Bagnaia fastest in Styrian FP3, KTMs and Rins to go through Q1

Francesco Bagnaia secures automatic progression to Q2 after finishing FP3 fastest at the Styrian MotoGP. Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira will need to qualify through Q1 at KTM’s home circuit.
Francesco Bagnaia, Styrian MotoGP, 7 August 2021
Francesco Bagnaia, Styrian MotoGP, 7 August 2021
© Gold and Goose

Francesco Bagnaia claimed top spot in a highly competitive Styrian MotoGP FP3 ahead of Yamaha riders Fabio Quartararo and Maverick Vinales.

In what was a dry and sunny FP3, Jack Miller, Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro were the first riders to improve upon their FP1 times, while Jorge Martin quickly followed suit by moving up from 17th to second with just seven minutes gone. 

With much improved grip compared to day-one available - even after the heavy rain of FP2 - Vinales went fastest overall with 30 minutes to go, while team-mate Quartararo moved back into the top ten after momentarily slipping out of the automatic Q2 places.

Joan Mir’s decision to run a new soft front and rear with half the session remaining saw him go fastest from Vinales by two tenths.

Suzuki riders Mir and Alex Rins were both seen using the team’s new rear ride height device after not being able to do so during Friday’s running.

Time-attacks began with just over ten minutes to go, as eight-time world champion Marquez put down a marker of 1:23.513s. That was quickly beaten by Vinales as Marquez returned to pit lane. 

Vinales improved further with a time of 1:23.375s, while Martin’s strong session continued. The Spaniard went third with eight minutes to go, seconds before fellow Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia relegated him to fourth. 

There was on-track tension between both Monster Energy Yamaha riders when Quartararo dived down the inside of Vinales at turn three - making the Spaniard sit up and run off track - as did Quartararo. Both riders began gesticulating at each other on track and on entry to pit lane.  

Quartararo momentarily went second on his final run, however, the championship leader’ time was deleted for exceeding track limits. The Frenchman recovered to go fastest on his very next lap, while Luca Marini became the first crasher of the session at turn one. 

Quartararo didn’t finish the session fastest though, instead it was Bagnaia who took top spot by just -0.028s. 

Martin suffered a slightly embarrassing fall after the session finished as he tried to turn around at turn one after running off track. 

The Spaniard managed to finish fourth fastest and secure direct access to Q2 along with fellow Ducati riders Johann Zarco and Miller who finished sixth and ninth. 

Marquez and Nakagami also secured automatic spots in Q2, as did Mir and Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro. The big names to miss out were both factory KTM’s of Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira, along with Suzuki’s Rins. 

After undergoing more medical checks following FP2, Oliveira was back out on track during FP3 after suffering no fractures.

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