Styria MotoGP: Miller leads Ducati 1-2 in FP1

For the second time in 2020 a second grand prix will be staged at the same circuit, with the field returning to action just a week after a dramatic Austrian GP.

LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami led the way in the early stages of the session with a 1m24.715s, which the Honda rider subsequently improved to a 1m24.103s.

This remained the benchmark for quite some time, with Austria winner Andrea Dovizioso his nearest rival – the Italian 0.035 seconds adrift with around 15 minutes of the session remaining.

With the weather always unpredictable at Red Bull Ring, a late time attack ended the session as the riders made their early bids for a direct place in Q2.

Suzuki’s Joan Mir – who scored his maiden MotoGP podium last time out – finally deposed Nakagami with a 1m24.035s with four minutes to go.

The Spaniard’s run at the top was brief, however, as Tech 3 KTM’s Miguel Oliveria edged ahead with a 1m23.889s.

Then Miller fired in a 1m23.859s, which would see the Pramac rider safely through to the chequered flag as the fastest man in FP1.

Dovizioso jumped up to second at the death, missing his Ducati counterpart’s time by just 0.004s, with Oliveira completing the top three.

Nakagami was fourth in the end ahead of Mir and the Petronas Yamaha of Franco Morbidelli, returning to action just five days after his horror collision with Zarco.

Zarco was absent from FP1 having been unable to sit the medical test following surgery on a fractured wrist on Wednesday.

The Avintia rider will have the exam later today before determining his participation. Should he make the start on Sunday, he will start from pitlane as punishment for his part in last Sunday’s horror smash.

Brad Binder was seventh on the works team KTM ahead of Tech 3 rookie Iker Lecuona, while Maverick Vinales and Fabio Quartararo rounded out the top 10.

Quartararo’s Austrian GP was hindered by braking issues, which appeared to rear their head again after he ran off at Turn 6 at one point – the championship leader visibly angry about it.

FP1 was a low-key session for Valentino Rossi, who was 17^th ahead of LCR’s Cal Crutchlow, while 19^th-placed Tito Rabat was the only faller in the session.

Styrian GP - First practice results:

Cla	Rider		Bike	Time	Gap
1	Jack Miller		Ducati	1'23.859
2	Andrea Dovizioso		Ducati	1'23.863	0.004
3	Miguel Oliveira		KTM	1'23.898	0.039
4	Takaaki Nakagami		Honda	1'23.950	0.091
5	Joan Mir		Suzuki	1'23.961	0.102
6	Franco Morbidelli		Yamaha	1'24.198	0.339
7	Brad Binder		KTM	1'24.251	0.392
8	Iker Lecuona		KTM	1'24.301	0.442
9	Maverick Viñales		Yamaha	1'24.324	0.465
10	Fabio Quartararo		Yamaha	1'24.381	0.522
11	Pol Espargaro		KTM	1'24.397	0.538
12	Michele Pirro		Ducati	1'24.508	0.649
13	Danilo Petrucci		Ducati	1'24.517	0.658
14	Bradley Smith		Aprilia	1'24.623	0.764
15	Alex Rins		Suzuki	1'24.628	0.769
16	Alex Marquez		Honda	1'24.690	0.831
17	Valentino Rossi		Yamaha	1'24.699	0.840
18	Cal Crutchlow		Honda	1'24.764	0.905
19	Tito Rabat		Ducati	1'24.806	0.947
20	Aleix Espargaro		Aprilia	1'24.808	0.949
21	Stefan Bradl		Honda	1'24.914	1.055
22	Johann Zarco		Ducati
View full results