MotoGP Championship leader Marc Marquez topped the timesheets in the opening practice session of the Austrian Grand Prix, edging out Ducati teammate Pecco Bagnaia. The 2025 season resumes this weekend at the Red Bull Ring after a three-week summer break, with the remaining 10 races scheduled more frequently, featuring two races every three weekends until the season’s conclusion.
Marquez continued his strong form from the recent Czech Grand Prix, recording a fastest lap of 1:29.376 during Friday morning’s 45-minute FP1 session. He finished ahead of Bagnaia by 0.310 seconds, showcasing his dominance as Bagnaia looks to improve after a challenging season despite winning the last three Austrian Grands Prix.
Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi, Marquez’s closest rival in the standings, secured third place, followed by Alex Marquez and the returning Franco Morbidelli. Early in the session, Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez led briefly with a time of 1:29.788, aiming to close the 120-point gap on his brother Marc.
After a collision with Joan Mir at Brno, Alex Marquez faces a long lap penalty on Sunday. As the session progressed, Bagnaia claimed the top spot with Marquez close behind, setting the best times of the morning, leaving little chance for others to challenge the factory Ducati pair.
Both Marquez and Bagnaia used the same tires throughout the session, while Bezzecchi switched to new medium rear and hard front tires to post his third-place time of 1:29.762. Alex Marquez and Morbidelli also stuck with their late-session tires, while Joan Mir impressed by finishing sixth on a medium tire after 18 laps with the factory Honda.
Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo was seventh on second-hand rubber, and 2021 Red Bull Ring winner Jorge Martin placed eighth on Aprilia with a fresh soft rear tire. KTM’s Pedro Acosta and Tech3’s Enea Bastianini rounded out the top ten, both debuting new exhaust and aerodynamic updates for the Austrian race.
Maverick Viñales showed progress, ranking second among the Tech3 KTM riders as he recovers from a shoulder injury sustained at the German Grand Prix. His participation for the rest of the weekend will be decided after a medical review following FP1.
Notably, the session was crash-free.
Fan Take:
This opening practice sets the tone for an intense final stretch of the MotoGP season, highlighting Marquez’s continued dominance and Bagnaia’s resilience. Racing enthusiasts should brace for thrilling battles as tyre choices and strategic updates come into sharp focus, potentially shaking up the championship standings in exciting ways.
