MotoGP: Nakagami tops opening practice in Austria

Takaaki Nakagami led defending MotoGP champion Joan Mir in the opening practice session ahead of the Styrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

The top three was completed by the Aprilia of Aleix Espargaro while Alex Rins made it two Suzukis in the top four ahead of factory Honda riders Pol Espargaro and six-time champion Marc Marquez.

Maverick Vinales was seventh, ahead of his championship-leading Yamaha team-mate Fabio Quartararo and Johann Zarco.

Three KTM riders hit trouble at the Turn 3 right-hander –  including a violent high-side accident for Miguel Oliveira.

Last year’s Styrian GP winner Oliveira spent five minutes sitting down behind the barriers at the side of the track, visibly shaken by the crash.

He’d returned to his KTM garage by the end of the session, but didn’t go back out on track and will now be checked in the medical center.

Practice 1 Results

Pos Rider Bike Laps Time Behind
1 Takaaki Nakagami Honda 22 1m23.805s 0.000s
2 Joan Mir Suzuki 22 1m23.881s 0.076s
3 Aleix Espargaro Aprilia 22 1m24.183s 0.378s
4 Alex Rins Suzuki 23 1m24.221s 0.416s
5 Pol Espargaro Honda 22 1m24.254s 0.449s
6 Marc Marquez Honda 24 1m24.475s 0.670s
7 Maverick Viñales Yamaha 25 1m24.492s 0.687s
8 Fabio Quartararo Yamaha 26 1m24.580s 0.775s
9 Johann Zarco Ducati 22 1m24.580s 0.775s
10 Jack Miller Ducati 21 1m24.827s 1.022s
11 Dani Pedrosa KTM 21 1m24.850s 1.045s
12 Francesco Bagnaia Ducati 26 1m24.915s 1.110s
13 Alex Marquez Honda 23 1m24.959s 1.154s
14 Luca Marini Ducati 22 1m25.207s 1.402s
15 Miguel Oliveira KTM 14 1m25.238s 1.433s
16 Valentino Rossi Yamaha 22 1m25.264s 1.459s
17 Jorge Martin Ducati 22 1m25.316s 1.511s
18 Brad Binder KTM 22 1m25.033s 1.228s
19 Danilo Petrucci KTM 20 1m25.409s 1.604s
20 Iker Lecuona KTM 20 1m25.499s 1.694s
21 Enea Bastianini Ducati 21 1m25.275s 1.470s
22 Lorenzo Savadori Aprilia 21 1m25.793s 1.988s
23 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha 20 1m26.090s 2.285s