MotoGP 2023
Round Three – COTA
MotoGP Qualifying
You could cut the tension with a knife in Q1 as several big hitters sat in their garages ready to compete for promotion to Q2. Only two could go through as perennial frontrunners Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team), Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), and Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team) all got ready to race.
Bezzecchi and Oliveira took initial control of the session and put themselves 1st and 2nd, but fast laps came in from Morbidelli and Zarco, the latter of whom bumped Oliveira out of contention. The riders then returned to the pits before the final fight for Q2 glory, which Bezzecchi started strongly on his first flyer, setting the fastest first sector, before pulling out the lap half way round. The Italian didn’t therefore manage to improve on his 2:05.253, but it was no bother as his earlier flyer proved enough to secure him a Q2 spot.
Mir put in the first punch of run 2, and with just two-thousandths of a second in it, the Repsol Honda rider snatched the provisional second spot. But it still wasn’t done. Hot laps were once again coming in, and Zarco was able to snatch first from Bezzecchi, putting the Championship leader under pressure.
No once else could improve though, putting Zarco and Bezzecchi through as Mir, Morbidelli and Oliveira just missed the cut.
Q2
As the first banker laps came in, it was Bagnaia who went top, but it was nothing to shout about for the Italian as a 2:02.576 was three-tenths shy of the fastest lap from Friday. There would surely be more to come, and there was.
Just a lap later, the red sectors began to light up the timing screens, and it was Bagnaia who moved the goalposts once again – although with Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) matched his lap time of a 2:02.242 just seconds after. Qualifying lap record holder from 2022 Jorge Martin’s (Prima Pramac Racing) then crashed out of the session.
The pitlane cat and mouse then got started. Bagnaia went to head out on the circuit first but pulled to the side of the pit-lane after seeing Alex Marquez and Marini shadowing him. Despitetrying to shake him off, Marquez latched onto the number 1 machine in hope of finding the perfect tow for a chance at pole, and the psychological warfare continued on the out lap too, with the number 73 remaining close company.
Time was ticking, however, and it was time to put the hammer down. At first though, Bagnaia set a slow couple of sectors before then making a big mistake on his first flyer, forced to regroup for his final chance with one minute left on the clock.
In the meantime, Rins had the bit between his teeth and was focussed on the job at hand. The Spaniard nailed the final sector to set the new fastest lap of the session and knock Bagnaia down to P2, throwing down the gauntlet.
Bagnaia was back in the groove though, and the reigning World Champion made a little history on the way to stealing back that pole position with the first-ever 2:01 lap of the Circuit of the Americas.
Marini shadowed the factory Ducati rider to continue his dream weekend and baged himself the final spot on the front row, with Rins forced to settle for second but splitting the Ducati 1-3-4-5.
Martin went back out on the circuit hoping to sprinkle some of his one-lap magic but went down once again, losing the front at Turn 2. Alex Marquez also went down and out of the session, but luckily for the Gresini rider he had done enough to end the session fourth fastest to head the second row ahead of Bezzecchi and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing).
The third row will also be one to keep an eye on as the lights go out, as 2021 World Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) is set to start from seventh, just ahead of Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and Zarco.
The depth of field in MotoGP is as hot as ever, and with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo of Jack Miller and Brad Binder fronting the fourth row of the grid. Miller will be looking to fight his way through the field, and Binder’s Argentina Tissot Sprint proves exactly why he can’t be discounted.
And after two crashes in Q2, Jorge Martin will have to battle through the pack from P12.
MotoGP Qualifying Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Q | Time/Gap | Speed |
1 | Francesco BAGNAIA | DUCATI | Q2 | 2m01.892 | 338.5 |
2 | Alex RINS | HONDA | Q2 | +0.160 | 337.5 |
3 | Luca MARINI | DUCATI | Q2 | +0.289 | 339.6 |
4 | Alex MARQUEZ | DUCATI | Q2 | +0.350 | 339.6 |
5 | Marco BEZZECCHI | DUCATI | Q2 | +0.376 | 343.9 |
6 | Aleix ESPARGARO | APRILIA | Q2 | +0.647 | 342.8 |
7 | Fabio QUARTARARO | YAMAHA | Q2 | +0.857 | 335.4 |
8 | Maverick VIÑALES | APRILIA | Q2 | +0.990 | 339.6 |
9 | Johann ZARCO | DUCATI | Q2 | +1.170 | 339.6 |
10 | Jack MILLER | KTM | Q2 | +1.192 | 339.6 |
11 | Brad BINDER | KTM | Q2 | +1.215 | 342.8 |
12 | Jorge MARTIN | DUCATI | Q2 | +1.400 | 337.5 |
13 | Joan MIR | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 0.356 | 337.5 |
14 | Franco MORBIDELLI | YAMAHA | Q1 | (*) 0.563 | 338.5 |
15 | Miguel OLIVEIRA | APRILIA | Q1 | (*) 0.678 | 340.6 |
16 | Fabio DI GIANNANTONI | DUCATI | Q1 | (*) 0.963 | 335.4 |
17 | Takaaki NAKAGAMI | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 1.016 | 332.3 |
18 | Michele PIRRO | DUCATI | Q1 | (*) 1.065 | 339.6 |
19 | Raul FERNANDEZ | APRILIA | Q1 | (*) 1.140 | 339.6 |
20 | Augusto FERNANDEZ | KTM | Q1 | (*) 1.411 | 337.5 |
21 | Stefan BRADL | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 1.520 | 338.5 |
22 | Jonas FOLGER | KTM | Q1 | (*) 5.210 | 334.3 |
MotoGP Sprint Race
There was adrenaline from the moment the lights went out for the Tissot Sprint at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) lined up on pole position for the first time in 2023, and it was game on as the chasing pack were eager to get the better of the defending champ.
Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) tried it early but was shaken off as Bagnaia sprinted free to take victory, but Rins battled back into second for a first taste of Prosecco with Honda. It was a duel to decide the final place on the podium, with Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) storming up from 12th on the grid to fend off Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) for third on the final lap.
Rins got the perfect launch as he took the holeshot into Turn 1, but then ran wide which allowed Bagnaia back through. It only took a few corners before Rins thrusted back up the inside of the Ducati again, but the Italian bit back and used his Borgo Panigale power to blast past the Spaniard on the back straight. Meanwhile, Aleix Espargaro and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) had also made impressive starts, shooting up into third and fourth, respectively.
With one lap down, Rins was still all over the rear wheel of the factory Ducati, but then the LCR rider out-braked himself at Turn 12, allowing Espargaro through. It almost let Quartararo through the door as well, but despite a little contact which included Quartararo’s front tyre rubbing on the torso of Rins, the Honda man was able to fend the Frenchman off. A lap later and it was Martin next on the scene to duel Quartararo, and Martin made shortish work of it, blasting past up into fourth.
Quartararo did his best to find off the Ducati rocketships, but next it was Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP). On the brakes, the 2021 World Champion then overshot Turn 12, allowing Alex Marquez through. Half a lap later it all came tumbling down as Quartararo lost the front at Turn 1, eventually rejoining but well down the order.
Back at the front, Bagnaia began to stretch out the field as he put down some lightning-fast pace. Aleix Espargaro and Rins were holding station in second and third, but it wouldn’t stay that way for long. With four laps to go Rins muscled his way past the Aprilia, but as the battle for P2 came to the end of the back straight once again, Rins barrelled into the braking zone ever so slightly over the limit of his LCR Honda. That sucked in Aleix Espargaro, who followed Rins into the corner and ran wide.
Alex Marquez was also caught out, so ill he actually threw up in his helmet during the contest while braking for turn 12 and ultimately ended up on the deck after showing clear podium pace earlier on.
Meanwhile, Rins was able to make a move stick on the Aprilia man and make his escape, with Aleix Espargaro left to duel Martin. The Prima Pramac rider had made an attack stick, but onto the final lap, Espargaro was almost riding pillion through the slalom section, desperate to find a way past. The Spaniard wanted to get through on his compatriot before the Ducati could stretch its legs on the back straight, but it wasn’t to be.
The final sector arrived and there was only one thing for it: a lunge. Espargaro dived up the inside at the penultimate corner, but he ran wide and Martin cut back up the inside, earning the 25-year-old Spaniard his second Tissot Sprint podium of the season.
Whilst the riders out front scrapped it out, the battle for the top five was hotting up too. It was Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) who led the group, with Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and team-mate Luca Marini in hot pursuit. In the end, the South African was able to fend off the Mooney VR46 Racing riders and bring home fifth from 11th on the grid. Bezzecchi, however, retains the points lead overall by one single point.
Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team) got the better of Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) to bring his Aprilia home in P8, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) rounding out the top 10 after a terrible start that saw shuffled almost all the way to the back of the field and unable to fulfil his promise.
Following an action-packed start to the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas, it all starts again on Sunday.
Pecco Bagnaia – P1
“It was one of the best days I’ve had in MotoGP considering the performance we had all day. We’ve worked so well from yesterday morning and my feeling with my bike is growing and in this track for the first time, I’m feeling great. So we worked well.
“This morning with used tyres I was feeling OK so I was already understanding where to improve. But today for the Sprint it was quite difficult because the conditions were quite hot and it was difficult to stop the bike. I was having a lot of locking and sincerely it was a bit of a problem at the start of the race, but then I got used to it and I was managing it. But I think tomorrow will be another story for the conditions.
“20 laps are a lot, even today with 10 laps it was quite long. We have to remain calm, I think you can push from the start like today. I had to wait a bit and the first part of the race was a bit slower for sure. Then we will see if I can improve the pace a bit and if I have the pace to open up a gap like today. In any case, we have to keep calm and see like today what will be the conditions that will change for sure. I just saw that maybe it will be colder so it will be easier to be competitive. Let’s see…”
Alex Rins – P2
“We had a really great day today, qualifying and the Sprint. I gave my maximum, I tried to overtake Pecco as soon as possible because I knew he had good pace and I tried to ride on my own but he overtook me and then I went straight at T12, with the hot temperatures it was difficult to not lock the font and to stop the bike. But we did a great race, let’s see tomorrow, for sure this bike isn’t the same as the bike I was riding last year, and what I can say is I need more strength in my body to be fast through the chicanes to be fast, but let’s see tomorrow.
“We have a good bike, a lot of information, today honestly the hot temperatures we didn’t expect and didn’t ride with them before so for us, or for me, the electronics wasn’t at 100 per cent, so let’s see if tomorrow it’s warmer like this but we have information. As Pecco says, the race today was fast so we’ll need to take more care of the tyres to arrive with better performance at the end of the Grand Prix race.”
Jorge Martin – P3
“Today I was struggling a lot in qualifying. In FP I felt super confident, I had a really good pace, was really close to the top guys, and I was feeling great. I think the antibiotics did their work and in the race, I was struggling a lot with my physical condition. But anyway the team did an amazing job preparing both bikes to be ready to race. Finally, we chose a bike that I thought was the good one even though we had some issues in the race. Coming through from 12th to 3rd position is not easy but I gave my 100%. Yesterday I was feeling worse so I feel like tomorrow I will maybe be better and have more strength to battle a bit better also.
“As soon as I overtook Aleix I felt so weak, so I just waited for his overtake. I was just going slow and braking hard, and finally, I could use that to beat him. You know, I was super slow but I was just taking my time to understand how to manage the battle. It wasn’t easy but I was cleverer than him today and I hope tomorrow I feel better. I will try to rest today a lot and to gain a lot of energy tomorrow!”
Aleix Espargaro – P4
“I am extremely pleased and I must thank the team very much. Normally we don’t make huge changes to the set-up, but this time they did everything they could to help me. We changed several things on the bike to make it more agile and I immediately felt better, managing to be fast already in qualifying. It’s a shame about third place. I made a few small mistakes that kept me from staying ahead of Rins, but being so fast in this type of race, characterised by a quick pace despite the temperatures and an extremely slippery track, is very positive and makes me happy. From the beginning of the weekend we improved in every session. Tomorrow we’ll try to make another step forward to get even closer to the leaders!”
Brad Binder – P5
“Today was difficult. The conditions were different to what we have had so far this weekend and the grip level changed a lot. The first lap was sketchy and I struggled to roll around the corners. I lost a lot of time because of that but once I had my bearings I could move forward. It was a hard race today but hats-off to the team and my guys because we have made a big step from last year where we would have dreamed of being 5th. We need that last step for tomorrow and I think it will be a different story with that full race distance…but it should work in our favour.”
Marco Bezzecchi – P6
“An overall positive day between qualifying and the Sprint. Compared to yesterday, we did a good job and took a big step forward. It wasn’t easy to hit the second row having to go through the Q1. I didn’t start badly in the race, I mean the sprint at the start, but I lost a lot of positions at the first corner. I tried to recover and I think I achieved the best result possible today. Let’s keep going!”
Luca Marini – P7
“I honestly don’t know what happened at the start: I was too inside at the first corner, compared to my usual line, and there was a lot of dirt there, also considering that this is the first race of the weekend. The bike shaked a lot, even the fork and the front wheel went into blockage. I braked hard to avoid hitting Pecco and I went wide, losing many positions. A real shame, for the first time this year I had a good qualifying. We still have another race tomorrow and I really enjoyed it today. I fought a lot, maybe my MotoGP race with the most overtaking. The key to the long race will be the choice of front tyre: with these temperatures, it drops after 6/7 laps and I took a lot of risks in order not to lose the front.”
Miguel Oliveira – P8
“It’s not ideal to start 15th, but we managed to get the best out of the situation and recovered some places. We did what we wanted to do – to score points in the sprint, which is the hardest to do. This result would mean a lot more points for tomorrow but for the moment, we still need to work a little bit more on the bike as I don’t feel completely comfortable. I was not able to have extra grip at the beginning on the new tyres but I managed to overtake a few guys. I’ll start 15th again tomorrow and I have a lot more work to do.”
Jack Miller – P9
“It was a struggle during the first three-quarters of the race. I was searching for drive out of the corners. I was getting a lot of spin and the track had changed overnight with the rain and it threw the balance of the bike. We made a step in the right direction but we need to find a bit more for tomorrow. We had to play a patient game with the front tire as the temperature just rocketed. We have a great package but we just need to dial-it-in and get it near perfect because we almost had it yesterday.”
Maverick Vinales – P10
“I didn’t manage the clutch well at the start, losing time in the first acceleration phase, and I found myself practically at the back of the group. In these conditions, everyone know that expressing your full potential becomes complicated. I had the pace to stay with the leaders – I’m certain of it. In fact, in spite of the traffic, I recovered several positions in just a few laps. The speed is there and I felt good in the saddle, so that is definitely a positive note, but the important thing now is to improve the start. It was my fault. Today I made a mistake and I’m fully determined to make sure it doesn’t happen again. We’ll analyse the data to improve this aspect because we’re on target for everything else.”
Joan Mir – P12
“The Sprint today shows us that there is still work to do, especially with being able to really ride how I want on the bike. But we are learning and improving all the time, this is the important point and what we are focusing on. It was really important to finish the Sprint today after two difficult and unlucky ones at the start. As a result, we have a better idea of what to expect tomorrow so we can prepare better. It was a really demanding race in this heat and with the conditions out on track.”
Takaaki Nakagami – P13
“That was a tough one. I struggled with the rear grip, preventing me from fighting and overtaking rivals. The Sprint is a demanding race, and the Circuit of the Americas is one of the most physical tracks on the calendar. These conditions didn’t help us, and now we are working hard to find better solutions in the areas we struggle with. Let’s see how the race goes tomorrow“.
Franco Morbidelli – P14
“It was difficult because this morning I missed Q2 due to a mistake I made in Turn 15 and Turn 8. I started 14th instead of 8th, and that starting position didn’t help me, because when you’re in the group, the temperature of the front tyre goes sky high, and you can’t attack anymore. We were held back by this problem because this afternoon the temperatures were suddenly so high.”
Raul Fernandez – P15
“To be honest, it was difficult today. We did some positive steps in FP3 and in qualifying, and I felt really good. But the problem was in the race, if you start at the back, it was impossible to overtake. In one moment in the race, I was alone, I had Takaaki (Nakagami) and Franco (Morbidelli) in front of me and I thought I could chase up to them. But once I got closer, it was impossible, even more with the front tyre temperature rising, I had to close the gas and try again. I am frustrated with myself that I could not make a better result. If we start the race from the front, it is completely different. But now, I understand the bike more and I know I need to be calmer and then we will get there.”
Augusto Fernandez – P16
“It was a tough ten laps but we got experience and we used the Sprint as preparation for the race tomorrow. It has been a challenging weekend so far in terms of finding the feeling that I want on the bike. I’m missing something compared to the last races because this is a very hard track. I think we are making steps and I hope we can improve again tomorrow. I think our late race pace should be better.”
Fabio DiGiannantonio – P17
“We’ve been struggling the whole weekend so far, with the bike that understeers a lot mid-turn, so I cannot corner the way I’d like. It’s something that happens to us from time to time and this track layout surely doesn’t help. We tried a set-up adjustment this morning that allowed us to make a step forward, but we went back to struggling in the afternoon as the track conditions changed and the grip level decreased.”
Stefan Bradl – P18
“We arrived here with realistic expectations, and we were able to achieve what we set out to do. The Sprint is very intense, it’s what I expected and especially here it’s really demanding in this weather and with this physical track. I lost a bit of ground in the first high-speed braking, but I am not in a situation or a position to take a lot of risks. We were able to learn some good things about the bike for tomorrow and the objective is to again have another consistent race.”
Fabio Quartararo – P19
“I feel frustrated, of course, because we had the speed. When we are riding with the others, I can’t do much. We have to stay calm and try to find an improvement as soon as possible. I wasn’t over-riding in this Sprint. Only maybe on braking, that‘s where I’m able to recover ground. I hope we can make a step in the next weeks and races. If you don’t make a good start, then it’s basically all said and done, so for tomorrow making a good start like today and being aggressive from the start will be our main aim again.”
Jonas Folger – P20
“The first race is done and it was very hard! The bike felt quite different in race conditions compared to practice and qualifying. We made a small change to the front suspension but with the hotter conditions it didn’t work out as we hoped. Overall, I expected more but we still need to work on small details, like the ergonomics. It is a process and it’s important we go through it. I’m looking forward to tomorrow and thanks to the team for all the hard work and support.”
Alex Marquez – DNF
“I was feeling good performance-wise in the race, as despite a crash in qualifying we still had the confidence and a good pace. Unfortunately I wasn’t feeling good physically and I even threw up under braking at turn 12 and crashed. I “freed myself” after the race and now I feel quite well, and ready to make amends tomorrow.”
Michele Pirro – DNF
“I am really disappointed about this crash. The guys did an outstanding job allowing me to improve in each session, so I looked forward to finishing the race. Unfortunately, when I saw Quartararo’s crash, I probably lost concentration and made a mistake. Now we have tomorrow’s GP left, where I aim to do better.“
Team Managers
Luigi Dall’Igna – Ducati Corse General Manager
“Pecco did an incredible job today. After this morning’s pole position, he did another beautiful race where he managed the situation in the best possible way by pushing when it was necessary. We are very happy, and now we must stay focused to get the best result in tomorrow’s GP.”
Francesco Guidotti – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager
“The different conditions on track this morning meant we struggled for a while. In the Sprint though we enjoyed our normal good starts. Brad built a good race pace and finished 5th although there were issues with rear grip. A top five was acceptable for us in the circumstances and especially because he ran wide a couple of times: the lack of rear grip affected him in the hard braking zones. Anyway he found good pace again and he kept his position. In general it was a good race. Jack had two small crashes this morning but finished the Sprint to get one point. We will try to fix everything for tomorrow’s race although it looks like it might be different again because the temperatures are set to drop. We will have ten minutes in the warm-up to try and get everything sorted.”
Massimo Meregalli – Monster Yamaha Team Director
“Today’s Sprint didn’t turn out as we had hoped. It’s a pity, especially for Fabio. He had a good start and played it smart in Turn 1. This put him in the right place early on to battle amongst the front group. He did all he could to stay with those riders, to the point that he made a small mistake in Turn 1. It’s a shame, but small errors happen when riding at 110%. Franky’s Sprint became a bit of a lonely ride in the end. Though he scored no points, these 10 laps can still be helpful to us. We will use today’s Sprint data for tomorrow’s Race.”
Nicolas Goyon – GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 Team Manager
“A solid race for Augusto who has been working hard to get in tune with the track. He’s had a few crashes and that’s prevented him from having a settled pace for the Sprint. He started quite far back but improved his lap-time, his overall pace and made some overtaking moves. It was a stronger performance and means we are quite positive for tomorrow. For Jonas he experienced his first Sprint and suffered a bit due to a lack of bike knowledge and track mileage. He is working more on getting comfortable, and we will make some adjustments for tomorrow to help him with that. We’ll go back to the pitbox, the computers, do our analysis and look for Sunday.”
MotoGP Sprint Race Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Time/Gap |
1 | Francesco BAGNAIA | DUCATI | 20m35.270 |
2 | Alex RINS | HONDA | +2.545 |
3 | Jorge MARTIN | DUCATI | +4.706 |
4 | Aleix ESPARGARO | APRILIA | +5.052 |
5 | Brad BINDER | KTM | +8.175 |
6 | Marco BEZZECCHI | DUCATI | +8.877 |
7 | Luca MARINI | DUCATI | +9.453 |
8 | Miguel OLIVEIRA | APRILIA | +10.768 |
9 | Jack MILLER | KTM | +12.448 |
10 | Maverick VIÑALES | APRILIA | +12.739 |
11 | Johann ZARCO | DUCATI | +14.251 |
12 | Joan MIR | HONDA | +14.988 |
13 | Takaaki NAKAGAMI | HONDA | +15.592 |
14 | Franco MORBIDELLI | YAMAHA | +16.534 |
15 | Raul FERNANDEZ | APRILIA | +19.290 |
16 | Augusto FERNANDEZ | KTM | +23.128 |
17 | Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO | DUCATI | +25.626 |
18 | Stefan BRADL | HONDA | +25.787 |
19 | Fabio QUARTARARO | YAMAHA | +27.169 |
20 | Jonas FOLGER | KTM | +46.973 |
Not Classified | |||
DNF | Alex MARQUEZ | DUCATI | 4 laps |
DNF | Michele PIRRO | DUCATI | 5 laps |
MotoGP Championship Points
Pos | Rider | Nat | Points |
1 | BEZZECCHI Marco | ITA | 54 |
2 | BAGNAIA Francesco | ITA | 53 |
3 | ZARCO Johann | FRA | 35 |
4 | MARQUEZ Alex | SPA | 33 |
5 | VIÑALES Maverick | SPA | 32 |
6 | MARTIN Jorge | SPA | 29 |
7 | BINDER Brad | RSA | 27 |
8 | MILLER Jack | AUS | 26 |
9 | RINS Alex | SPA | 22 |
10 | MORBIDELLI Franco | ITA | 21 |
11 | ESPARGARO Aleix | SPA | 18 |
12 | QUARTARARO Fabio | FRA | 18 |
13 | MARINI Luca | ITA | 18 |
14 | FERNANDEZ Augusto | SPA | 8 |
15 | NAKAGAMI Takaaki | JPN | 7 |
16 | MARQUEZ Marc | SPA | 7 |
17 | DI GIANNANTONIO Fabio | ITA | 6 |
18 | OLIVEIRA Miguel | POR | 5 |
19 | MIR Joan | SPA | 5 |
20 | FERNANDEZ Raul | SPA | 2 |
21 | BRADL Stefan | GER | 0 |
22 | FOLGER Jonas | GER | 0 |
Moto2 Qualifying
Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) is back on top! The Italian stole pole position away from wonder-kid Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas by just 0.020 after an incredibly close shoot out, with the two joined on the front row by Filip Salač (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2).
Salač set the benchmark on the first run, but as the riders headed out for their second bite of the cherry, it was the flying Acosta who stormed to the top of the pile despite strong laps from Jake Dixon (GASGAS Aspar Team) and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team). With just over a minute remaining, Dixon was on a flyer but a moment for Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), who was right in front of the Brit, halted his progress as he consolidated P6.
Meanwhile, Vietti was on a flyer and put in the perfect final sector to push Acosta off the top spot and take pole. That pushes Salač down to P3, with Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) heading Row 2 via Q1. Fifth goes to Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools Speed Up), also from Q1, with Dixon sixth. Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) is next up, and Arbolino starts P8.
Moto2 Qualifying Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Q | Time/Gap | Speed |
1 | Celestino VIETTI | KALEX | Q2 | 2m09.432 | 281.2 |
2 | Pedro ACOSTA | KALEX | Q2 | +0.020 | 281.9 |
3 | Filip SALAC | KALEX | Q2 | +0.116 | 279.0 |
4 | Bo BENDSNEYDER | KALEX | Q2 | +0.157 | 277.6 |
5 | Alonso LOPEZ | BOSCOSCURO | Q2 | +0.319 | 275.5 |
6 | Jake DIXON | KALEX | Q2 | +0.320 | 277.6 |
7 | Aron CANET | KALEX | Q2 | +0.383 | 276.9 |
8 | Tony ARBOLINO | KALEX | Q2 | +0.430 | 280.5 |
9 | Manuel GONZALEZ | KALEX | Q2 | +0.495 | 278.3 |
10 | Jeremy ALCOBA | KALEX | Q2 | +0.564 | 277.6 |
11 | Fermín ALDEGUER | BOSCOSCURO | Q2 | +0.721 | 276.2 |
12 | Barry BALTUS | KALEX | Q2 | +0.725 | 276.9 |
13 | Albert ARENAS | KALEX | Q2 | +0.979 | 277.6 |
14 | Dennis FOGGIA | KALEX | Q2 | +0.994 | 282.7 |
15 | Somkiat CHANTRA | KALEX | Q2 | +1.013 | 281.9 |
16 | Joe ROBERTS | KALEX | Q2 | +1.114 | 279.0 |
17 | Ai OGURA | KALEX | Q2 | +1.601 | 279.0 |
18 | Sam LOWES | KALEX | P3 | +0.625 | / |
19 | Lorenzo DALLA PORTA | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 0.598 | 280.5 |
20 | Sergio GARCIA | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 0.670 | 278.3 |
21 | Zonta VD GOORBERGH | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 0.818 | 278.3 |
22 | Sean Dylan KELLY | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 0.963 | 274.8 |
23 | Lukas TULOVIC | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 1.032 | 281.2 |
24 | Rory SKINNER | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 1.158 | 273.4 |
25 | Marcos RAMIREZ | FORWARD | Q1 | (*) 1.465 | 279.7 |
26 | Borja GOMEZ | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 1.485 | 281.2 |
27 | Izan GUEVARA | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 1.828 | 276.9 |
28 | David SANCHIS | FORWARD | Q1 | (*) 2.738 | 271.3 |
29 | Soichiro MINAMIMOTO | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 4.013 | 276.9 |
Moto2 Championship Points
Pos | Rider | Nat | Points |
1 | ARBOLINO Tony | ITA | 41 |
2 | CANET Aron | SPA | 33 |
3 | ACOSTA Pedro | SPA | 29 |
4 | DIXON Jake | GBR | 26 |
5 | SALAC Filip | CZE | 22 |
6 | LOPEZ Alonso | SPA | 20 |
7 | GONZALEZ Manuel | SPA | 16 |
8 | LOWES Sam | GBR | 15 |
9 | CHANTRA Somkiat | THA | 15 |
10 | ARENAS Albert | SPA | 15 |
11 | GARCIA Sergio | SPA | 12 |
12 | BINDER Darryn | RSA | 10 |
13 | VIETTI Celestino | ITA | 8 |
14 | ALCOBA Jeremy | SPA | 6 |
15 | BALTUS Barry | BEL | 4 |
16 | ALDEGUER Fermín | SPA | 4 |
17 | ROBERTS Joe | USA | 4 |
18 | TORRES Jordi | SPA | 0 |
19 | GOMEZ Borja | SPA | 0 |
20 | FOGGIA Dennis | ITA | 0 |
21 | VD GOORBERGH Zonta | NED | 0 |
22 | DALLA PORTA Lorenzo | ITA | 0 |
Moto3 Qualifying
The early bird got the worm in Moto3 qualifying at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas as Jaume Masia’s (Leopard Racing) very first fast lap proved unbeatable once set. Polesitter in Portimao and Argentina, Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), got closest as he gets ready to race from second place, with Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) going one better than Termas with third and the front row in Texas.
Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) heads Row 2 this time around, with points leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) just behind him in a reverse of their Championship positions. Holgado also crashed in Q2, but rider perfectly ok and no one able to really shuffle him down the order. Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) completes the top six.
Argentina winner Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) starts tenth, with fomer COTA winner Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team) in P13 just ahead of Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo). For full timesheets, see below.
Moto3 Qualifying Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Q | Time/Gap | Speed |
1 | Jaume MASIA | HONDA | Q2 | 2m16.250 | 236.8 |
2 | Ayumu SASAKI | HUSQVARNA | Q2 | +0.101 | 230.2 |
3 | Ivan ORTOLÁ | KTM | Q2 | +0.306 | 231.7 |
4 | Diogo MOREIRA | KTM | Q2 | +0.616 | 226.4 |
5 | Daniel HOLGADO | KTM | Q2 | +0.662 | 226.8 |
6 | Stefano NEPA | KTM | Q2 | +0.766 | 228.8 |
7 | Ryusei YAMANAKA | GASGAS | Q2 | +1.080 | 226.8 |
8 | Matteo BERTELLE | HONDA | Q2 | +1.098 | 231.2 |
9 | Xavier ARTIGAS | CFMOTO | Q2 | +1.122 | 233.7 |
10 | Tatsuki SUZUKI | HONDA | Q2 | +1.157 | 233.7 |
11 | José Antonio RUEDA | KTM | Q2 | +1.433 | 229.7 |
12 | David SALVADOR | KTM | Q2 | +1.458 | 231.7 |
13 | Romano FENATI | HONDA | Q2 | +1.502 | 226.8 |
14 | Deniz ÖNCÜ | KTM | Q2 | +1.748 | 226.8 |
15 | Kaito TOBA | HONDA | Q2 | +1.751 | 228.3 |
16 | David MUÑOZ | KTM | P2 | +1.201 | / |
17 | Riccardo ROSSI | HONDA | P2 | +1.678 | / |
18 | Syarifuddin AZMAN | KTM | Q1 | (*) 0.224 | 230.7 |
19 | Taiyo FURUSATO | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 0.628 | 228.8 |
20 | Filippo FARIOLI | KTM | Q1 | (*) 0.747 | 229.7 |
21 | Collin VEIJER | HUSQVARNA | Q1 | (*) 0.811 | 226.4 |
22 | David ALONSO | GASGAS | Q1 | (*) 0.860 | 225.4 |
23 | Scott OGDEN | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 0.863 | 221.7 |
24 | Andrea MIGNO | KTM | Q1 | (*) 0.939 | 226.4 |
25 | Mario AJI | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 1.045 | 225.4 |
26 | Ana CARRASCO | KTM | Q1 | (*) 1.349 | 228.8 |
27 | Joshua WHATLEY | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 2.392 | 228.3 |
Moto3 Championship Points
Pos | Rider | Nat | Points |
1 | HOLGADO Daniel | SPA | 38 |
2 | MOREIRA Diogo | BRA | 36 |
3 | SUZUKI Tatsuki | JPN | 27 |
4 | MUÑOZ David | SPA | 20 |
5 | NEPA Stefano | ITA | 19 |
6 | MIGNO Andrea | ITA | 16 |
7 | ARTIGAS Xavier | SPA | 16 |
8 | TOBA Kaito | JPN | 14 |
9 | RUEDA José Antonio | SPA | 13 |
10 | MASIA Jaume | SPA | 11 |
11 | OGDEN Scott | GBR | 11 |
12 | SASAKI Ayumu | JPN | 10 |
13 | SALVADOR David | SPA | 9 |
14 | YAMANAKA Ryusei | JPN | 7 |
15 | KELSO Joel | AUS | 7 |
16 | ÖNCÜ Deniz | TUR | 6 |
17 | AZMAN Syarifuddin | MAL | 5 |
18 | BERTELLE Matteo | ITA | 4 |
19 | VEIJER Collin | NED | 4 |
20 | FENATI Romano | ITA | 3 |
21 | ALONSO David | COL | 2 |
22 | WHATLEY Joshua | GBR | 1 |
COTA AEST Schedule
Friday | ||
Time | Class | Session |
Saturday | ||
Time | Class | Session |
Sunday | ||
Time | Class | Session |
0045 (Mon) | MotoGP | WUP |
0200 (Mon) | Moto3 | Race |
0315 (Mon) | Moto2 | Race |
0500 (Mon) | MotoGP | Race |
2023 MotoGP Calendar
Rnd | Date | Location |
3 | Apr-16 | Americas, COTA |
4 | Apr-30 | Spain, Jerez |
5 | May-14 | France, Le Mans |
6 | Jun-11 | Italy, Mugello |
7 | Jun-18 | Germany, Sachsenring |
8 | Jun-25 | Netherlands, Assen |
9 | Jul-09 | Kazakhstan, Sokol (Subject to homologation) |
10 | Aug-06 | Great Britain, Silverstone |
11 | Aug-20 | Austria, Red Bull Ring |
12 | Sep-03 | Catalunya, Catalunya |
13 | Sep-10 | San Marino, Misano |
14 | Sep-24 | India, Buddh (Subject to homologation) |
15 | Oct-01 | Japan, Motegi |
16 | Oct-15 | Indonesia, Mandalika |
17 | Oct-22 | Australia, Phillip Island |
18 | Oct-29 | Thailand, Chang |
19 | Nov-12 | Malaysia, Sepang |
20 | Nov-19 | Qatar, Lusail |
21 | Nov-26 | Valenciana, Valencia |