Austrian MotoGP, Red Bull Ring - Free Practice (4) Results

Free Practice (4) results from the Austrian MotoGP at the Red Bull Ring, round 11 of the 2021 world championship.
Johann Zarco, Austrian MotoGP, 14 August 2021
Johann Zarco, Austrian MotoGP, 14 August 2021
© Gold and Goose

Johann Zarco stays fastest during final practice for the Austrian MotoGP at the Red Bull Ring, ahead of an impressive lap by rookie Enea Bastianini and Suzuki's reigning world champion Joan Mir.

Marc Marquez and last sunday's winner Jorge Martin were among those to fall without harm.

Qualifying 1, for those outside the top ten after third free practice, will now get underway.

Maverick Vinales has been suspended from this weekend's race by Yamaha 'due to the unexplained irregular operation of the motorcycle' during last Sunday's Styria MotoGP, rumoured to mean deliberate over-revving of the bike: 'The rider's actions could have potentially caused significant damage to the engine... which could have caused serious risks to himself and possibly other riders.'

Michelin has changed the hard front tyre option after an issue for Miguel Oliveira in Sunday's Styrian race.

Cal Crutchlow is making the second of three planned appearances as a replacement for the injured Franco Morbidelli at Petronas Yamaha.

Aprilia's Lorenzo Savadori is absent due to an ankle injury in last Sunday's fiery accident with Dani Pedrosa.

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

A chicane will be added to slow down the fast Turn 2 kink next season.

Austrian MotoGP, Red Bull Ring - Free Practice (4) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP21)1'24.037s5/13313k
2Enea BastianiniITAAvintia Ducati (GP19)*+0.120s5/15315k
3Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.128s13/17309k
4Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.165s12/15310k
5Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.181s5/15306k
6Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)+0.265s3/17311k
7Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.285s4/16310k
8Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.318s15/15315k
9Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP21)*+0.331s5/10316k
10Jack MillerAUSDucati Team (GP21)+0.380s4/17316k
11Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+0.405s7/16314k
12Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+0.415s11/18311k
13Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.448s4/18312k
14Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.547s5/18311k
15Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Team (GP21)+0.605s7/18317k
16Valentino RossiITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.612s17/17306k
17Danilo PetrucciITAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+0.656s4/17309k
18Luca MariniITASky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)*+0.712s13/15311k
19Cal CrutchlowGBRPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.782s7/15303k
20Iker LecuonaSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+1.109s3/14305k

* Rookie
Official Red Bull Ring MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Johann Zarco FRA Ducati 1m 22.827s (2021)

Fastest race lap:
Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati 1m 23.827s (2019)

By Peter McLaren

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