Johann Zarco led a busy FP3 session at the Red Bull Ring with a late flyer to head countryman Fabio Quartararo, while Aleix Espargaro will have to contest Q1.
Having led the way overnight with his scratch time on Friday, Zarco immediately picked up where he left off by posting a 1:29.942s in the early stages of FP3, just a tenth-of-a-second down on his FP2 benchmark.
From here-on-in though the times continued to tumble as a flurry of riders continuously reduced the lap record on the Red Bull Ring’s new chicane layout, though it looked to be Quartararo who would lead the way as the clock ticked down on the test – the Yamaha man throwing down a 1:29.117s to head Jack Miller at the time.
Zarco though had one final effort in his locker, the Pramac man banging in a 1:28.964s at the death to secure top honours for the second straight session, heading Quartararo by a commanding 0.153s.
Miller held onto third just over three-tenths adrift of his fellow Ducati pilot, with the sister Pramac entry of Jorge Martin improving late on to go fourth just ahead of Francesco Bagnaia’s factory-operated Desmosedici.
Enea Bastianini made it five Ducati’s in the top six for Gresini, with Alex Rins taking seventh on the first of the Suzuki’s ahead of Brad Binder’s KTM, the South African managing an impressive time to secure a Q2 berth for the Austrian brand’s home event.
Maverick Vinales was the sole Aprilia to gain a direct Q2 passage in ninth, with Joan Mir taking the last slot in tenth on the other Suzuki.
Espargaro meanwhile struggled to put in a time as he seemingly lacked grip on his RS-GP, the Spaniard running wide on several laps as well as suffering a crash at Turn 2b – thus leaving him one final chance to improve into the top ten having fallen as low as 18th.
Despite losing nearly four-tenths in the first sector alone, a strong second half of the lap saw him rise to ninth – though his relief would prove to be brief as Binder and Rins bumped him down to 11th at the flag by just 0.002s, meaning he will have to fight for one of the final pole shootout slots in Q1 on Saturday afternoon.
Joining him will be Takaaki Nakagami, the LCR Honda rider just shaded by Espargaro, as well as VR46 Ducati pair Marco Bezzecchi and Luca Marini who failed to match their Friday speed – the duo 13th and 15th respectively.
Pol Espargaro was 16th on the first of the factory Honda’s ahead of Franco Morbidelli’s Yamaha, with Miguel Oliveria a shock 18th having looked strong throughout Friday as well as the early stages of FP3.
Andrea Dovizioso was the last man to lap within a second of Zarco down in 19th, the RNF Yamaha pilot 0.881s from the ultimate pace.
