Austrian MotoGP Practice Results | Zarco tops timesheets amid depleted field

Johann Zarco set the pace in Friday free practice for the Austrian MotoGP as the riders returned to the Red Bull Ring for the second of back-to-back races

Johann Zarco - Pramac Racing Ducati

Johann Zarco picked up where Pramac Racing team-mate Jorge Martin left off at the Red Bull Ring by claiming the fastest time in Friday free practice for the Austrian MotoGP.

Five days after Martin made history for the team by securing its maiden MotoGP win after 19 years of trying, team-mate Zarco suggested he is well placed to achieve something similar this weekend by showcasing lap record pace.

Setting a remarkable 1m 22.827secs, Zarco was a huge eight tenths faster than anyone else in FP1, with that benchmark standing since damp conditions would go on to blight FP2.

Suzuki enjoyed a strong start to the weekend with Joan Mir and Alex Rins landing the second and third best laps, with Takaaki Nakagami - who finished fifth last weekend - a promising fourth as the best placed Honda man.

With Maverick Vinales suspended, Dani Pedrosa not wild-carding and Lorenzo Savadori out through injury, only 20 riders will line-up in Austria this weekend.

Despite being down to just one RS-GP entry, the Aprilia of Aleix Espargaro rode high in fifth position, ahead of championship leader Fabio Quartararo on the sole remaining Yamaha Factory bike.

Alex Marquez made it two LCR Hondas in encouraging positions in seventh, from Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez, while race winner Martin kicked off in tenth place.

Meanwhile, Iker Lecuona had the boost of topping FP2 on the Tech 3 KTM in a session that was only viable for slick tyres in the closing stages after earlier rain.

2021 Austrian MotoGP | Red Bull Ring | Friday Free Practice [FP1 + FP2] Results

2021 Austrian MotoGP | Red Bull Ring | Friday Free Practice [FP1 + FP2] Results | Round 11 / 19
PosRiderNat.MotoGP TeamMotoGP BikeTiming
1Johann ZarcoFRAPramac RacingDucati GP211m 22.827
2Joan MirESPTeam Suzuki EcstarSuzuki GSX-RR1m 23.625
3Alex RinsESPTeam Suzuki EcstarSuzuki GSX-RR1m 23.730
4Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda IdemitsuHonda RC213V1m 23.790
5Aleix EspargaroESPAprilia Racing Team GresiniAprilia RS-GP1m 23.841
6Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Energy Yamaha Yamaha YZF-M11m 23.865
7Alex MarquezESPLCR Honda CastrolHonda RC213V1m 23.881
8Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo TeamDucati GP211m 23.903
9Marc MarquezESPRepsol Honda TeamHonda RC213V1m 23.967
10Jorge MartinESPPramac RacingDucati GP211m 24.044
11Pol EspargaroESPRepsol Honda TeamHonda RC213V1m 24.097
12Enea BastianiniITAAvintia EsponsoramaDucati GP191m 24.237
13Luca MariniITASky VR46 EsponsoramaDucati GP191m 24.330
14Valentino RossiITAPetronas Yamaha SRTYamaha YZF-M11m 24.335
15Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM Factory RacingKTM RC161m 24.347
16Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM Factory RacingKTM RC161m 24.492
17Jack MillerAUSDucati Lenovo TeamDucati GP211m 24.528
18Danilo PetrucciITATech3 KTM Factory RacingKTM RC161m 24.755
19Iker LecuonaESPTech3 KTM Factory RacingKTM RC161m 24.792
20Cal CrutchlowGBRPetronas Yamaha SRTYamaha YZF-M11m 25.295
WDNMaverick VinalesESPMonster Energy Yamaha Yamaha YZF-M1 
WDNLorenzo SavadoriITAAprilia Racing Team GresiniAprilia RS-GP