MotoGP: Nakagami tops opening practice in Austria
Takaaki Nakagami led defending MotoGP champion Joan Mir in the opening practice session ahead of the Styrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.
The top three was completed by the Aprilia of Aleix Espargaro while Alex Rins made it two Suzukis in the top four ahead of factory Honda riders Pol Espargaro and six-time champion Marc Marquez.
Maverick Vinales was seventh, ahead of his championship-leading Yamaha team-mate Fabio Quartararo and Johann Zarco.
Three KTM riders hit trouble at the Turn 3 right-hander – including a violent high-side accident for Miguel Oliveira.
Last year’s Styrian GP winner Oliveira spent five minutes sitting down behind the barriers at the side of the track, visibly shaken by the crash.
He’d returned to his KTM garage by the end of the session, but didn’t go back out on track and will now be checked in the medical center.
Practice 1 Results
| Pos | Rider | Bike | Laps | Time | Behind |
| 1 | Takaaki Nakagami | Honda | 22 | 1m23.805s | 0.000s |
| 2 | Joan Mir | Suzuki | 22 | 1m23.881s | 0.076s |
| 3 | Aleix Espargaro | Aprilia | 22 | 1m24.183s | 0.378s |
| 4 | Alex Rins | Suzuki | 23 | 1m24.221s | 0.416s |
| 5 | Pol Espargaro | Honda | 22 | 1m24.254s | 0.449s |
| 6 | Marc Marquez | Honda | 24 | 1m24.475s | 0.670s |
| 7 | Maverick Viñales | Yamaha | 25 | 1m24.492s | 0.687s |
| 8 | Fabio Quartararo | Yamaha | 26 | 1m24.580s | 0.775s |
| 9 | Johann Zarco | Ducati | 22 | 1m24.580s | 0.775s |
| 10 | Jack Miller | Ducati | 21 | 1m24.827s | 1.022s |
| 11 | Dani Pedrosa | KTM | 21 | 1m24.850s | 1.045s |
| 12 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati | 26 | 1m24.915s | 1.110s |
| 13 | Alex Marquez | Honda | 23 | 1m24.959s | 1.154s |
| 14 | Luca Marini | Ducati | 22 | 1m25.207s | 1.402s |
| 15 | Miguel Oliveira | KTM | 14 | 1m25.238s | 1.433s |
| 16 | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha | 22 | 1m25.264s | 1.459s |
| 17 | Jorge Martin | Ducati | 22 | 1m25.316s | 1.511s |
| 18 | Brad Binder | KTM | 22 | 1m25.033s | 1.228s |
| 19 | Danilo Petrucci | KTM | 20 | 1m25.409s | 1.604s |
| 20 | Iker Lecuona | KTM | 20 | 1m25.499s | 1.694s |
| 21 | Enea Bastianini | Ducati | 21 | 1m25.275s | 1.470s |
| 22 | Lorenzo Savadori | Aprilia | 21 | 1m25.793s | 1.988s |
| 23 | Cal Crutchlow | Yamaha | 20 | 1m26.090s | 2.285s |