate Augusto Fernandez 19th after a fall and Jack Miller only 22nd after running wide.

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Ducati’s reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia takes a 41-point lead over Pramac’s Jorge Martin into this weekend’s Austrian MotoGP, with VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi slipping to third (-47 points) after his Silverstone accident.

Desmosedicis have only been beaten twice at the Austrian circuit in the nine races since it returned to the calendar in 2016: Miguel Oliveira snatching Tech3 KTM’s first-ever MotoGP victory at the final corner of a restarted 2020 race, before Brad Binder gave the home factory a memorable 2021 win after staying on slicks in the rain.

Binder returns holding fourth in the standings, with KTM still seeking its first Sunday win of the season after two Sprint victories for the South African.

Johann Zarco’s is the highest-placed rider yet to officially secure a 2024 seat, with Aleix Espargaro climbing to sixth in the standings after a dramatic last lap victory for Aprilia at Silverstone.

Luca Marini (VR46), Alex Marquez (Gresini), Jack Miller (KTM) and Espargaro’s team-mate Maverick Vinales complete the current top ten, followed by Monster Yamaha riders Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli.

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Rookie Augusto Fernandez is now up to 13th, while GASGAS Tech3 team-mate Pol Espargaro will be taking part in his second event since returning from extensive injuries at Portimao.

KTM has traditionally used its home event to reveal more about its future plans, might they reveal more on how they intend to solve the conundrum of where to place Moto2 star Pedro Acosta?

LCR Honda’s Alex Rins remains absent due to his Mugello leg injuries and is again replaced by WorldSBK rider Iker Lecuona.