Odendaal leads wet FP2, Bagnaia top overall

With the rain falling heavily in FP2, Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46) ended the opening day at the eyetime Motorrad Grand Prix von Österriech at the summit after going quickest in the dry FP1 session, finishing 10th in monsoon-like conditions in FP2. The Italian’s 1:30.441 in the morning was enough to beat Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40) by 0.063, who finished down in P20 in FP2, with Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) third on the combined times – 0.081 behind Bagnaia and P16 in the afternoon.  

It was a great afternoon for NTS RW Racing GP as Steven Odendaal and teammate Joe Roberts were P1 and P2 in the wet conditions, the South African heading the American by 0.233 seconds to give the team a great boost heading into Saturday. Both riders will be doing their rain dances ahead of qualifying after finishing 25th and 27th respectively on the combined time sheets.

Meanwhile, Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) remains fourth quickest on the overall times after finishing fourth in FP1, 0.127 off the top spot, with the Spaniard 17th fastest in the wet conditions. Fifth fastest on Friday was Fabio Quartararo (+ Ego – Speed Up Racing), setting an identical time to Marquez in the dry and finishing seventh in FP2.

Gunning for his third consecutive podium is Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46), who looks quick in both the dry and the wet conditions. The Italian is sixth on the combined time sheets and ended FP2 in third, 0.239 back from Odendaal’s benchmark. Italtrans Racing Team’s Andrea Locatelli is seventh on the combined times, one place above his wet weather pace, which saw him finish eighth in FP2.   

Sam Lowes (Swiss Innovative Investors) sits eighth overall, with the British rider crashing at the penultimate corner in FP2 after looking like he would set the quickest time in wet conditions, eventually finishing 12th – rider ok. Jorge Navarro (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) heads into Saturday at the Red Bull Ring ninth on the overall times, with Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) rounding out the top ten on the opening day – the Italian though failed to set a time in FP2.

Championship leader Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) ends the day 16th fastest overall, 0.479 off his main title rival in the dry, while finishing a damp FP2 down in 30th.

Isaac Viñales (Forward Racing Team), Joan Mir (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Tetsuta Nagashima (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – who spectacularly surfed on top of his bike – crashed in the wet, riders ok, with Remy Gardner (Tech 3 Racing) stopping out on track with a mechanical issue.

With the weather set to play a big part on qualifying day, who will start the intermediate class race on pole at the Austrian GP? Make sure you tune in to what promises to be a fantastic session at 15:05 local time (GMT +2).

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