Riders prepare for the possibility of a wet/flag-to-flag race, throwing everything out on the track to qualify and be fit for the rain.
Earlier in the race weekend, it was announced that Valentino Rossi will be retiring at the end of the 2021 MotoGP season. The sport will be missing out on a rider that has defined an era. The Yamaha’s of 2021 were built off of the hard work of Rossi, and he will surely be missed in the paddock and on the track.
Raul Fernandez will join Remy Gardner on the Tech 3 KTM bike in MotoGP starting in 2022. This is good news as the MotoGP grid is beginning to shaken up, but not good news for riders Danilo Petrucci and Iker Lecuona.
Q1
The Q1 session is surprisingly occupied by every KTM rider, even the wildcard Dani Pedrosa. After the 2020 Tech 3 win, it does come as a shock to fans. Austria, being their home race, is an important track for the team. It’s also important for the fans, who will surely be cheering them on during the race.
Right as the times come in, Alex Rins and Lorenzo Salvadori head the grid. The top two riders of the Q1 session will move up to Q2.
He also has a habit of not pushing as hard during the free practice sessions, but as long as he makes his way up then it isn’t an issue.
Another rider that is in the Q1 session, which we don’t usually see, is Cal Crutchlow. He is filling in for Franco Morbidelli as he recovers from knee surgery, joining Pedrosa in making a return.
With 7:00 minutes remaining in the session, Miguel Oliveira and Alex Rins are the two riders who will make their way into Q2. Despite his injury to his right hand and rumors that he might not be able to race, Oliveira is ready to fight.
Pol Espargaro is another big name in Q1. As we saw last year, the Honda’s struggle greatly at the Red Bull Ring. With the long straights, it is a track that heavily thrives on powerhouses like the Ducati’s.
Enea Bastianini takes the top time, momentarily set for Q2. It isn’t long before Alex Marquez takes top time from him.
While it seems that Bastianini will go into Q2, he touches the track limits and does not move up.
The riders that are moving up to the Q2 session are Alex Marquez and Miguel Oliveira.
Q2
Riders immediately head out in hopes of taking pole position.
With the new device on the Suzuki, Mir has a chance of taking a spot in the first row.
With the possibility of there being a wet/flag-to-flag race, it is vital for the Yamaha’s to qualify well. Yamaha’s don’t naturally thrive at the Red Bull Ring, so if Quartararo wants to be a part of the lead, he needs a top row start. Vinales, who is in a comfortable 5th , will also rely on a better qualifying to a part of the action.
To no surprise, the Ducati’s of Jack Miller and Jorge Martin are showing promise for a possible pole position.
With 7:00 minutes left, the top row consists of Fabio Quartararo, Jack Miller and Jorge Martin.
The riders that were thought to excel, Johann Zarco and Francesco Bagnaia, have yet to put in a good time.
As if hearing the criticism, Bagnaia takes pole position, nearly hitting a sub-1:23:00.
While Bagnaia isn’t the one to hit it, Jorge Martin takes the record by lapping at a 1:22:994 and taking pole position.
There was also late drama with Marc Marquez as he crashes out, right after taking the top time in the first sector.
The riders that are on the front row are: Jorge Martin, Francesco Bagnaia and Fabio Quartararo.
Will it be enough to hold off the riders that excel in the wet?
Tune in tomorrow to find out.
