MotoGP Austin Course LIVE: And two for Enea Bastianini who takes the reins of the Championship

After making it through Q1, Jorge Martin qualified on pole position for the sixth time in MotoGP, setting a new lap record at COTA. This is the fifth time since the introduction of the current qualifying format in 2013 that a driver has qualified on pole position after going through Q1, like the same Martin in Austria last year, Marc Marquez (Thailand/2018 ), Maverick Viñales (Valencia/2018) and Francesco Bagnaia (Emilia-Romagna/2021).

This is the second consecutive pole position for Ducati at COTA after Francesco Bagnaia Last year. Jack Miller qualified in second, his best qualifying result since Algarve last year, as well as his first front row start since Valencia, also last year, where he finished third for his most recent podium.

Francis Bagnaia, who was on pole position last year at COTA, qualified third for his first front row start since Valencia last year, where he was second on the grid before winning the race. Johann zarco qualified in fourth position, his second best result of the season after Indonesia, where he was third on the grid and had finished third. He matched his best MotoGP qualifying result at COTA since 2018 while riding a Yamaha.

Enea Bastianini, who fell in Q2, finally qualified in fifth position, which is the third time since the start of the year that he has qualified on the first two rows with Qatar where he won his first victory and Indonesia. With Martin, Miller, Bagnaia, Zarco and Bastianini, it's the first 1-2-3-4-5 Ducati in the premier category, and the first 1-2-3-4-5 for the same manufacturer in MotoGP since Honda at Motegi in 2003.

fabio quartararo, who fell in Q2, qualified in sixth position for the second consecutive time after Argentina. He finished second last year at COTA and will try to win for the first time since Silverstone last year.

After going through Q1, alex rins, who is the only driver other than Marc Marquez to have won at COTA in MotoGP, qualified in seventh position for the second consecutive time. He will attempt to reach the podium in two consecutive races for the first time since 2020. The championship leader Aleix Espargaró, who crashed in Q1, qualified in 13th position, his worst qualifying result since last year's Algarve GP when he was 14th.

Winner last year at COTA, Marc Marquez qualified in ninth position, his worst result on this circuit. He has only finished on the podium once after qualifying P9 or worse: at Sepang in 2019 where he finished second after qualifying 11th. Takaaki Nakagami, the second Honda rider, qualified in 10th position, matching his best qualifying result of the season so far in Argentina last week.

What will this fourth round of a season which has already seen nine different drivers climb onto the podium have in store for us? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

MotoGP™ Austin, Texas, USA	2021	2022
FP1	2'15.872 Marc Marquez (See here)	2'04.007 Alex Rins (See here)
FP2	2'04.164 Marc Marquez (See here)	2'02.542 Johann Zarco (See here)
FP3	2'02.923 Jack Miller (See here)	2'02.361 Fabio Quartararo (See here)
FP4	2'04.028 Jack Miller (See here)	2'02.983 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)
Q1	2'03.410 Luca Marini (See here)	2'02487 Jorge Martin (See here)
Q2	2'02.781 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)	2'02.039 Jorge Martin (See here)
Warm up	2'04.074 Takaaki Nakagami (See here)	2'03.647 Maverick Vinales (See here)
Course	Mr. Marquez, Quartararo, Bagnaia (See here)	Bastianini, Rins, Miller
All time lap record	2'02.135 Marc Márquez 2015	2'02.039 Jorge Martin (See here)

While waiting for the start of hostilities, here are the live images…

Like every race weekend, it's time for predictions.

Lots of wind blowing from the sides and which risks bothering the drivers during the 20 laps they have to complete.

The starting grid for those who have a memory lapse..

The Austin Sheriff is ready for a fight! Marquez on the track: he will start from 9th position

Michelin communicates to us the tire fitments for the entire peloton...

27° in the air and 43° on the track. Some clouds in the Austin sky. The wind is now blowing from the front.

They left and it was Martin who took the lead in front of Miller. Miller quickly passes Martin, Bastianini 3rd

Marc Marquez penultimate, missed start... Quartararo is 5th, Zarco 6th

Top3: Miller ahead of Martin and Bastianini.

Martin attempts an ambush, but Miller responds. The top 10 is as follows: Miller, Martin, Bastianini, Bagnaia, Zarco, Quartararo, Rins, Mir, Aleix Espargaro and Pol Espargaro. 

Bezzecchi Falls. Smoking motorbike...

Marc Marquez begins his comeback...last, he is now 14th

Battle between Quartararo and Rins for 6th position: The Niçois resists!

Zarco attacks Bagnaia, the Frenchman passes but is caught straight away. It pays off at the next corner, the Cannes player is 4th on

Quartararo gives way to Rins, Mir presents himself in turn and immediately overtakes the Niçois. The Yamaha rider is in difficulty...Fabio is 8th

Very fast Rins gets rid of Bagnaia very easily. He is 5th

Fall of Alex Marquez.

The top5 is as follows with 14 laps to go: Miller, Martin, Bastianini, Zarco and Rins.

Marc Marquez attacks his teammate, he takes 10th position.

Rins manages to overtake Zarco, the Suzuki rider is now 4th. Zarco crosses again but the Suzuki driver catches him when reaccelerating.

In the process, he tries a pass on Bastianini, in vain...the rider on the Ducati is faster and catches him..

10 more laps: Miller holds the bar ahead of Martin, Bastianini, Rins, Zarco, Bagnaia, Mir, Quartararo, Marc Marquez and Aleix Espargaro.

Bastianini takes 2nd position to the detriment of Martin. Rins takes advantage and also passes Martin: new top5: Miller, Bastianini, Rins, Martin and Mir. Zarco having passed through Bagnaia and Mir. Quartararo is 8th.

Quartararo passes Zarco, Marc Marquez does the same: Marquez immediately gets rid of the Yamaha rider

The top10 is as follows with 5 all from the goal: Miller, Bastianini, Rins, Mir, Bagnaia, Martin, Marquez, Quartararo, Zarco and Aleix Espargaro. 

Bastianini is in Miller's saddle...an attack is near! He passes 4 laps from the goal

Marc Marquez makes short work of Martin, he is now 6th! Fabio is 7th and overtakes Martin in turn.

3 more laps and Bastianini is this new leader ahead of Miller, Rins, Mir and Bagnaia. Quartararo attack on Marquez for 6th position but it doesn't work 

Last round…

Rins attacks Miller and thus takes 2nd position.

Victory for Bastianini ahead of Rins and Miller.

   

       Results of the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com