MARC MARQUEZ remains the rider to beat ahead of qualifying for the 2019 Austrian MotoGP after closing on the Red Bull Ring lap record during FP3, but there was disappointment for Cal Crutchlow as he failed to make it directly into Q2.
With the close times from FP2 set to make FP3 more competitive than usual in the fight for the 10 automatic Q2 spots, as ever the final minutes were decisive with Andrea Dovizioso, Danilo Petrucci and Valentino Rossi – who was 11th overnight – squeezing in late on.
Maverick Vinales was second fastest to Marquez once again on the Yamaha, ahead of Dovizioso and Petrucci, with Fabio Quartararo and Rossi completing the top six.
Jack Miller made it comfortably through to the next stage as well from Takaaki Nakagami, who dealt a blow to his LCR Honda team-mate Cal Crutchlow by making it into the Q2, unlike his current-spec riding team-mate down in 11th.
Five of the six manufacturers progressed to Q2 with Alex Rins on the sole Suzuki and Pol Espargaro making it through for KTM at their home round.
Big names battling it out in Q1 include Crutchlow, Miguel Oliveira – who couldn’t quite turn his Friday seventh into a first Q2 spot for Tech 3 KTM – and the struggling Franco Morbidelli.
