Pedro Acosta set the pace during the opening practice session of the 2026 MotoGP Austria Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, clocking a benchmark lap of 1 minute 29.851 seconds to lead a dominant Red Bull KTM showing on home ground, according to RiderTua.
The first-session results at the Spielberg circuit established an early baseline for the weekend, with KTM locking down the top two positions. Acosta maintained his advantage at the top of the timesheets despite encountering a technical hitch with his front ride-height device during the morning run, according to RiderTua.
Acosta Commands FP1 Despite Technical Trouble
Pedro Acosta established his speed early in the session, becoming the first rider to break into the 1:29 bracket with his 1:29.851 lap. According to RiderTua, the young Spaniard was forced to return to the pit lane after completing five consecutive flying laps because his front ride-height mechanism refused to disengage.
That mechanical hiccup did little to slow his momentum. Once the session drew to a close and rivals pushed for late improvements, Acosta’s early marker remained untouched at the summit, securing the top spot for the Red Bull KTM squad.
Pol Espargaro and Jorge Martin Round Out the Top Three
Pol Espargaro delivered a late-session surge to secure second place overall. According to RiderTua, Espargaro used a slipstream behind Acosta to finish 0.233 seconds back from his fellow KTM rider, cementing a one-two start for the manufacturer at its home venue.
Jorge Martin completed the top three for Aprilia Racing. Martin faced his own early drama when his RS-GP machine cut out just after Turn 4, forcing him to park trackside, ride a scooter back to the garage, and switch to his backup bike. The mid-session machine swap failed to blunt his speed; Martin slotted straight back into the sharp end of the timing screens, ending the morning 0.308 seconds adrift of Acosta with a 1:30.159 lap, as reported by RiderTua.
Marc Marquez Claims Fourth as Bagnaia Struggles
Marc Marquez kept himself in the thick of the lead group throughout the morning, finishing the session fourth fastest with a time of 1:30.186, according to RiderTua. The multi-time world champion briefly held third before Martin’s final flyer pushed him down one spot.
By contrast, factory teammate Francesco Bagnaia endured a difficult start to the Austrian weekend. Bagnaia could manage only the 18th-fastest time, stopping the clock at 1:30.973—some 1.122 seconds slower than Acosta’s pacesetting effort, as noted by RiderTua.
Rookies Navigate Spielberg Challenges
Among the 2026 rookie contingent, Diogo Moreira showed encouraging pace for LCR Pro Honda. Moreira climbed from 15th midway through the session to finish ninth overall, posting a 1:30.520 that left him 0.669 seconds off the ultimate pace, according to RiderTua.
Toprak Razgatlioglu experienced a steeper learning curve aboard his Pramac Yamaha. Razgatlioglu languished near the bottom of the timesheets for much of the morning—briefly facing a gap of more than four seconds—before chipping away at his lap times to finish 22nd with a 1:32.363, leaving him 2.512 seconds behind Acosta, as detailed by RiderTua.
Elsewhere in the field, Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi placed sixth with a 1:30.384 after an excursion through the chicane where he locked his brakes and was forced to cut across the runoff area, according to RiderTua.
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