As has been the case because the British GP, the opening 45-minute session of the weekend doesn’t rely in the direction of the qualifying teams for Saturday.
Run below dry situations, Zarco fired in a 1m29.838s after switching to a recent medium rear tyre to finish first observe 0.399 seconds away from the sphere.
He bested 2021 world champion Quartararo and the Aprilia of Maverick Vinales.
Vinales set the early tempo on his RS-GP with a 1m31.751s earlier than Ducati’s Enea Bastianini edged forward with a 1m30.852s inside the primary six minutes of the session.
A subsequent 1m30.270s re-established Vinales on the high of the order, which stood because the benchmark for across the subsequent eight minutes.
Persevering with to run the brand new aerodynamic package deal he raced on the British GP, Yamaha’s Quartararo deposed his former team-mate with a 1m30.237s because the clock ticked into the ultimate half an hour.
Quartararo, who has topped simply two warm-up classes throughout 2023 to date, seemed on track to finish FP1 quickest of all because the chequered flag neared.
However a ultimate flyer for Zarco on his Pramac-run Ducati ensured he noticed out opening observe on high.
Behind the highest three got here Gresini’s Alex Marquez on a 1m30.286s. He was pressured to park up early on within the session because of an obvious entrance fork problem, which led to smoke bellowing out of his bike each time he touched the entrance brake.
Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Manufacturing facility Racing
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Marco Bezzecchi accomplished the highest 5 on his VR46 Ducati from Gresini’s Fabio Di Giannantonio, whereas Takaaki Nakagami was the main Honda runner in seventh on his LCR-run bike.
Championship chief Francesco Bagnaia holds a 41-point benefit coming to Austria and was eighth on the finish of FP1 on his manufacturing facility Ducati from British GP winner Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) and 2021 Crimson Bull Ring race victor Jorge Martin (Pramac).
Bastianini, who was on pole in Austria final 12 months, was eleventh forward of the manufacturing facility Honda of Joan Mir – who additionally examined a brand new aero package deal – and Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli, whereas Brad Binder was the main KTM in 14th.
Marc Marquez crashed within the closing levels after operating off into the gravel down on the Flip 4 right-hander – the Honda rider shedding his stability as he tried to steer out of the stones.
He was 18th on the chequered flag forward of Tech3 rookie Augusto Fernandez, who was the one different faller in that session on the Flip 2 chicane.
MotoGP Austrian GP – FP1 outcomes