Pedro Acosta was the fastest rider in the first free practice for the Austrian GP, the 15th round of the 2026 MotoGP season. In the session held on the morning of this Friday (18) at the Red Bull Ring, the KTM rider recorded his best lap time of 1min29s851, securing the top spot on the timing sheet at the start of the weekend.
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The second position went to Pol Espargaró, a Tech3 KTM rider who was 0.233 seconds slower than Acosta. Jorge Martín, one of the championship leaders and an Aprilia rider, posted the third best time, followed by the other championship leader, Marc Márquez, fourth with the Ducati. Johann Zarco, with an LCR Honda, was fifth.
Marco Bezzecchi, with an Aprilia, closed the session with the sixth best time, ahead of Raúl Fernández, seventh with the Trackhouse Aprilia. Álex Márquez, a rider competing with a Gresini Ducati, was eighth, ahead of Diogo Moreira, a Brazilian with LCR Honda. Luca Marini, with an official team Honda, was tenth.
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The activity also featured the return of Ai Ogura to the grid. The Japanese rider, currently sixth in the championship standings, participated in the first free practice of the weekend and recorded the 19th best time with a Trackhouse Aprilia. Another Japanese rider on the grid this week, Takaaki Nakagami, who replaces Joan Mir on the Honda, was 20th.
From 10 a.m., the second free practice session of the weekend will take place at the Red Bull Ring. On Saturday, the third practice will be at 5:10 a.m., qualifying at 5:50 a.m., and the Sprint at 10 a.m. The MotoGP Austrian GP will be held on Sunday, starting at 9 a.m.
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