Austrian MotoGP, Red Bull Ring - Free Practice (2) Results

* Rookie

Key:
^X Rider is X positions higher than FP1.
= Rider is same position as FP1.
˅X Rider is X positions lower than FP1.

Fastest FP1 time:
Jack Miller AUS Ducati 1m 30.756s

Previous Red Bull Ring MotoGP records (no chicane):
Best lap:
Jorge Martin SPA Ducati 1m 22.643s (2021)
Fastest race lap:
Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati 1m 23.827s (2019)

Johann Zarco leads seven Ducatis in the top eight during Friday practice for the 2022 Austrian MotoGP at the Red Bull Ring.

Jack Miller's damp 1m 30.756s morning time, set on the newly revised layout featuring a chicane at Turn 2, was soon beaten this afternoon - but rain flags in the final ten minutes heightened the urgency.

At a track where Ducati has won six of the last eight races, the Desmosedicis looked even more comfortable with the extra braking and acceleration of the new chicane.

While some riders lost laps to yellow flags in the closing stages, with both Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez falling, the only Ducati rider left outside the top ten (covered by 0.291s) was rookie Fabio di Giannantonio.

Yamaha's world champion Fabio Quartararo led the opposition, forcing his way up to fourth, while Aprilia title rival Aleix Espargaro must hope for dry weather on Saturday morning if he is to make direct access to Qualifying 2.

Fabio Quartararo takes a 22-point lead over Aleix Espargaro into this weekend’s Austrian MotoGP, but it is third in the standings Francesco Bagnaia who is very much the man of the moment.

The Ducati star had been 91 points behind Quartararo but victories at Assen and Silverstone, combined with problems for the title leaders, mean Bagnaia has slashed the gap to 49 points from the top with eight rounds to go.

That’s still a hefty margin, but from last year’s performances Bagnaia could be the man to beat not only at the Red Bull Ring this weekend, where he led for the opening 24 laps until a rain storm arrived last year, but also the following Misano (won the first race, fell while leading the second) and Aragon (winner) rounds.

The lack of long corners at the Red Bull Ring, combined with hard braking and acceleration, has certainly made the venue a Ducati favourite in the past. Andrea Iannone gave the factory its first race win since Casey Stoner at the 2016 round, followed by victories for Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo in 2017 and 2018, then Dovizioso again in 2019.

The 2020 Covid calendar featured two Red Bull Ring races. Dovizioso claimed what looks set to be his final MotoGP victory in the first race, before Miguel Oliveira finally broke the Ducati dominance – and made history for Tech3 KTM – with a debut win in the second.

Austrian again made two appearances last season, with a debut win for Pramac Ducati and Jorge Martin in the first being followed by a brave slicks-in-the-rain triumph for KTM’s Brad Binder in the second.

Maverick Vinales missed the second event after being suspended by Yamaha for deliberately over-revving his engine, following technical issues, the previous weekend.

Vinales wouldn’t ride an M1 again, but returns in red hot form on the Aprilia RS-GP with podiums at the last two races, including finishing second by just 0.426s to Bagnaia last time at Silverstone.

KTM is expected to reveal more of its 2023 rider line-up this weekend by confirming the return of Pol Espargaro at Tech3, while Austria is also the last chance for Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martin to impress Ducati before a decision is made on who will replace Jack Miller, alongside Bagnaia, at the factory team in 2023.

Austrian MotoGP - Race weekend schedule (UK time)

Friday 19 August

7.25am - MotoE FP1

8am - Moto3 FP1

8.55am - MotoGP FP1

9.55am - Moto2 FP1

11.35am - MotoE FP2

12.15pm - Moto3 FP2

1.10pm - MotoGP FP2

2.10pm - Moto2 FP2

3.50pm - MotoE Qualifying 1

4.10pm - MotoE Qualifying 2

Saturday 20 August

8am - Moto3 FP3

8.55am - MotoGP FP3

9.55am - Moto2 FP3

11.35am - Moto3 Q1

12pm - Moto3 Q2

12.30pm - MotoGP FP4

1.10pm - MotoGP Q1

1.35pm - MotoGP Q2

2.10pm - Moto2 Q1

2.35pm - Moto2 Q2

3.15pm - MotoE race 1

Sunday 21 August

8am - Moto3 warm-up

8.20am - Moto2 warm-up

8.40am - MotoGP warm-up

10am - Moto3 race

11.20am - Moto2 race

1pm - MotoGP race

2.30pm - MotoE race