MotoGP, qualifying: Pedro Acosta 1st – red flag following Marquez’s crash

FP1 is followed by qualifying in the MotoGP class on Friday. The aim of the 60-minute session is to secure direct progression to Q2 on Saturday, which only the ten fastest riders manage to achieve. The rest must compete in Q1, where the two fastest riders progress to Q2.

In FP1 at the Red Bull Ring, KTM stars Pedro Acosta and Pol Espargaró set the pace. Jorge Martín (Aprilia) finished third. World Championship leader Marc Márquez (Ducati) set the fourth-fastest time. Trackhouse-Aprilia rider Ai Ogura finished 19th in the first session on his comeback, 1.4 seconds off the pace. After the first free practice session, the Japanese rider had to return to the medical team for a check-up – where Ogura was given the all-clear for the rest of the weekend.

Lap times were slow on Friday morning, however. With air temperatures of just 13 degrees and track temperatures of 15 degrees, the riders were cautious on the track. Acosta’s best time of 1:29.851 was more than two seconds off the lap record (1:27.748), set by Martin in 2024.

At the start of qualifying at 3 pm, the air temperature in Spielberg was 20 degrees Celsius. The track temperature was only 19 degrees.

After five minutes, Pedro Acosta topped the timesheets with a lap of 1:29.301 mins. The Aprilia riders Bezzecchi and Martin were in second and third place respectively. Shortly afterwards, Johann Zarc (LCR Honda) set a new fastest time of 1:29.277 mins.

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After seven minutes, Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo took the lead with a time of 1:29.266. Acosta responded by clocking 1:28.840. At that point, Marc Márquez was twelfth and Pecco Bagnaia ninth. After ten minutes, Bezzecchi set the second-fastest time.

Ducati-Lenovo team manager Davide Tardozzi praised Acosta’s performance in an interview with colleagues from motogp.com during the session. “It looks as though he’s flying here. KTM have done a good job.”

The top five after 15 minutes: Acosta, Bezzecchi, Quartararo, Zarco and Marc Marquez.

Pol Espargaro’s airbag deployed whilst braking for Turn 1. He then had to head back to the Tech3 pit.

Meanwhile, Yamaha team manager Massimo Meregalli explained why Quartararo was in third place: “Because we’re currently using the soft rear tyre,” the Italian said with a smile.

After 20 minutes, Zarco crashed in Turn 4. As he rode out of the gravel trap, he was nearly run over by his Honda team-mate Diogo Moreira, who was riding his RC213V through the gravel trap.

Shortly afterwards, VR46 rider Franco Morbidelli also had to take a detour through the gravel trap at Turn 4 – he stayed on his Ducati and carried on. Then Moreira had to go through the gravel trap for a second time at the same spot. The MotoGP rookie had not yet found his braking point at Turn 4. Martin set the second-fastest time.

The order at the halfway point of the 30-minute session: Acosta, Martin, Bezzecchi, Quartararo and Zarco.

Acosta then initially improved his best time to 1:28.783 mins. One lap later, he improved on that to 1:28.507. Moments later, Luca Marini (Honda) set the second-fastest time. Acosta responded by setting a time of 1:28.381.

Zarco ended up in the gravel trap again at Turn 4 on his spare bike – this time he stayed in the saddle.

Marc Marquez and Diogo Moreira rode several laps together, taking turns at the front. MM93 had tyres that were 16 laps old on his Desmosedici and was consistently setting fast times – the champion was already practising for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Veteran rider Jack Miller (Pramac Yamaha) also ended up in the gravel trap at Turn 4. Fermin Aldeguer (Gresini Ducati) set the second-fastest time. Moreira moved up to third. Brad Binder surged into fourth place.

Alex Márquez crashed after exiting Turn 1 whilst changing direction – his front wheel slipped out from under him. He hit the tarmac hard but was able to get back on his feet straight away and make his way over the barrier. As the marshals were unable to clear AM73’s wrecked Ducati quickly enough, the red flag was waved and the session was halted. Alex was back in his pit shortly afterwards – he was uninjured. Shortly before the session was halted, Marco Bezzecchi also ended up in the gravel trap at Turn 4.

After a few minutes, the light blue Desmosedici was finally cleared away. The riders returned to the track to complete the final 12 minutes. Alex Marquez also got back on track with his spare bike. He was only in 15th place and had to give it his all to make it into the top 10.

Jorge Martin raced into 2nd place – he was now just ahead of Marc Marquez. Then Ogura set the third-fastest time and Alex Marquez surged up to 5th place.

One lap later, Fabio Di Giannantonio moved up to fifth. Marini was now seventh.

Then Ogura moved up to second place. His Aprilia team-mate Marco Bezzecchi was only 15th at this stage.

Aldeguer was now second, Binder seventh and Bezzecchi ninth. Zarco had to go through the gravel trap again at Turn 4. Acosta improved his best time to 1:28.371 – but the lap was disallowed once more.