Red Bull Ring record-breaking time: Pecco Bagnaia immediately makes his voice heard on the Austrian track, clearly faster than everyone at the end of the first day of free practiceThe world champion finished with an impressive 1’28”508, almost three tenths ahead of his teammate from the Academy of Tavullia, a Franco Morbidelli who from next season will race in Valentino’s team, his sporting father. With the other Pramac, Pecco’s number one opponent climbs onto the virtual podium, Jorge Martinbig step, and then it’s the turn of a Marc Marquez finally immediately effective. Four Ducati riders in a row (and 7 out of 10 who go directly to Q2), confirming that the circuit born on the asphalt of the Zeltweg airport seems tailor-made for the desmodromic muscles.
Ducati in Austria where the story began: a GP in the name of the Red
by Massimo Calandri
Bastianini struggles, dislocation for Di Giannantonio
KTM doesn’t give great sensations on the home track: Binder chews a tasteless 5th time, the South African with the two official Aprilias (Aleix Espargaró, Vinales) tries to partially interrupt the great binge of Borgo Panigale, which in 10th place places a Bastianini in difficulty entering the curve, after the splendid one-two at Silverstone. Dislocated left shoulder for the unfortunate By Giannantoniofresh from a renewal with Vr46 and therefore future partner of «Frankie»: Fabio was accompanied to the hospital, his presence over the weekend is at high risk. Among the drivers forced into Q1, the qualifications of the worst, there are a Acosta who collects three bad somersaults along with Quarterlybrave on the Yamaha but clearly behind the European bikes. Speaking of Japanese: for Honda paradoxically it is a less disastrous day than usual, the best is Zarco (14th), then Marini with the 16th fastest time.
MotoGp, Bagnaia’s mission in Austria: to make it a hat-trick and regain the lead
Bagnaia, lots of smiles and a couple of doubts
A perfect Friday. Or almost. Bagnaia says he is «happy, because today I tried everything I had to: I felt good, this track suits my riding style very well, from the first moment I felt at ease and in the afternoon there was some important progress». But? «Unfortunately I didn’t feel like trying the hard tyre in front: everyone who did, fell. Tomorrow in the sprint the ‘hard’ could be decisive, Martin used it today and it didn’t seem to go badly, Bastianini on the other hand I don’t think was happy. The point is that with the ‘medium’ I was already at the limit, turning left: it seems like the right one, but we’ll have to think about some changes». The Piedmontese tells him that this morning the ‘soft’ seemed as slippery as butter. «But we preferred to persist with that, because we had to save the other tyres». Last year Pecco won on Saturday and Sunday, now who could be the most dangerous opponents? «Martin, Marc Marquez and Morbidelli are very strong. I expected more from Acosta with the KTM, but he crashed three times. The weather will also have to be taken into consideration: it could rain on Sunday, and what if there was a flag-to-flag?
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– 2024-08-17 21:12:19
