Austrian GP: Zarco comes out swinging in Spielberg

Bengaluru, August 14: It's official! Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) is the new fastest-ever MotoGP rider at the Red Bull Ring circuit in Spielberg, Austria.

The Frenchman's 1:22.827 set in FP1 is a new all-time lap record and one serious benchmark after a tougher Styrian GP, leaving him eight tenths clear after Day 1 of the Austrian GP at te

Reigning champion and Styrian GP podium finisher Joan Mir was second, just ahead of his Team Suzuki Ecstar team-mate Alex Rins.

With the weather forecast for Saturday making for interesting reading, that top ten could leave a few usual suspects looking for a way into Q2.

They include both Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder, who ended the day in P15 and P16, respectively, as well as Jack Miller just behind them in 17th.

They will be looking for a way through as FP3 begins at 9:55 am local time (1.25pm IST) and for better grid positions in qualifying, which starts at 2.10pm local time (5.40pm IST).

Tune in to see who can reign the Red Bull Ring on take two!

Quartararo in top 6

Zarco's unbelievable pace in the morning was simply untouchable. Only three riders got within a second of the Ducati rider - fourth place Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) joining the Suzukis in that department - as Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) completed the top five.

Both the Spaniard and 2021 FIM MotoGP World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) encountered small issues with their machines in the morning, both though inside the top six ahead.

Mir in the hunt

The Team Suzuki Ecstar due off Mir and Rins, who completed the top three kept the chase on, but Zarco was in a class of his own as his time was faster than team-mate Jorge Martin's Styrian GP pole time from last weekend.

Zarco's unbelievable pace in the morning was simply untouchable. Only three riders got within a second of the Ducati rider.

Rins in the Ring

Rins too did his best to finish in the top three as fourth place Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) joined the Suzukis in that department - as Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) completed the top five.

In the afternoon, the Styrian heavens opened. A mostly wet FP3 prevailed for the premier class in what was an almost carbon copy of seven days ago - a dry line appearing in the latter stages.

Marquez in chasing pack

Behind sixth place Quartararo sits Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) in seventh, the two-time world champion in feeder class again showing solid speed at the Red Bull Ring, the number 73 is a spot ahead of Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team).

Ninth position belongs to Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) as three Hondas place inside the top 10 on the opening day, Styrian GP winner Martin occupies 10th place.

(By a special arrangement with Dorna Sports)