Austrian MotoGP, Red Bull Ring - Free Practice (3) Results
Francesco Bagnaia heads the timesheets during a dry and sunny Free Practice 3 for the Austrian MotoGP at the Red Bull Ring.
However Johann Zarco's Friday time remains unbeaten overall, as Pramac Ducati team-mate and last Sunday's winner Jorge Martin falls on his final lap and is left outside the combined top ten.
Martin will be joined by the likes of Alex Rins in Qualifying 1 this afternoon.
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 (3) Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max |
| 1 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Team (GP21) | 1'22.874s | 19/21 | 319k |
| 2 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.094s | 18/21 | 310k |
| 3 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP21) | +0.138s | 22/23 | 317k |
| 4 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.258s | 22/22 | 316k |
| 5 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) | +0.264s | 18/19 | 312k |
| 6 | Jack Miller | AUS | Ducati Team (GP21) | +0.371s | 22/23 | 317k |
| 7 | Joan Mir | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +0.446s | 18/24 | 310k |
| 8 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.488s | 20/22 | 311k |
| 9 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.579s | 19/20 | 317k |
| 10 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.607s | 21/21 | 317k |
| 11 | Alex Rins | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +0.608s | 21/23 | 311k |
| 12 | Luca Marini | ITA | Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* | +0.653s | 21/22 | 312k |
| 13 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP21)* | +0.684s | 19/19 | 315k |
| 14 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.803s | 20/22 | 313k |
| 15 | Valentino Rossi | ITA | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.813s | 19/21 | 309k |
| 16 | Alex Marquez | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.821s | 18/23 | 312k |
| 17 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +0.832s | 19/22 | 309k |
| 18 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Avintia Ducati (GP19)* | +1.159s | 5/19 | 313k |
| 19 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +1.200s | 18/20 | 309k |
| 20 | Cal Crutchlow | GBR | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.319s | 21/22 | 305k |
* Rookie
| Riders directly to Qualifying 2 - Top 10 Combined Practice Times: | |||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team |
| 1 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP21) |
| 2 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Team (GP21) |
| 3 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 4 | Marc Marquez | ESP | Repsol Honda (RC213V) |
| 5 | Aleix Espargaro | ESP | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) |
| 6 | Jack Miller | AUS | Ducati Team (GP21) |
| 7 | Joan Mir | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) |
| 8 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) |
| 9 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) |
| 10 | Pol Espargaro | ESP | Repsol Honda (RC213V) |
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)
