Bagnaia Breaks Lap Record in Austrian MotoGP Practice, Confident for Race
Francesco Bagnaia, the current MotoGP champion, demonstrated his dominance at the Red Bull Ring during the Austrian Grand Prix practice sessions by breaking the lap record and establishing himself as the rider to beat this weekend. The Ducati rider displayed impressive pace, bolstering his confidence for Sunday’s race.
Bagnaia was absolutely relentless during Friday’s sessions, setting times that left his rivals far behind. “It was a very positive day for us. We were able to work on our pace and the bike’s setup, and everything seems to be in the right place for the race,” said the Italian, visibly pleased with his performance.
The lap record that Bagnaia broke is a testament to his skill and the power of the Ducati, a combination that has proven formidable throughout the season. “The bike is fantastic; we managed to find a good balance between speed and control, which is crucial on this track,” Bagnaia added.
While Bagnaia dominated, other riders faced significant challenges. Marco Bezzecchi of VR46 secured ninth place, while Enea Bastianini earned a direct spot in Q2 despite a late crash at the tricky Turn 2 chicane. For Bastianini, the focus will be on recovering and improving his performance in the upcoming sessions.
Pedro Acosta, of Tech3 GasGas, had a tough Friday with three crashes during practice, the last of which occurred at Turn 9, leaving him out of automatic entry into the second part of qualifying. Jack Miller, his teammate at KTM, also struggled, finishing just behind Acosta in 12th place, despite having been in the top five for much of the session.
Fabio Quartararo, of Yamaha, was the highest-placed rider for his team, finishing in 13th, just ahead of Johann Zarco of Honda, who was riding the LCR-entered RC213V. Both riders hope to improve their grid positions during qualifying but know they face a tough challenge ahead.
The practice sessions were also marked by several incidents, including multiple crashes at Turn 2 and a high-speed off-track excursion by Fabio di Giannantonio of VR46 at the exit of Turn 7. Di Giannantonio was diagnosed with a dislocated left shoulder and was taken to a nearby hospital for further evaluation.
Additionally, Pol Espargaró, who was competing as a wildcard for KTM, had his session cut short by a mechanical problem. Espargaró was testing new parts on the RC16 but had to end his participation earlier than expected.
With Bagnaia in excellent form and confident after breaking the lap record, the Austrian Grand Prix promises to be an exciting race, with the Italian clearly determined to extend his lead in the championship.
