Changeable conditions in the first free MotoGP practice for the Grand Prix of Austria in Spielberg. At first, rain tires were used, but in the end slicks were possible. Ducati took the lead. Jack Miller set the best time ahead of Johann Zarco (Pramac).
A heavy thunderstorm swept across Styria on Thursday afternoon. It also rained on Friday night. In the morning the track was still damp in places. That’s why the MotoGP riders went out with rain tires at the beginning of the first practice session.
But it stopped raining and slowly a dry ideal line formed. The drivers became acquainted with the new chicane at Turn 2. Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) and Aleix Espargaró (Aprilia) also misbraked right away and went straight through the gravel trap.
Most of the drivers did ten or eleven laps on rain tyres. With Miguel Oliveira (KTM) and Miller, two rain specialists led the rankings after the first run. At the beginning of the last quarter of an hour, the first drivers with slicks pulled out.
They were also the right tires because the dry racing line kept getting wider. At Turn 5, Remy Gardner (Tech-3-KTM) caused the first crash. It was the only incident in the morning. The Moto2 World Champion remained unhurt.
Change to slicks
As the track got faster and faster, the drivers turned their best lap times at the very end. Miller set a superior best time of 1:30.756 minutes, because he was 0.618 seconds ahead of Zarco.
Joan Mir got involved as third. The layout of the Red Bull Ring accommodates the Suzuki driver’s driving style. Jorge Martín (Pramac) was the next Ducati rider in fourth place. And World Champion Quartararo finished fifth in practice.
However, the times were only of limited significance because the gaps were unusually large. Quartararo was already a second behind in fifth. Alex Rins came sixth with the second Suzuki GSX-RR.
Ultimately, the best KTM representative was Brad Binder in seventh place. Completing the top 10 were Takaaki Nakagami (LCR-Honda), Enea Bastianini (Gresini-Ducati) and Andrea Dovizioso (RNF-Yamaha). Stefan Bradl was 18th, almost two seconds behind.
Aprilia not at the forefront
Aprilia had a difficult start. When they switched to slicks, both were only in the 20th place. Maverick Vinales had a trip through the gravel trap at Turn 4. In the end he improved to eleventh place.
Aleix Espargaró also catapulted himself forward on his last lap, but this time was canceled due to track limits. So the World Cup runner-up was in 17th place. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) didn’t show much either and was 16th.
Ducati only used the new air guide elements on the hump behind the seat for Bastianini and Miller. And in the Honda factory team, Pol Espargaró and Bradl each spotted a new chassis. A 355 millimeter Brembo brake disc is also available to the teams for the first time. But you can also use the 340 version.
The second MotoGP practice session starts at 14:10.