Marco Bezzecchi back on top for Aprilia in Austrian MotoGP warm-up
Marco Bezzecchi leads the final track session before the Austrian MotoGP, Marc Marquez fifth: "Track was completely different".
Austrian MotoGP pole qualifier Marco Bezzecchi put Aprilia back on top of the timesheets during morning warm-up at the Red Bull Ring.
The Italian, fourth in the Sprint, moved ahead of Alex Marquez in the final minute of the ten-minute session.
Francesco Bagnaia, who endured a nightmare Sprint, spinning off the line and later retiring, then moved into second place.
Bagnaia, chasing a fourth Austrian MotoGP victory in a row this afternoon, was 0.199s behind good friend Bezzecchi.
Alex Marquez practiced the long lap penalty he will need to serve in this afternoon’s race, for a collision with Joan Mir at Brno, on his way to third (+0.255s).
Michelin predicts all riders will choose the medium rear (and front) for the grand prix, after the soft rear was picked by all but Johann Zarco in the Sprint.
The medium rear was duly used by all riders this morning. Most started with a new rear tyre, except Fabio Quartararo and Zarco, while there was a mix of new and old soft and medium fronts.
Marc Marquez: 'Track completely different this morning'
Marc Marquez - chasing a 12th race win in a row, sixth weekend double and first ever Austrian MotoGP victory this afternoon - began with a new soft front and medium rear.
The Ducati Lenovo rider finished the session in fifth place 0.4s, from Bezzecchi.
"Yesterday I felt good in the heat, when the track is slippery," Marquez said.
"This morning, the track was completely different after the storm yesterday [night] and colder weather.
"But let's see. we'll try and fight for the victory. it will be a long race and we'll need to manage the tyres."
Alex’s Gresini team-mate Fermin Aldeguer was sixth. The rookie was faster than all but Marc Marquez during the second half of the Sprint as he recovered from wheelspin off the line.
KTM’s Pedro Acosta, third in the Sprint, used an old medium front tyre for seventh ahead of Franco Morbidelli, Raul Fernandez and Fabio di Giannantonio.
Jack Miller was dogged by technical issues with his Pramac Yamaha this morning and only managed three laps.
Rain remains a threat throughout the day, with bike swaps practiced during warm-up.
The 28-lap grand prix starts at 2pm local time.
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Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
