The Japanese rookie backs up his fastest race lap in the Styrian GP with another quick day at the office, just ahead of Augusto Fernandez and Gardner

Remember who set the fastest lap in Moto2™ last weekend? It was Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and the Japanese rider’s speed had gone nowhere as we got back in business at the Red Bull Ring. He tops Friday by mere thousandths though, with Styrian GP podium finisher within 0.007 on Day 1 of the Bitci Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich. After an FP1 somewhat down the order, Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completed the top three with an afternoon improvement.

FP1
Ogura started the weekend fastest, with Augusto Fernandez for close company, but third was a key improver from last weekend in the form of Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) as the German impressed.

Styrian GP winner Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) took fourth, with Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) down in P8 and Championship leader Gardner down in 11th… right after only the second podium of the season that didn’t feature either of them.

The only crasher was Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), the American going down at the exit of Turn 1 and rider ok.

FP2
Gardner hit back in the afternoon to go fastest in FP2, but once again a familiar name had speed in Spielberg: Ogura. He was just under a tenth and a half off Gardner, with Raul Fernandez for closer company in third.

Elf Marc VDS Racing Team’s Sam Lowes was fourth, 0.007 further back, with Augusto Fernandez completing the top five with more solid pace in the afternoon.

There were four crashers in FP2. First was Yari Montella (Lightech Speed Up) with a highside at Turn 7, before Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40) went down at Turn 3. Albert Arenas (Aspar Team Moto2) then crashed at Turn 9.

There was a rare run off for Bezzecchi at Turn 4, although the Italian more had a bumpy excursion via the gravel and a light dance past the airfence before rejoining.

Combined timesheets
Ogura’s FP1 best keeps him top ahead of Augusto Fernandez, with Gardner’s FP2 best slotting him into third overall. Then it’s another run of riders from FP1 laptimes, with Schrötter, Bezzechi, Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) – the Italian showing more good form in Austria – and Sam Lowes locking out fourth to seventh.

Raul Fernandez was eighth and he, like teammate Gardner, was an improver in the afternoon. Styrian GP podium finisher Aron Canet (Aspar Team Moto2) slots into ninth, with Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) in tenth.

It’s Arenas, Stefano Manzi (Flexbox HP 40), Tom Lüthi (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) who currently stand to be the final four heading straight through into Q2, but FP3 gives the likes of Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) chance to move up. That starts at 10:55 (GMT+2), before qualifying from 15:10 for the intermediate class. Rain or no rain? That may be the question…

Moto2™ Friday top five:
1 Ai Ogura – Idemitsu Honda Team Asia – Kalex – 1:28.887
2 Augusto Fernandez – Elf Marc VDS Racing Team – Kalex – +0.007
3 Remy Gardner – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +0.080
4 Marcel Schrötter – Liqui Moly Intact GP – Kalex – +0.101
5 Marco Bezzecchi – Sky Racing Team VR46 – Kalex – +0.128

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