Spielberg (Austria) (AFP)
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) set the fastest time of the first free practice session of the GP motorbike in Austria ahead of Marc Marquez (Honda), the current leader of the world championship.
The Italian beat the five-time Spanish World Champion 185 / 1000th by clocking 1: 24.033. The 3rd is Spaniard Maverick Vinales (Yamaha) at 247 / 1000th before Jack Miller (Ducati) at 327 / 1000th.
The Ducati, who have won the last three editions of the race, have confirmed their speed on the Austrian circuit of 4,318 km but will have to rely on Marquez who has won six races this season, including the last two, and has a 63-point lead on Dovizioso in the provisional ranking of the championship.
Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha-SRT) is 6th at 438 / 1000th and his compatriot Johann Zarco (KTM) 8th at 637 / 1000th. The KTM are at home in Austria and Zarco confirms its good performance at the GP of the Czech Republic last weekend that saw him start 3rd on the grid while he had a very difficult start to the season.
A 2nd free practice session is scheduled for 14:10 (12:10 GMT) Friday. The qualifying sessions are held on Saturday and the race on Sunday (departure at 14:00, 12:00 GMT).
. Ranking of the 1st free practice session of the Austrian Grand Prix, 11th round of the MotoGP World Championship held on Friday at the Spielberg circuit (4,318 km).
1. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA / Ducati): 1: 24.033
2. Marc Marquez (ESP / Honda) at 0.185
3. Maverick Vinales (ESP / Yamaha) at 0.247
4. Jack Miller (AUS / Ducati) at 0.327
5. Valentino Rossi (ITA / Yamaha) at 0.436
6. Fabio Quartararo (FRA / Yamaha-SRT) at 0.438
7. Alex Rins (ESP / Suzuki) at 0.543
8. Johann Zarco (FRA / KTM) at 0.637
9. Takaaki Nakagami (JPN / Honda-LCR) at 0.828
10. Miguel Oliveira (POR / KTM-Tech3) at 0.891
© 2019 AFP