MotoGP Austria FP1: Johann Zarco beats Martin’s pole lap record

Johann Zarco has set a new lap record around the Red Bull Ring in FP1.

The Pramac Ducati team may have to be looked into for strapping rockets to their bikes as Johann Zarco obliterates Jorge Martin’s pole position lap record of 1:22.944 to lead FP1 in the AustrianGP with an incredible 1:22.827 lap time, becoming the second rider to break into the 1:22’s, also riding for the Pramac team.

It’s common knowledge that we always see better lap times in the second time around in a doubleheader at the same track, but Zarco has taken this and pushed it to another level with his obscene FP1 pace, there’s no doubt he’s feeling motivated after seeing his rookie teammate take a victory before he has, Zarco led Suzuki’s Joan Mir by 0.798 seconds. Mir loving his new holeshot device which really is propelling him up the timesheets.

Alex Rins is another Suzuki who’s fired his way up to the top in third place joining his teammate, if the boys can continue this momentum with their new upgrades into the following rounds we could seriously see them contend for the title. Takaaki Nakagami was the fourth-placed rider, the fastest Honda with Alex Marquez second fastest in P7, the LCR boys both beating their Repsol Honda counterparts, the boys did extremely well last weekend and it’s going to be a huge confidence booster for the entire team to see them performing so well.

Aleix Espargaro took fifth place, he was the first rider outside of one second to Zarco, the Aprilia running incredibly well at the moment, well, when Marc Marquez isn’t punting them off the track anyway, he led title leader Fabio Quartararo by only 0.024 seconds with Mir in P2 to Pol Espargaro in P11 split by only 0.300 seconds!

Francesco Bagnaia came in as the second quickest Ducati with his teammate Jack Miller struggling way down in P17, Bagnaia led the race last weekend and was staring at his first MotoGP win until a race restart and a defective tyre put an end to his dream once again with Miller also having a bad end to his race, crashing out fighting for the podium.

Rounding out the top 10 were Marc Marquez then Jorge Martin, Martin took a stunning win last time out and will be doing his all to replicate this once again.

KTM really have struggled today, Oliveira and Binder sitting in P15 and P16 respectively with P18 and P19 occupied by Petrucci and Lecuona.

Full results –