MotoGP Austria Practice: Acosta Fastest, Marquez & Martin to Q2

Pedro Acosta continued his impressive form at the MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix, topping the Practice session with a blistering lap of 1:28.381. The KTM rider finished over half a second clear of his nearest rival, establishing himself as the man to beat this weekend.

The session was crucial for determining the ten riders who would automatically advance to Q2. Alongside Acosta, big names such as Marc Marquez, Jorge Martin, and Marco Bezzecchi secured their spots, avoiding the dreaded Q1. The competition was fierce from the start, with 16 riders separated by less than a second.

Acosta's Dominance and Quartararo's Surprise

Acosta wasted no time in setting the pace, posting a 1:28.840 on medium tires early on. Surprisingly, Fabio Quartararo slotted into second, just four tenths adrift. The Frenchman, who has struggled with the Yamaha's performance, showed a glimmer of hope with a competitive lap.

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However, Acosta was not done. He continued to improve, eventually lowering his time to 1:28.381, a lap that no one could match. “I feel comfortable on the bike and the team has done a great job. We made big changes after Misano and it's paying off here,” said Acosta after the session.

Crashes and Red Flag

The session was not without incidents. Johann Zarco crashed at Turn 4, and moments later, his LCR teammate Moreira also ran off at the same corner. The incidents caused a brief disruption but no serious injuries were reported.

A red flag was shown when Alex Marquez went down. Fortunately, the Gresini rider was unhurt and able to continue. Turn 4 proved to be particularly treacherous, catching out several riders.

Battle for Q2

Behind Acosta, the fight for Q2 was intense. Marc Marquez, who typically pushes hard on Fridays, took a more measured approach. He was fifth at one point but eventually secured his place in Q2 with a solid lap.

Jorge Martin, still recovering from his arm injury, also made it into Q2, a positive sign for the Pramac rider. Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi and Luca Marini showed promising pace, ensuring a highly competitive qualifying session on Saturday.

With Acosta leading the way, the battle for pole position promises to be thrilling. The short and fast Red Bull Ring will host an intense fight, and Acosta's rivals will be eager to close the gap.