MotoGP Austria FP3 LIVE: Bagnaia threatens Zarco…

Article updated continuously until the end of the session

Whether it's the layoff of Maverick Vinales, of departure from Petronas, tires, new posts and future route, and while waiting for the next calendar which will be announced in the coming hours, the first day of the Austrian Grand Prix had the merit of putting sport back at the center of our interest, and this in diametrically opposed conditions.

In the morning, on an almost perfect track, John Zarco knew how to impose himself in front Joan Mir, Alex Rins, Takaaki Nakagami, Aleix Espargaro, Fabio Quartararo, Alex Márquez, Francesco Bagnaia, Marc Márquez and Jorge Martin, at the same time seizing the new circuit record which until now belonged to George Martin. Quite a symbol, since it was precisely by adopting the same risk-taking as his teammate that the French driver was able to achieve this lap from the first day from which he was not sure he would escape.

Conversely, in the afternoon, Iker Lecuona proved to be the fastest on a track that was first wet and then dry, before adding the final touch by daring at the last minute to use slick tires on a track where it was better not to go off the line... hats off to the artist!

This 3-minute FP45 is therefore the last chance to pre-qualify directly for Q2, and this in good conditions, with a cloudy sky but temperatures of 24° in the air and 25° on the asphalt favorable to good times.

By the time the 20 pilots (Lorenzo Savadori has been declared “unfit”) are getting ready, let’s take advantage of these few minutes of live broadcast thanks to the official website MotoGP.com :

MotoGP™ Red Bull Ring	Styria 2021	Austria 2021
FP1	1'23.805 Takaaki Nakagami (See here)	1'22.827 Johann Zarco (See here)
FP2	1'31.304 Lorenzo Savadori (See here)	1'27.520 Iker Lecuona (See here)
FP3	1'23.114 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)	1'22.874 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	1'31.403 Marc Marquez (See here)
Course	Martin, Mir, Quartararo (See here)
All time lap record	1'22.994 Jorge Martin 2020 (See here)	1'22.827 Johann Zarco (See here)

When the red lights go out... alex rins et Marc Márquez are the first to set off, fabio quartararo the last.

We note that some drivers start directly with a soft rear tire…

Johann zarco immediately proved to be the fastest and recorded 1'23.729 during his second flying lap.

Francis Bagnaia also seems in good shape and wins the next pass before being overwhelmed by Jorge Martin in 123682: 3 Ducati occupy the head of the ranking at the start of the session…

In the wake, fabio quartararo imposes a 1'23.587.

While Enea Bastianini minor fall at turn #1, Johann zarco lowers the benchmark for the session to 1'23.484.

At the end of the first run, the combined ranking of the three sessions presents Johann zarco before Fabio Quartararo, Joan Mir, Jorge Martin, Francesco Bagnaia, Alex Rins, Takaaki Nakagami, Brad Binder, Aleix Espargaro and Alex Marquez.

The Dorna Sports cameras show the saddle with fins seen since yesterday on the KTMs of the Tech3 team.

On resumption, Marc Márquez achieves the 5th fastest time of the session and therefore enters the top 10 in the combined ranking, thereby expelling his brother.

Joan mir climbs into 2nd position while fabio quartararo leaves with a soft rear tire.

The first 16 drivers are then in the same second, alone Iker Lecuona, Valentino Rossi, Danilo Petrucci and Cal Crutchlow appearing at this moment beyond unity.

Despite a mistake at turn #3, Fabio Quartararo takes the lead 17 minutes from the checkered flag, in 1'23.203. In the next passage, El Diablo registered 1'22.975, 1/10 of the record of Johann zarco.

Takaaki Nakagami moves up to 4th position and, 10 minutes from the end of the session, all the drivers are now on soft rear tires, except Johann zarco which retains the medium for the moment.

Alex Espargaro achieves the second time, 2/10 behind Fabio Quartararo, Francesco Bagnaia the 3rd.

The final rush begins under the leadership of Fabio Quartararo which further improves to 1'22.968 six minutes from the red lights coming on.

Two minutes, Johann zarco leaves with a soft rear tire…

Francis Bagnaia lights the first three sectors in red then slams a 1'22.874 to 5/100 of the record Johann zarco !

In extremis, Marc Márquez integrates the fourth position while George Martin, which is not part of the top 10, force and fall without gravity.

Finally, Johann Zarco, Francesco Bagnaia, Fabio Quartararo, Marc Márquez, Aleix Espargaro, Jack Miller, Joan Mir, Takaaki Nakagami, Brad Binder and Pol Espargaro are pre-qualified for Q2, unlikealex rins and George Martin, the winner of the last Grand Prix on the same circuit…

FP3 ranking Austrian MotoGP Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring: 

Combined FP1/FP2/FP3 ranking of Austrian MotoGP Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring: 

Credit ranking: MotoGP.com