A first free practice with a 13th record that promised a possible entry into the top 10, a second time in the afternoon marked by a fall that could have other physical consequences when trying to get the bike out of the corner, one more invitation in the middle to the next season that came from KTM to the GasGas Factory Team project (New name of Tech3). Emotions were not lacking for Miguel Oliveira on the first day of the Austrian Grand Prix, which marked the return of the Portuguese to the Red Bull Ring circuit, in Spielberg, where he achieved his first MotoGP victory in 2020.
KTM makes the last forced, Miguel OIiveira reopens the door, Aprilia is on standby: “There is a small possibility, I need a few days to think”
“It was a shame that I fell at the end of the session. I wanted to keep the bike on track, I ended up stepping on the corrector, and with the vibration of the corrector I lost the lead. We started the session on used tires and the pace wasn’t too bad, despite the bad position. Turned out to be a bit of a busy Friday. We knew it was important to have a good time in the afternoon, because tomorrow [sábado] It may rain in the morning, but we are still confident. We still have a few things to adjust on the bike that are not 100%. Now it’s just a matter of waiting, adapting well to the conditions and trying to get good conditions in the morning to get through to Q2”, he had commented on his first practice sessions.
Sure to please KTM! ????@_moliveira88 makes the first big move here in FP3! ????#Austrian GP ????????? pic.twitter.com/gM8LQ96rnS
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) August 20, 2022
“There is a small possibility of accepting the GasGas proposal, I need a few days to think about it”, commented the Portuguese in statements to SportTV about KTM’s new bet, assumed by the director Pit Beirer in the presentation of Pol Espargaró as a GasGas pilot. “It’s something new. The offer is not yet on the table. They reinforced the desire to keep me in the family. It is all I can say, there is no decision”, he later referred to the MotoGP media, opening the door to a possible turn when everything seemed aimed at reinforcing RNF Aprilia in a change that should be announced in early September.
The boys have some ??????????????????????????????? lean this morning. ????#KTM #ready for the race pic.twitter.com/XfR2FyQXVA
— Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (@KTM_Racing) August 20, 2022
The question remained of what Miguel Oliveira would be able to do this morning, after the signs left in the second free practice session before the crash, but FP3 ended up frustrating the aspirations of entering Q2, with the Portuguese in the 18th record (1.29.821) just 0.3 behind Brad Binder, the other KTM rider who finished ten places higher with 1.29.521. The distances were short, which left the timing scene completely open after a day and a half completely dominated by the Ducati bikes, much faster than all the competition at the Red Bull Ring.
One second covering the top 19! ????@JohannZarco1 lead the way as the leaderboard comes into view! ????#Austrian GP ????????? pic.twitter.com/EOnyOLY33w
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) August 20, 2022
Aleix Espargaró, second in the World Championship, was another of the drivers who had to go through Q1, in an attempt to avoid major problems ahead of the race. And the Spaniard did not take long to set the best time in the first two laps launched, with Miguel Oliveira taking the fourth mark before being overtaken by Nakagami. In addition to Aprilia, it was Fabio Di Giannantonio’s Honda and Gresini that emerged as the main contenders in an attempt to reach Q2 for the Portuguese, who after the fourth free practice session had been talking to the team for a while to try to improve the bike.
Identical shocks for @Marco12_B Y @alexmarquez73! ????
With 3 minutes to go they need to run really fast to get back to the pits! ????#Austrian GP ???????? pic.twitter.com/Ephn2wXucw
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) August 20, 2022
The return to the track after passing through the pits was done with a veritable motorcade, Miguel Oliveira leaving with a hard tire in front and a soft tire behind for the last attempt to reach the first two places in Q1. Shortly after, with three and a half minutes to go, Marco Bezzecchi and Álex Márquez crashed on arrival at turn 3 and were left out of the standings, without influencing the record of the rest of the drivers. As usual, the Portuguese had a better second lap than the first but could not get past seventh position in Q1, thus starting the Austrian Grand Prix in sixth row in position 17 despite having made a great first sector on the last lap that did not last until the end.
Late drama coming up? ????
The time screens are lighting up! ????#Austrian GP ???????? pic.twitter.com/cSoZ9FGjnn
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) August 20, 2022
in update
Source: Observadora
