Pedro Acosta was the fastest rider in the final free practice on Friday (18) for the Austrian GP, the 15th round of the 2026 MotoGP season. The KTM rider, who had led the day’s first session at the Red Bull Ring, also showed strength in the second session by leading for the entire duration and stopping the clock at 1:28.381, earning a direct entry into Q2 of the classification.
The second place went to Fermín Aldeguer, riding a Gresini Ducati, who was edged out by Acosta by 0.127 seconds. Returning to the MotoGP grid after two races away, Ai Ogura posted the third-fastest time aboard the Trackhouse Aprilia, followed by the two championship leaders: Marc Márquez, on a Ducati, in fourth, and Jorge Martín on an Aprilia in fifth.
Fabio Di Giannantonio put the VR46 Ducati in sixth on the timesheets, followed by Brad Binder in seventh on a KTM. Álex Márquez finished eighth on a Gresini Ducati, while Marco Bezzecchi, aboard an Aprilia, was ninth. Fabio Quartararo, on a Yamaha, completed the top-10 and the list of riders who advance directly to Q2.
The only Brazilian on the MotoGP grid, Diogo Moreira ended up 13th fastest on a Honda prepared by LCR. The rider of bike number 11 spent much of the second half of the Red Bull Ring session among the top ten, but lost his place in the qualifying zone in the closing moments and will need to pass through the first part of the session that determines starting positions.
The session saw a few crashes. With 20 minutes to go, Johann Zarco tumbled the LCR Honda at turn 4 of the Austrian circuit, sustaining no injuries. Moments later, Diogo Moreira ran off into the gravel at the same spot, close to his teammate, but did not crash. With 12 minutes remaining, Álex Márquez crashed and watched the Gresini Ducati be destroyed on impact with the ground, prompting a red flag to remove the bike from the track.
The MotoGP schedule at the Red Bull Ring will continue this Saturday (19). At 5:10 a.m. the final free practice of the weekend is held, with qualifying at 5:50 a.m., and the Sprint starting at 10:00. The Austrian Grand Prix will take place on Sunday at 9:00 a.m.
