MotoGP Austria FP1 LIVE: Jack Miller in front of a strong Johann Zarco!

Being on the 13th step of a MotoGP World Championship which has 20, the Austrian Grand Prix on the Red Bull Ring will mark two thirds of the quest for a world title, more open than ever. But before analyzing the dynamics of each force present, let us note some technical new features...

The biggest is of course the new chicane put in place this year between turns 2 and 3 to break the finishing speed in the latter.

We could have named it the “Zarco chicane” to remember, if necessary, the terrible incident that occurred in 2020 which came within a hair’s breadth of turning into a tragedy…

…but the authorities preferred to opt for a less humorous and more numerical nomenclature: turn 2A and turn 2B.

The first consequence is to freeze the lap records of the old route, George Martin forever remaining the fastest in 1'24.643 since his 2021 pole position. According to the simulations, the times are expected around 6 seconds slower than before.
The second is to add braking on a circuit which was already rated 5/5 on the Brembo difficulty index which provides brakes for the entire MotoGP field. In addition to the fact that the Italian manufacturer has revised its scale to classify the Red Bull Ring at 6/6, this brings the Austrian circuit into the very reduced list of tracks where the 320mm carbon discs are prohibited. On the program will only be the 340 and 355 mm, as in Motegi and Buriram, but only in the winged version, i.e. the most powerful solution available.

Finally, just in case, remember that the Long Lap takes place at turn #1 and costs much more than at Silverstone…

We arrive at the championship, where the situation is a bit paradoxical: although having lost heavily with his mistake at Assen, the current leader, fabio quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), got out of his Silverstone penalty by very slightly increasing his lead over his immediate pursuer, Alex Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), relegated to 22 points. But this was only possible thanks to the injury to the latter's feet and right heel and, worse for the Frenchman who was starting to appear as the big favorite for the 2022 crown, a third and threatening contender is moving up to speed Grand V by chaining together victories, Francis Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). With upcoming circuits not particularly favorable to a Yamaha M1 which has difficulty overtaking, like the Red Bull Ring where Yamaha has never won, El Diablo will have to show composure and seize every opportunity to try to double his world champion title: a difficult but motivating task and far from impossible for the Monster driver…

The dynamic has therefore changed camps and confidence is in order at Ducati arriving on the track cut with a billhook where the Borgo Panigale firm has won six victories in MotoGP, since the return in 2016, with Andrea Iannone (2016, from pole), Andrea Dovizioso (2017, 2019 and 2020/1), Jorge Lorenzo (2018) et Jorge Martin (2021/1, from pole).

With Francis Bagnaia in good shape, his teammate Jack Miller just got on the podium at Silverstone, Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) back at the forefront in Great Britain and 4th in the championship, Johann zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) strong and fast in England, and George Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) already a winner on the Austrian circuit, we are already rubbing our hands on the Bologna side, especially since the list does not stop there, with for example a driver like Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), also fast and eager to play in the big leagues.

Faced with the optimist of the red armada, another Italian brand is bathed in euphoria, at least on one side of its box, that of Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing). We have rarely seen the Catalan rider as happy as after his 2nd place at Silverstone and, a year after his separation from Yamaha, the rider from Noale has now reached a level where he can interfere in the course of the championship, as could be expected. elsewhere make it a new engine for the RS-GP in the Grands Prix to come. Note also that Lorenzo Savadori , although suffering slightly from a shoulder injury sustained during training, is present in Austria…

And, how can we talk about the Red Bull Ring without mentioning the performance of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), de facto leader of the Mattighofen firm which has won twice at home (Miguel Oliveira during the 2020 Styrian GP and Brad Binder during the 2021 Austrian GP): he collects the points with a metronome regularity, in addition to seizing opportunities, as he did last year on slicks in the wet.

Number 1 at KTM since the known departure of Miguel Oliveira at RNF, the South African will welcome the Australian next year Jack Miller as a teammate to make an exotic duo from the southern hemisphere, while the sister machines of the Tech3 team, once repainted in red and white in the GASGAS colors, will be piloted by Espargaro Pol and (probably) Remy Gardner. An announcement will be made in the coming hours…

Although efficient and having fast drivers, the Suzukis ofalex rins et Joan mir still suffer in qualifying. This, plus an impressive number of blank results and an inevitably heavy atmosphere since the announcement of the manufacturer's withdrawal from Hamamatsu at the end of the year, unfortunately relegates the beautiful GSX-RRs to 8th and 12th places in the general classification.

Finally, note the presence in the paddock of Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) as an advisor to the Honda men visibly lost without the Spanish prodigy at the helm. The number 93 has not yet driven or raced since Mugello and his last surgical operation but still remains the current points leader of the firm with the golden wing (!) and will be present to allow the factory Japanese company to guide the development of the new RC213V in the right direction. Already in contact from his home, the eight-time world champion will therefore be present in Austria and Misano, always replaced by Stefan bradl on his machine.

In summary, since the return of MotoGP to the Red Bull Ring in 2016, Ducati has won 6 times and KTM 2 times, the 4 cylinders in line never: place your bets!

The official program here

While waiting to discover more, as the 25 drivers prepare for this first 45-minute free practice session on a drying track, with temperatures of 18° in the air and 20° on the ground, let's take advantage of these few live moments thanks to the official website MotoGP.com :

MotoGP™ Red Bull Ring	Austria 2021	Austria 2022 (New chicane)
FP1	1'23.805 Takaaki Nakagami (See here)	1'30.756 Jack Miller (See here)
FP2	1'31.304 Lorenzo Savadori (See here)
FP3	1'23.114 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)
FP4	1'23.816 Fabio Quartararo (See here)
Q1	1'23.547 Alex Marquez (See here)
Q2	1'22.994 Jorge Martin (See here)
Warm-up	1'23.629 Fabio Quartararo (See here)
Course	Brad Binder, Bagnaia, Martin (See here)
All time lap record	1'22.994 Jorge Martin (See here)

When the red lights go out... Franco Morbidelli continues the tradition by jumping on the first, just like fabio quartararo the last.

Everyone is on rain tires, mostly medium front/soft rear, except for Andrea Dovizioso et  Darryn binder who use the tender before and Marco Bezzecchi the rear midrange.

Jack Miller recorded the first reference of this new route in 1'42.347 at the end of the first flying lap, ahead of Maverick Vinales et John Zarco.

The trajectory begins to seriously dry up and on the next pass the Australian is in 1'41.633 before handing over the lead to Johann zarco 1'40.413 at the end of the third flying lap.

Miguel Oliveira then recorded 1'39.109 ahead of the French rider but the track continued to dry and the times went down: 1'38.843 for the KTM rider, ahead Johann zarco definitely in great shape at the start of the weekend.

At the end of the first quarter of an hour, however, it is Jack Miller who wins at the top of the hierarchy in 1'38.710, 5/1000 ahead Joan mir.

Johann zarco then responds in 1'38.442 before bowing to the 1'38.035 of Miguel Oliveira.

As the mid-session approaches, as the sun continues to dry the trajectory, the ranking presents Miguel Oliveira 3/10 ahead Jack Miller, Maverick Vinales, Johann Zarco, Johann Mir, Alex Rins, Alex Márquez, Takaaki Nakagami, Jorge Martin, Fabio Quartararo, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Stefan Bradl, Luca Marini, Brad Binder, Lorenzo Savadori, Raul Fernandez, Francesco Bagnaia, Andrea Dovizioso, Remy Gardner, Franco Morbidelli, Marco Bezzecchi, Enea Bastianini, Aleix Espargaro, Pol Espargaro and Darryn Binder.

16 minutes from the end of the session, Marco Bezzecchi is the first to come out with slick tires, soft front/medium rear.

Andrea Dovizioso et Miguel Oliveira do the same while John Zarco, still on rain tires, provisionally sets 1'36.916.

There follows a period where the slick drivers get their bearings on a still tricky asphalt, then Miguel Oliveira is the first driver to take command on tires without grooves before his time is pulverized by half a dozen drivers with the same tires, like Marco Bezzecchi provisionally in 1'35.922.

Remy gardner by a minor fault at turn #5 when Miguel Oliveira tries to regain the advantage from the pilots of the VR 46.

Jack Miller does not go into detail and enters 1'32.987 then 1'32.064 in front Fabio Quartararo at 1,1 seconds!

The session is a bit crazy and the rankings keep updating at high speed, with drivers going from the top to the bottom of the table in a matter of seconds...

Three minutes from the checkered flag, we Jack Miller ahead of Alex Rins, Fabio Quartararo, Johann Zarco, Jorge Martin, Marco Bezzecchi, Maverick Vinales, Alex Márquez, Pol Espargaro and Joan Mir for the top 10.

To everyone's surprise, the one who made us dream about this circuit, Andrea Dovizioso, joins the forefront in sixth position, but everything changes very quickly, apart from the domination of Jack Miller.

In extremis, the latter improved 1'30.756 ahead of a Johann zarco very consistent.

Results from FP1 of the MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com