Pramac Ducati meant business once again as MotoGP returned to Spielberg, with Johann Zarco setting an all-time lap record - a 1’22.827 - in the AustrianGP’s first practice.
Suzuki’s Joan Mir and Alex Rins secured the remaining top-three spots ahead of Takaaki Nakagami and a last-minute effort from Aleix Espargaro.
FP1 kicked off under a cloud of gossip and speculation as Thursday’s breaking news filtered down. Fabio Quartararo took to the track as the solitary factory Yamaha after his Monster Energy teammate, Maverick Viñales, was withdrawn from the race weekend having been suspended due to ‘unexplained irregular operation of the motorcycle’ during the StyrianGP.
As the action fired up, Takaaki Nakagami continued his impressive form at the head of the timings, setting a 1’23.810 on his fifth lap, to lead fellow Honda Marc Marquez and Pramac’s Johann Zarco in the top-three. The Ducati’s show of strength continued as Pecco Bagnaia and last Sunday’s race-winner, Jorge Martin, sat fifth and sixth, Joan Mir once again splitting the Desmosedici’s, in fourth.
Quartararo joined the fun, in second, with his sixth lap of the morning’s 45-minute practice. Pol Espargaro, Alex Marquez and Alex Rins completing the initial top-10 while the remaining Yamaha’s of Valentino Rossi and Cal Crutchlow sat 18th and 20th respectively - Petronas team director Johan Stigefelt all but confirming the rumours that Petronas sponsorship will cease at the end of 2021, with the Moto2/3 teams folding alongside as the SRT finances are redistributed.
The second half of the session saw no change to the top times, Bagnaia the only rider in the top-10 to fine-tune his pace as he advanced to fourth, Marquez trailing the Italian by six-hundredths in fifth.
Aleix Espargaro pushed his stricken Aprilia back up pitlane before a second attempt to leave the garage with 15-minutes left to run was also foiled. His team-mate Lorenzo Savadori out of action due to a fractured ankle sustained last time out and with the Noale squad chasing not to field a replacement.
A muted start for the KTM’s saw Miguel Oliveira heading the home talent from 14th, Brad Binder tightly behind in 15th - just over half a second adrift of the fastest time - with Danilo Petrucci and Iker Lecuona circulating 17th and 19th respectively.
The end of the session saw Mir throw on a fresh soft rear in the hunt for a fast lap, the Suzuki rider striking the standings with a 1’23.625 to sit 0.185s clear with five minutes remaining. Rins did likewise moments later as he secured a GSX-RR one-two, until Zarco hit back almost instantly and in some style, to head the times with the first 1’22 of the weekend, setting an all-time lap record on his 21st lap of FP1.
Espargaro overcame mid-session technical gremlins to claim fifth with his penultimate lap, Quartararo suffering a similar issue in the closing minutes to sit sixth at the close of the morning session. Jack Miller suffering a disappointing opening practice in 18th.
