The advantage of two consecutive Grand Prix in almost unknown territory for Michelin is that all the tumults of Argentina are quickly forgotten.
No more pneumatic safety measures, the dirty runway, the unlit airports, the broken down planes, the falls of Lorenzo and Crutchlow, or the desperate attack of Iannone on his teammate... We forget all that and we start from scratch; in Texas, everything is open, and for the moment, under a magnificent blue sky and ideal temperatures of 21 and 25°!
Capitalist economy requires, Marc Marquez has until now monopolized all the pole positions and victories on this Circuit of the Americas. It is therefore normal that all the records belong to him; remember that the boy is capable of running two hundred meters in a suit and boots, jumping on his motorbike and shattering the circuit record in a single flying lap!
Record for the best lap of the circuit: 2'02.135 in 2015.
The first day of last year took place on a wet track, this time we will take the best time of FP3 to give ourselves a reference.
The first MotoAmerica tests took place yesterday, which advantageously began to "erase" the Texan track and which complemented the excellent weather conditions present. For this first MotoGP free practice session, the vast majority of riders chose a Soft/Soft tire combination.
Michelin developed a new rear tire (the Medium) following the Argentine Grand Prix, with a stiffer carcass and softer rubber, all manufactured and shipped by air in 3 days instead of the usual 3 weeks!
No doubt anxious to erase his Argentinian weekend, Jorge Lorenzo takes the lead (Barbera in her wheel) but it's good Marc Marquez (who is testing bigger fins today) who leads the dance, lowering his time by one second per lap to stabilize it at 2′.05.435 at the end of the first one, ahead of Rossi by 9 tenths, then Iannone, Lorenzo, Pedrosa, Crutchlow and Dovizioso.
At the start of the second run, Rossi leaves on worn tires with his second bike and Pol Espargaro positions himself 4th, which seems to confirm the good disposition of the Yamahas, but it is Andrea Iannone (with a Ducati has found its side wings) who makes it his duty to reduce the gap with number #93 who has accelerated again; 2'04.953
Jack Miller falls and remains on the ground, stunned after a violent High Side in turn #18.
At the end of the second run, the ranking is led by Marquez, 6 tenths ahead of Iannone, Lorenzo, Dovizioso, Rossi (who did not improve), Pol Espargaro and Pedrosa.
During the last minutes, Barbera takes Marquez in the spotlight this time and thus places his Ducati in 5th position. Lorenzo reduces the gap to 2 tenths with the #93 Honda.
Loris Baz is 18th.
| Pos | number | Pile | Country | Team | Motorcycle | Km / h | Temps | difference 1st/Prev. |
| 1 | 93 | Marc Márquez | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 338.8 | 2'04.953 | |
| 2 | 99 | Jorge Lorenzo | SPA | Yamaha Motor Racing | Yamaha | 337.7 | 2'05.208 | 0.255 / 0.255 |
| 3 | 29 | Andrea Iannone | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 344.2 | 2'05.570 | 0.617 / 0.362 |
| 4 | 8 | Hector BARBERA | SPA | Avintia Racing | Ducati | 338.1 | 2'05.682 | 0.729 / 0.112 |
| 5 | 4 | Andrea Dovizioso | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 345.2 | 2'06.032 | 1.079 / 0.350 |
| 6 | 45 | Scott REDDING | GBR | OCTO Yakhnich bow | Ducati | 341.4 | 2'06.224 | 1.271 / 0.192 |
| 7 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Yamaha Motor Racing | Yamaha | 338.9 | 2'06.252 | 1.299 / 0.028 |
| 8 | 68 | Yonny HERNANDEZ | COL | Aspar Team MotoGP | Ducati | 340.0 | 2'06.264 | 1.311 / 0.012 |
| 9 | 25 | Maverick VIÑALES | SPA | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | 340.9 | 2'06.367 | 1.414 / 0.103 |
| 10 | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 340.9 | 2'06.450 | 1.497 / 0.083 |
| 11 | 41 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | 336.4 | 2'06.482 | 1.529 / 0.032 |
| 12 | 44 | Pol Espargaró | SPA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 340.2 | 2'06.581 | 1.628 / 0.099 |
| 13 | 35 | Cal Crutchlow | GBR | Honda LCR | Honda | 338.3 | 2'06.772 | 1.819 / 0.191 |
| 14 | 6 | Stefan BRADL | GER | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 334.0 | 2'07.135 | 2.182 / 0.363 |
| 15 | 53 | Tito RABAT | SPA | Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS | Honda | 335.7 | 2'07.189 | 2.236 / 0.054 |
| 16 | 38 | Bradley SMITH | GBR | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 338.9 | 2'07.259 | 2.306 / 0.070 |
| 17 | 50 | Eugene LAVERTY | IRL | Aspar Team MotoGP | Ducati | 343.1 | 2'07.261 | 2.308 / 0.002 |
| 18 | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | SPA | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 336.0 | 2'07.449 | 2.496 / 0.188 |
| 19 | 76 | Loris BAZ | FRA | Avintia Racing | Ducati | 335.0 | 2'07.506 | 2.553 / 0.057 |
| 20 | 51 | Michael PIRRO | ITA | OCTO Yakhnich bow | Ducati | 338.3 | 2'07.895 | 2.942 / 0.389 |
| 21 | 43 | Jack Miller | AUS | Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS | Honda | 338.6 | 2'07.897 | 2.944 / 0.002 |
