MotoGP Austin Race LIVE: Masterful victory for Alex Rins, Fabio Quartararo 3rd

After an exhausting Saturday spent in Austin under a blazing sun whose apotheosis was a Sprint race won by Pecco Bagnaia, here we are on this Sunday, the day where the victory of this Grand Prix of the Americas, third round of an exciting season which has 21 scheduled on its calendar. Here is a presentation of the Texas event.  

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) dominated qualifying for the 12th time in his MotoGP career, setting a new COTA lap record in the process. In his previous 11 poles, the Italian managed to reach the podium eight times, including five on the top step.

The only winner in Austin in MotoGP on the grid this weekend, alex rins (LCR Honda Castrol) placed second in the Q2. The Spaniard had not experienced the front row since his second place at the 2021 Portuguese GP.

Luca marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) climbed into the top 3 of qualifying for the fourth time in his career, still in third place. This Sunday, the transalpine driver will try to get his first podium in the premier category.

On pole two weeks ago at Termas, Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) placed fourth in Q2 before crashing in the Sprint. The Spanish rider is still chasing his first victory in MotoGP, which he joined in 2020. Casey Stoner achieved Ducati's 27th success by wearing the number 27, bagnaia the 63rd with n°63, and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) the 72nd two weeks ago with… the n°72. Alex Marquez wears number 73…

Despite a passage in Q1, the leader of the World Championship Marco Bezzecchi took fifth place in qualifying, his second consecutive top 5 in the exercise. The No. 72 crossed the line in sixth position at the end of the Sprint and will try to get his second victory in the elite as well as his fourth podium. If he succeeds, it would be the first time that the Italian has appeared in the top 3 three times in a row.

Seventh in qualifying, fabio quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) is absent from the top 6 for the third time in a row. The Frenchman fell on Saturday during the Sprint but had the merit of getting back on his machine to finish in 19th place, which unfortunately earned no points. “El Diablo” has not won a Grand Prix since Germany last year.

Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing), which has already been on the podium at COTA in MotoGP (second in 2018), qualified eighth in Austin, its worst result in the exercise since this same position at the 2021 Malaysian GP. This Sunday , the Catalan has the opportunity to make history by winning for a third different brand, after his previous successes at Suzuki et Yamaha .

Survivor of the repechage, Johann zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) finished ninth in Q2 and is outside the top 6 for the second time this season after Portimão. The Cannes native finished 11th in the Sprint and is still chasing his first MotoGP victory.

Author of two podiums in Austin in the premier category, Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) took the 10th time in qualifying, the best result for KTM in Texas, despite two falls in Q2. The Australian scored the point of ninth place in the Sprint and, like Maverick Vinales, he has the opportunity to triumph on behalf of a third manufacturer after Honda et Ducati.

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) set the 11th fastest time in Q2, his best result this year, although he had already triumphed in the Sprint race in Argentina, starting from 15th place.

After the presentations, what will this third round of the season have in store for us? Before you know it, here is the table that summarizes the facts known so far.

MotoGP™ Austin, Texas, USA	2022	2023
P1	2'04.007 Alex Rins (See here)	2'03.250 Luca Marini (See here)
P2	2'02.542 Johann Zarco (See here)	2'02.178 Jorge Martin (See here)
FP	2'02.361 Fabio Quartararo (See here)	2'03.295 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)
FP4	2'02.983 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)	XXXXXXX
Q1	2'02487 Jorge Martin (See here)	2'02.387 Johann Zarco (See here)
Q2	2'02.039 Jorge Martin (See here)	2'01.892 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)
Sprint	XXXXXXX	Bagnaia, Rins, Martin
Warm up	2'03.647 Maverick Vinales (See here)	2'03.998 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)
Course	Bastianini, Rins, Miller (See here)	Rins, Marini, Quartararo
All time lap record	2'02.039 Jorge Martin 2022 (See here)	2'01.892 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)

It's 21.6° in the air and 41.4° on the track: the sun is out

Here are the live images.

To your predictions…

Drivers will have 20 laps to complete

Fabio ready to go into battle...!

The drivers take their place on the starting grid.

Beautiful people in the paddock

A reminder of the forces present!

Wink …

Jack Miller sends his regards.

It's time for the warm-up round!

They set off and at the end of the first turn Bagnaia remained in the lead ahead of Rins, Marini, Miller and Quartararo. Zarco is 1th

Double fall, Martin and Marquez go to the mat.

The fight starts in front; Bagnaia, Rins, Miller, Quartararo passes Marini, he is 4th from Nice.

Espargaro Falls

1st top10 after 2 laps: Bagnaia, Rins, Miller, Quartararo, Marini, Bezzecchi, Zarco, Oliveira, Binder and Vinales

Miller's comeback!

Bagnaia does not escape, Rins is 0.313s behind, he keeps the pressure on the Ducati rider

Quartararo is in rank 4, he is 1.526s behind Miller, who in his legend he is targeting to gain 3rd position and the podium.

The leading trio...

There are 15 laps left, the last Aprilia on the track is struggling, Vinales is 8th.

Bagnaia remains in the lead but Rins is on his wheel 0.184s behind.

Fall of Miller, which benefits Quartararo who is now 3rd

Bagnaia Falls

Rins takes the lead ahead of Quartararo who is 2.106s behind. Marini, Bezzecchi and Vinales complete this top 5

Fall of Mir

With 11 laps to go, the top 10 is as follows: Rins, Quartararo, Marini, Bezzecchi, Vinales, Zarco, Oliveira, Binder, Morbidelli, and Nakagami.

Binder falls, Nakagami also goes to the mat

The positions at the front are evolving: Rins leads the way in front of the Niçois, Marini, Bezzecchi, Vinales, Oliveira, Zarco, Morbidelli, Di Giannantoni and Fernandez bring up the rear of the top10 with 8 laps to go

Marini passes Quartararo

Vinales makes the effort and it pays off, he has just passed Oliveira for 4th position

Rins pushes and widens the gap on Marini, he has a lead of 2.678s. There are 5 laps left to complete

Quartararo is 3rd, 0.942s behind the Italian. Vinales and Oliveira close this provisional top5. Zarco is 7th

3 more rounds...

Rins holds the line ahead of Marini, Quartararo, Vinales, Oliveira, Bezzecchi, Zarco, Morbidelli, Di Giannantonio and Fernandez.

Fall of Bradl

Last round…

Victory for Rins ahead of Marini and Quartararo

 

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

 

Classification credit: MotoGP.com