Austrian Grand Prix Red Bull Ring MotoGP Q.1: the chalice to the dregs for Rossi.

The sun returned to the Red Bull Ring circuit so that the debates interrupted by the rain since the FP1 will be able to resume. FP4 has prepared the race, it is now a matter of finding a place on the starting grid. First half of these qualifications, this Q.1 which is already like a final for Valentino Rossi…times are tough when riding a Yamaha at the moment! Alex Espargaro, Bradley Smith and Alex Rins are the other official drivers who will try to save themselves. And Jack Miller is expected to be the outsider of choice.

The track is heated to 34° and the public to 23°. Before launching into battle, a reminder of the facts in table…

 

Red Bull Ring MotoGP	2017	2018
FP1	1'24.631 Hector Barbera (See here)	1'23.830 Andrea Dovizioso (See here)
FP2	1'24.046 Andrea Dovizioso (See here)	1'33.995 Marc Marquez (See here)
FP3	1'23.459 Marc Marquez (See here)	1'26.496 Marc Marquez
FP4	1'24.180 Marc Marquez (See here)	1'24.139 Marc Marquez
Qualification 1	1'23.754 Danilo Petrucci (See here)
Qualification 2	1'23.235 Marc Marquez (See here)
Warm Up	1'23.979 Andrea Dovizioso (See here)
Course	Dovizioso, Marquez, Pedrosa (See here)
All time lap record	1'23.142 Andrea Iannone 2016

 

We will remember that whatever happens to him in this exercise, Franco Morbidelli will have to give up three places on the starting grid which will be set up on Sunday, because of a penalty taken during FP1 for a pace that was too slow. The first reference is due to Kidneys in 1'25.016, ahead Baptist who then responds with a 1'24. 417. Smith comes between the duo in 1'24.678. And we worry about one Red only fifth.

Miller did not set a single time and remained stuck in his pit. It's a disaster for the Australian, betrayed by his gearbox! The first part ends with Baptist et Smith drafted. For the final bouquet, Miller finally appears and points fifth. Baptist puts the cursor at 1'24.276.

More Kidneys does better then Red had just taken second place which became third. Then fourth when Smith comes second. But Baptist reacted and signed a 1'24.195. the checkered flag came out as Red is in his last lap, passed behind a Morbidely which bothers him. He won't make it through. Instead of Baptist and Kidneys. Rossi will start 14th in the Austrian Grand Prix.

Austrian Grand Prix Red Bull Ring MotoGP Q.1: times