Jorge Martin, 2024 MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix. - Gold and Goose.
Jorge Martin, 2024 MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix. - Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose

Austrian MotoGP at Red Bull Ring: Friday Practice as it happened

Recap the Austrian MotoGP Friday practice sessions.

16 Aug 2024
10:27

While Martin was going fastest, Acosta crashed again, this time at turn four. He completely locked the front tyre as soon as he touched the brake. His bike went to the inside of the track and hit the inside wall, but thankfully Acosta is up and walking.

10:26

Time attack coming in from Jorge Martin. With a fresh soft-compound rear tyre he goes to the top by 0.2 seconds.

10:24

Acosta has now crashed at turn 2b, the third crasher in that turn this session. All with the hard-compound front tyre, too.

10:20

Correction, it's Aleix Espararo who is the Aprilia that's back out on track, and he's following his brother, Pol, or trying to, at least.

10:18

Most riders in pit lane again, but some heading back out now, including Bagnaia, Pol Espargaro, and Lorenzo Savadori who's wildcarding for Aprilia this weekend.

10:16

Morbidelli still at the top here with 14 minutes to go, Pol Espargaro still up there in second, too.

10:15

A fairly big front slide in turn seven for Pedro Acosta (that he saved) sends him through the gravel. He rejoins and heads back to the pits.

10:12

Marc Marquez up to fifth now, he was on course for the top spot until the last split where he lost 0.3 seconds.

10:10

PB lap from Jorge Martin gets him up to fourth place. Three Ducatis in the top four now, with Morbidelli top and Bagnaia third.

10:09

Small moment for Marc Marquez, who runs on at the downhill turn four. A trip through the gravel and he carries on.

10:08

No huge movements in the last couple of minutes, but Marco Bezzecchi has fired himself up into the top 10.

10:07

Almost all riders back on track now and some PB lap times coming in.

10:04

Some riders heading back out on track now, Marc Marquez included. He's currently down in 20th.

10:02

Only four riders currently on track, including Aleix Esaprgaro, who has crashed again, this time at the second part of the chicane. Tough start to the weekend for the #41.

09:58

Most riders back in pit lane now, Francesco Bagnaia heading there after almost high-siding at the penultimate corner a lap or two ago.

09:57

Franco Morbidelli to the top now, 0.072 ahead of Pol Espargaro.

09:56

And another crash! Brad Binder down now and once again at the chicane. Binder loses it in the middle of the second part, though, making it a bit further than Espargaro.

09:55

Another crash, this time for Marco Bezzecchi at turn three. He's back on the bike but struggling to get it restarted.

09:54

Espargaro is back to the pits now, as Pol Espargaro's radically updated (at least on the surface) RC16 is still on top.

09:53

There's been a crash for Aleix Espargaro at the turn 2a-2b chicane, just folding the front on the way in. He's up and okay.

09:52

We're now in the 1:29s thanks to Pol Espargaro at a 1:29.944. For reference, the race lap record is a 1:29.840. Still 37 minutes to go this morning.

09:49

First lap times of the morning coming in now, with Jorge Martin setting the early pace.

09:45

The pit lane is now open, and MotoGP FP1 is underway in Austria. Franco Morbidelli and the Gresini Ducati pair are the first out on track.

09:42

We're around five minutes away from FP1 beginning in Austria, and the start of an important weekend for KTM, who are without a podium of any kind in MotoGP since Pedro Acosta was third in the Italian Sprint back in May.

09:29

Jorge Martin arrives in Austria with the championship lead, but it's a slender one - three points - over Francesco Bagnaia, who has won the previous two editions of the Austrian GP.

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