2024 Austria Moto3, Red Bull Ring - Friday Practice Results

After several changes as the temperature rose and the times dropped, Jose Antonio Rueda’s new record best stayed on top of the timesheets to finish Friday fastest ahead of the Moto3 Austrian Grand Prix.

Eighth in the morning session, with plenty of preparation done for a time attack, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider took the opportunity to slot in behind Ivan Ortola and set a 1m 40.171s new lap record to leave Spielberg leading on Friday.

Championship leader David Alonso used a variety of methods to pull closer, riding solo before heading around with his CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Teammate Joel Esteban to climb to second, just 0.051s behind the KTM.

• 2024 Austrian MotoGP, Red Bull Ring - Friday Practice 
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Most of the Moto3 class opted to ease into the weekend, working on race set-up, but Alonso was instantly fast having already topped free practice with a then new record lap, now bettered by Rueda.

2023 polesitter Collin Veijer has proven pace in Spielberg, having sat in the top spot of the grid for the first time in Austria last year.

The first rider under the 1m 41s benchmark in the session, the Liqui Moly Intact GP Husqvarna rider finished third after setting a string of laps all with a similar time, at first solo but also behind Angel Piqueras and Rueda, as reference.

Also running solo Joel Kelso impressed by not needing a tow or a marker on his way to fourth for BOE Motorsports.

Stefano Nepa flirted with the top of the timesheets early in the session, with those laps seeing him hold onto fifth for LevelUp - MTA.

Winner from pole last time at Silverstone, Ortola was in the mix, working with his teammate while inadvertently towing his rivals on his way to sixth, the best of the MT Helmets - MSI duo.

Late improvements brought David Munoz up to seventh on the second BOE entry, with Ryusei Yamanaka eighth on the other MT helmets machine.

Daniel Holgado spent much of P1 working with Red Bull KTM Tech3 teammate Jacob Roulstone, which saw the GasGas pair fill the top two on more than one occasion in a close session which saw the Spaniard finish ninth, despite only a little over half a second off the best time.

Matteo Bertelle was the best of the Honda riders in eleventh for the Rivacold Snipers team. Esteban was the best of the rookies in tenth, moving up from 17th in the morning for Aspar after working with teammate Alonso.

Tatsuki Suzuki was twelfth fastest on the Husqvarna, with the remaining progression slots filled by rookies Angel Piqueras and Roulstone overnight.

There were falls in P1 for Noah Dettwiler (22nd) and Tatchakorn Buasri (24th).

Vincente Perez (27th)is back again, riding in the Fibre Tec Honda MLav Racing seat vacated by Joshua Whatley. There is an additional wildcard for the weekend as the Liqui Moly Intact GP team swells to three to include local rider Jakob Rosenthaler (25th), handing him a Moto3 debut after impressing in the Junior GP class.