Austrian MotoGP, Red Bull Ring - Free Practice (3) Results

Free Practice (3) results from the Austrian MotoGP at the Red Bull Ring, round 13 (of 20) in the 2022 world championship.
Johann
Johann
Austrian MotoGP, Red Bull Ring - Free Practice (3) Results
Pos RiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1=Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP22)1'28.964s22/22312k
2^2Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.153s21/22308k
3˅1Jack MillerAUSDucati Lenovo (GP22)+0.316s16/21312k
4˅1Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP22)+0.360s21/21313k
5=Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP22)+0.413s14/19313k
6^2Enea BastianiniITAGresini Ducati (GP21)+0.493s19/19314k
7^6Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.509s22/23309k
8^2Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.557s19/20316k
9=Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+0.559s21/22310k
10^5Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.574s15/19308k
11=Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+0.576s19/20309k
12=Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+0.621s20/21309k
13˅6Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP21)*+0.659s20/21316k
14^5Fabio Di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP21)*+0.677s20/20309k
15˅9Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+0.720s11/16310k
16˅2Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.746s20/21314k
17=Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.791s18/19310k
18^4Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.857s21/21309k
19˅1Andrea DoviziosoITAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)+0.881s19/20305k
20˅4Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+1.053s21/21312k
21=Stefan BradlGERRepsol Honda (RC213V)+1.062s19/20308k
22^2Darryn BinderRSAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)*+1.508s17/17304k
23=Remy GardnerAUSKTM Tech3 (RC16)*+1.590s19/19308k
24^1Raul FernandezSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)*+2.240s16/21310k
25˅5Lorenzo SavadoriITAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+2.735s4/9305k

* Rookie

Key:
^X Rider is X positions higher than FP2.
= Rider is same position as FP2.
˅X Rider is X positions lower than FP2.

Fastest Friday time:
Johano Zarco FRA Ducati 1m 29.837s

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 escapes a near miss with Aleix Espargaro to stay on top of the timesheets during Free Practice 3 for the Austrian MotoGP, while the Aprilia rider could only manage eleventh and will take part in Qualifying 1.

Title leaders Fabio Quartararo and Espargaro were both outside of the top ten of the Ducati-dominated classification as the final 10 minutes began. Quartararo then bolted to the top, but Espargaro dropped all the way to 18th after a fall through the new chicane.

The tension increased as the Aprilia rider struggled to improve after returning to the track - the incident with Zarco, who had just rejoined the track from pit lane, was scarily close but didn't seem to cost Espargaro time - before finally snatching ninth place with one minute to go. But the relief was short-lived with Espargaro promptly bumped back out of the top ten and heading for Qualifying 1. 

Espargaro and Zarco spoke after the session, the Frenchman gesturing that he couldn't move any more to the side of the track.

Luca Marini, Aprilia test ride Lorenzo Savadori and Tech3's Remy Gardner also fell during the session.

Remote video URL

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 has revealed 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

Silverstone: MotoGP World Championship standings
Pos RiderNatTeamPointsDiff.
1=Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)180 
2=Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)158(-22)
3^1Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP22)131(-49)
4^1Enea BastianiniITAGresini Ducati (GP21)118(-62)
5˅2Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP22)114(-66)
6^1Jack MillerAUSDucati Lenovo (GP22)107(-73)
7˅1Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)98(-82)
8^1Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)84(-96)
9^3Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)82(-98)
10=Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)81(-99)
11=Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP22)81(-99)
12˅4Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)77(-103)
13^1Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP21)*61(-119)
14˅1Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)60(-120)
15=Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)56(-124)
16=Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)45(-135)
17=Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)42(-138)
18=Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)27(-153)
19=Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)26(-154)
20=Fabio di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP21)*18(-162)
21=Darryn BinderRSAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)*10(-170)
22=Andrea DoviziosoITAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)10(-170)
23=Remy GardnerAUSKTM Tech3 (RC16)*9(-171)
24=Raul FernandezSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)*5(-175)

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