MotoGP

Huge Acosta crash interrupts Austria MotoGP FP1

by Valentin Khorounzhiy
3 min read

MotoGP title hopeful Jorge Martin led the way in the opening premier-class practice of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, which featured a red flag for a Pedro Acosta crash.

Key moments:

  • Acosta, Espargaro crash twice
  • Strong debut for KTM's prototype
  • Martin leads on fresh tyres
  • Marquez has laptimes erased

Acosta had an eventful session in the worst sense of the word, as an unlikely save was followed up by two crashes in quick succession.

The save came at Turn 7, where Acosta tucked the front but managed to get the bike upright again and went through the gravel, hitting the tyre barrier at slow speed while still on the bike.

He then had a fall in the second part of the Turn 2 chicane (set up specifically for the MotoGP weekend).

Pedro Acosta crash, Tech3 Gas Gas, MotoGP

Acosta remounted a damaged KTM RC16 after that fall - and soon crashed it again, this time in a much heavier impact at Turn 4.

In that crash, the bike went from under him at the first touch of the brake, which due to the nature of the corner meant it actually hit the inside wall, leaving a lot of debris and forcing a brief red-flag stoppage - with Acosta unhurt.

A restart with three minutes left on the clock did not change the order at the top of the standings.

Martin remained out front with a 1m29.654s - set shortly before the red flag on a fresh medium front and fresh soft rear. He had usurped team-mate Franco Morbidelli to go fastest.

Morbidelli, who has just been announced as a VR46 rider for 2025, ended up second and quickest of those who did not opt for a fresh-tyre run late on.

Likewise forfeiting a late tyre change were KTM test rider Pol Espargaro and Martin's title rival Pecco Bagnaia, in third and fourth respectively, within a tenth of Morbidelli.

Espargaro's prototype RC16 was adorned with a 'toothy' new swingarm, although he admitted on Thursday there were more consequential developments on the bike that were not visible.

His burst of FP1 pace was unsurprising as he had done four days of testing at the track last month, amounting to "more than 350 laps" with this new prototype.

"Globally it's performing well," said Espargaro.

"It's difficult to tell you, even if we were fast on the test, that this bike is much faster than the current one. Even if I feel that it's a little bit faster. But it needs to be proven in the race weekend."

Brad Binder and Acosta made it three KTM RC16s in the top six, followed by the top Aprilia - that of Maverick Vinales.

Vinales' team-mate Aleix Espargaro had a compromised session, as he crashed two separate bikes in the Turn 2 chicane - one crash for each kink - in the early going.

It meant he was only able to rejoin with just over 10 minutes left on the clock.

There was a rare top-10 appearance for Honda in ninth, courtesy of Joan Mir (equipped with a new engine configuration this weekend), albeit with the aid of a fresh medium front and rear.

Marco Bezzecchi and Binder had singular crashes during the session.

Gresini Ducati rider Marc Marquez was last of the Ducati riders in 18th, albeit did have two top-10 laptimes deleted for track limits.

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