Styrian MotoGP, Austria - Free Practice (2) Results

Free Practice (2) results from the Styrian MotoGP at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, round 10 of the 2021 world championship.
Lorenzo Savadori, Styrian MotoGP, 6 August 2021
Lorenzo Savadori, Styrian MotoGP, 6 August 2021
© Gold and Goose

Aprilia's Lorenzo Savadori surprises with the fastest Free Practice 2 lap at the Styrian MotoGP in Austria, as afternoon rain means the Friday morning times remain unbeaten.

With further bad weather forecast this weekend all riders took to the track, an instant fall for Lecuona at turn one on his out-lap illustrating the tricky nature of the conditions at a track where many riders have expressed safety concerns in the rain.

Lecuona made amends by going fastest soon after, before Marc Marquez took over at the top just before the middle stages.

A dry line then developed, with Savadori moving to the top before Jack Miller was typically the first rider to fit slick tyres in the final five minutes. But the conditions were not good enough for the dry rubber and Savadori remained quickest.

Miguel Oliveira, who underwent medical checks after a nasty highside this morning, made only a brief appearance this afternoon due to pain in his hand, pitting without completing a flying lap.

Dani Pedrosa, who retired from MotoGP at the end of 2018, is returning to action this weekend as a wild-card entry for KTM, where he is employed as an official test rider.

Pedrosa won 31 races during his premier-class career, spent entirely with Honda, and was the top KTM on Friday in eleventh despite a technical issue in FP1.

Cal Crutchlow is also back in MotoGP, for the next three rounds, as a replacement for the injured Franco Morbidelli at Petronas Yamaha. A three time MotoGP race winner, Crutchlow signed up as Yamaha's official test rider after retiring from MotoGP at the end of last season.

Valentino Rossi announced on Thursday that he will retire at the end of the 2021 season.

The back-to-back Austrian events will be the first since the start of the Covid pandemic without special restrictions in place for spectator numbers.

Styrian MotoGP, Austria - Free Practice (2) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Lorenzo SavadoriITAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)*1'31.304s15/19299k
2Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP21)+0.154s21/21304k
3Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.262s18/18303k
4Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Team (GP21)+0.878s21/21309k
5Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)+0.927s12/12299k
6Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+1.007s18/18303k
7Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+1.141s16/16305k
8Iker LecuonaSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+1.239s18/20300k
9Maverick ViñalesSPAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+1.381s10/13299k
10Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+1.537s11/14303k
11Enea BastianiniITAAvintia Ducati (GP19)*+1.720s21/21303k
12Luca MariniITASky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)*+1.848s16/18301k
13Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+2.111s10/16308k
14Jack MillerAUSDucati Team (GP21)+2.149s9/14305k
15Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+2.194s16/18298k
16Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+2.285s19/19304k
17Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+2.354s14/15302k
18Danilo PetrucciITAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+2.380s11/15296k
19Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP21)*+2.602s20/20308k
20Cal CrutchlowGBRPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+2.650s18/19298k
21Dani PedrosaSPARed Bull KTM (RC16)+2.650s15/17296k
22Valentino RossiITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+3.278s15/20298k
 Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)No Time  

* Rookie

Top 10 Combined Practice Times:
PosRiderNatTeam
1Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)
2Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
3Aleix EspargaroESPAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)
4Alex RinsESPSuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
5Pol EspargaroESPRepsol Honda (RC213V)
6Marc MarquezESPRepsol Honda (RC213V)
7Maverick VinalesESPMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
8Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
9Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP21)
10Jack MillerAUSDucati Team (GP21)

CLICK HERE for the full FP1 results 

Fastest FP1 time:
Takaaki Nakagami JPN Honda 1m 23.805s

Official Red Bull Ring MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 1m 23.027s (2019)
Fastest race lap:
Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati 1m 23.827s (2019)

By Peter McLaren
 

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