Elsewhere, the returning Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) ended Day 1 in sixth, whereas World Championship leader Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) sits outside the top 10 – with work to do for the Argentina GP race winner in FP3 to move through into Q2.

FP1
Some fantastic pace in the final handful of laps saw Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) end FP1 as the fastest rider on track, but only 0.008s split the Spaniard from compatriot Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing). Rins’ 2:04.007 benchmark was over four tenths clear of third place Miller though. He had encountered an issue with his GSX-RR with 20 mins to go and then had to pit for fuel on his second bike, but that didn’t stop the 2019 Americas GP winner.

Quartararo began his weekend with a P4, the Frenchman 0.443 behind Rins in the opening 45-minute stint, with Marc Marquez’ return getting off the ground with a very solid P5. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) crashed unhurt at Turn 18 in the early exchanges of the session, and then he too had a technical issue at the end of the session.

FP2
FP1 table topper Rins was the first rider to stick some fresh soft rear Michelin rubber in with 22 minutes to go, and his time was a 2:03.030 – half a second faster than anyone else. Miller had sat P1 after a flurry of riders set their personal best times in the early stages of the session, including Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP), Viñales and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), but with 20 minutes to go, there was a new benchmark thanks to the number 42 Suzuki.

Bagnaia then took over in second before Joan Mir made it a Team Suzuki Ecstar 1-2 with four minutes left on Friday. But the red sector times were starting to light up the screen. Marc Marquez slotted into P2 as Miller returned to top spot by 0.2s, with Viñales going P4. All of a sudden though, it became a leading trio of Ducatis as Zarco set the best time of the day, with Bastianini going P3 behind Miller too.

Quartararo soon hit back to take third, although the Frenchman was nearly three tenths away from countryman Zarco. And that’s how it stayed by the time all the riders had taken the chequered flag; Zarco fastest from Ducati stablemate Miller and Quartararo.

Provisional Q2 places
Behind the top three, Bastianini had a good day at the office to finish P4, the Italian just 0.3s shy of Zarco’s pace, with Rins shuffled down to P5 by the end of the session after going early on his soft tyre strategy. Marc Marquez’ sixth on his return to MotoGP action was an interesting one, and we saw a happy Viñales at the end of Day 1 – P7 for Top Gun. Mir, after briefly sitting P2, is currently heading into Q2 in P8 ahead of Bagnaia and Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) – the two GP22 riders rounding out that all-important top 10.

That means Aleix Espargaro has work to do in FP3 if he’s to grab an automatic place in Q2 in Austin, with the Spaniard missing out by a slender 0.015s. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – the leading KTM on a tough day for the factory – are the only other riders within a second of Zarco’s scintillating time, down in P12 and P13. Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team) crashed unhurt late on at Turn 11.

FRIDAY: TOP 3 (Full Results Here) 

1 Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) – Ducati – 2’02.542
2 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.247
3 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) – Yamaha – +0.295

Moto2
Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up) continues to impress in Moto2 this season as the Spaniard ended Day 1 at the top of the timesheets at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas. Aldeguer set a 2:09.155 in the second Free Practice session to beat Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) by just 0.046s, with Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) beginning his home GP with a P3 overall on Day 1.

FP1
Despite a late crash, Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) topped FP1 with a 2:10.489, a time good enough to beat Beaubier by 0.036s. Arbolino was also fast first time out, rounding out the first top three of the weekend.

Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) and Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) completed the top five, the duo were the only other riders to get within half a second of pacesetter Fernandez. Jake Dixon (Shimoko GASGAS Aspar Team) and Barry Baltus (RW Racing GP) crashed unhurt in the opening session of the weekend.

FP2
It was a closely fought FP2 session, with every rider bar one going quicker than they did in the cooler FP1 conditions. The fastest times of the day came at the end of the session, with Aldeguer eventually pipping Arbolino to P1 on his final flying lap. Beaubier also set his personal best lap on his final time attack effort to climb into the top three. World Championship leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) struggled to P15 after crashing unhurt at Turn 5, rider ok but currently outside the provisional Q2 places.

Provisional Q2 places
Behind Aldeguer, Arbolino and Beaubier, Dixon claimed P4 on Day 1. Second in the Championship, Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40), was fifth with FP1 pacesetter Fernandez in P6. Reigning Moto3 World Champion Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) went well to finish P7, with Argentina GP podium finisher Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) picking up P8. A late effort from Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40) – despite a crash – and Albert Arenas (Shimoko GASGAS Aspar Team) round out the top 10.

Home hero Sean Dylan Kelly (American Racing) headed to the medical centre for a check-up after a crash in FP2, thankfully he was later declared fit, as we also saw a crash for Gabriel Rodrigo (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) – he too went to the medical centre and will be reviewed before FP3. That FP3 will be a vital session for Vietti after home favourite Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) knocked the Italian out of the top 14.

FRIDAY: TOP 3 (Full Results Here) 

1 Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up) – Boscoscuro – 2’09.155
2 Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – Kalex – +0.046
3 Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) – Kalex – +0172

Moto3
Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) flexed some speed on Day 1 at the Red Bull Grand Prix of Americas, pulling clear by more than three tenths ahead of compatriot Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team). Third was an impressive push from Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as the Spaniard starts to stake his claim on some serious pace in his rookie season.

FP1
Migno set a 2:16.241 in  FP1 to start the day on top of the timesheets, ahead of second place Foggia. The Leopard Racing rider was 0.382s down on Migno’s best effort, while Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) completed the top three. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) took P4 and P5 as actioned opened for the lightweight class, with World Championship leader Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) finishing P9 – 1.068s away from top spot.

FP2
2:15.440 from Foggia put him on top in FP2 as he turned the tables on FP1 pacesetter Migno by a similar 0.384s. Reigning FIM JuniorGP World Champion Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) climbed into the top three with a late lap in the afternoon session, the rookie seriously impressing on first touch with COTA. Lapping alone at the end of FP2, Foggia was able to briefly sit 0.7s clear, but Migno did slightly reel him in at the end of the day. Only five riders lapped within a second of Foggia though, with the Italian stamping his authority on Austin on the opening day of action as only he and Migno set sub 2:16 lap times. 

Provisional Q2 places
Behind Foggia, Migno and Holgado, Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) is fourth fastest on Day 1 and having missed most of FP1. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) strung together a great FP2 to claim P5, with Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) in P6 as the final rider to get within a second of Foggia’s blistering time. Tatay suffered a heavy crash at Turn 18 in FP2 but the Spaniard was unhurt and ended the day in P7, he leads Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing), 2021 COTA winner Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) and Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) inside the top 10.

World Championship leader Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) claimed P11 on the combined timesheets, 1.1s down on title rival Foggia by the end of play. Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Matteo Bertelle (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team) and Alberto Surra (Rivacold Snipers Team), the latter despite a crash, are the final riders currently set to move through to Q2.

FRIDAY: TOP 3 (Full Results Here) 

1 Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) – Honda – 2’15.440
2 Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) – Honda – +0.384
3 Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – KTM – +0.750

The post MotoGP Friday: Zarco pulls clear of Miller on Day 1 at COTA appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

The King of COTA is back! A faultless display from Marc Marquez saw the Repsol Honda Team rider take a magnificent seventh win at the Circuit of The Americas as the number 93 stormed to a second MotoGP victory of 2021.

Check out the full race report here…

The post MotoGP Gallery: All The Best Shots From Circuit Of The Americas appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

The King of COTA is back! A faultless display from Marc Marquez saw the Repsol Honda Team rider take a magnificent seventh win at the Circuit of The Americas as the number 93 stormed to a second MotoGP victory of 2021.

Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) extended his World Championship lead with a valuable second place at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) taking third but now 52 points shy of the Frenchman with three races to go…

Plan A was executed to perfection by Marc Marquez from third on the grid, the number 93 grabbing the holeshot as Quartararo also got the better of polesitter Bagnaia. The latter then lost another place to the fast-starting Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) on the opening lap, with Pecco then demoted to P5 as Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) carved his way past on Lap 2 too.

Then, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was the first crasher of the race, the Japanese rider sixth when he tumbled out on Lap 2. Further back on Miller watch, Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) was making good progress on the hard rear Michelin tyre from 10th on the grid, and the Aussie grabbed a two-for-one deal at Turn 12 to pass Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) on Lap 3 for sixth .

After dispatching Rins, Martin was a formidable nuisance for Championship leader Quartararo as Marc Marquez started to stretch his lead to a second for the first time. Miller, having passed teammate Pecco, was now ahead of Rins in P4 too and the Aussie was the man on the move. Bagnaia, in turn, was struggling to keep up with the top five, initially down in sixth.

Lap 8 of 20 ticked by and Marc Marquez slammed in a 2:04.368, his lead was now up to a second and a half over Quartararo. By 11 to go, that gap had been stretched to 2.3, with Quartararo, in turn, a second clear of Martin. Miller was only half a second down on his fellow Ducati rider and 1.3 behind came Pecco, who had started to find some rhythm – the Italian soon passing Rins.

Pecco then latched onto the back of teammate Miller, before the latter allowed his teammate through – with every point in the title race absolutely critical at this stage, especially with Quartararo up ahead on second. Now, the question was: could Bagnaia catch and pass Martin for third? With four laps to go, the gap was suddenly nothing, with Martin seemingly looking down at his dashboard a few times. Was the rookie struggling, or were Ducati intervening? It wouldn’t matter in the end, with Martin being handed a Long Lap Penalty for not losing enough time at Turns 4 and 5 when he had a front end moment and ran off.

In the end though, Captain America returned to reign once again in Austin. Marc Marquez gave the Repsol Honda Team their 450th premier class podium with a classy ride at COTA, as Quartararo takes a second place that gives him his first match point of the season next time out at Misano. Bagnaia recovered well to claim P3, but its ground lost in the Championship chase… although Misano went pretty well last time for the Italian.

Rins was able to finish P4, profiting from Martin’s Long Lap Penalty, the latter unlucky to finish fifth after another fantastic ride but still top Independent Team rider. Sixth place went the way of Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama), who once again impressed as his form rolls on. He also benefitted from a clash between Mir and Miller on the final lap, and the Rookie of the Year battle is close still between Martin and Bastianini heading into the final three races.

The Mir-Miller clash earned the Suzuki rider some post-race interest from both Miller and the FIM MotoGP Stewards Panel. The number 36’s move on Miller at Turn 15 saw the reigning World Champion make contact with the Ducati and he received a one place penalty. Mir crossed the line in P7 with Miller P8, that result is switched after the penalty.

Binder and Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) completed the top 10, with Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) taking home a lonely P11 but some good points. Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol), Andrea Dovizioso (Petronas Yamaha SRT), Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) and Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) round out the points, The Doctor scoring in his final Grand Prix appearance in America. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) crashed out unhurt on Sunday afternoon, joining Nakagami on the list of DNFs.

So that’s that from Texas. A dream return to COTA for Marc Marquez sees the King reclaim his Austin crown. And equally as happy is Quartararo, with that 52-point advantage meaning he could now win the 2021 title next time out at Misano. Could…

Marc Marquez: “The plan was exactly how I did the race. Start well, be first at the first corner, slow in the first three laps and then when the tyres drop a bit, start to push. It’s exactly what I did. Then I saw that I increased the gap, I was riding a constant pace and comfortable. The last few laps I was tired and it was hard to concentrate but Fabio was far, my instinct said he’d slow down too because he’s fighting for the Championship. So today everyone is happy on the podium! Me for the victory, Fabio for second… maybe Pecco no! But for sure he’ll be strong again at Misano.”

MotoGP podium (Full Results Here)

1 Marc Marquez – Repsol Honda Team – Honda – 41’41.435
2 Fabio Quartararo – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +4.679
3 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – +8.547

Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took a magnificent seventh win of the season in the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, matching Marc Marquez’ record of seven wins as a Moto2 rookie. The 25 points – and the continued steamrolling performance – also see him gain big on teammate Remy Gardner in the title fight, with the Australian sliding out in his first and only mistake of the year so far.

To the delight of the home crowd, Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) led into Turn 1 from the middle of the second row, but the Moto2 rookie was in hot which allowed Gardner to swoop through into the lead. Raul Fernandez was soon P1 though, as Gardner then dropped to P4 after getting a miserable run out of the final corner heading onto Lap 2. Beaubier and Di Giannantonio were up to P2 and P3, but Gardner fought back by Lap 4.

Raul Fernandez was a second and a half up the road from Gardner, as drama unfolded for the latter. On Lap 6 at Turn 15, Gardner made his first major mistake of 2021. The Australian tucked the front and was unable to restart his machine, meaning the title race leader would score a DNF for the first time this season… but would his teammate get the job done?

Yes. With 10 laps to go, Raul Fernandez held a 1.7 lead over Di Giannantonio and no had could stop the rookie sensation from taking a monumental victory at COTA. The number 25 has been outstanding all weekend in Austin, and his latest win – coupled with Gardner’s DNF – means the Moto2 title race is raging with three to go, jut nine points in it.

Di Giannantonio escaped the clutches of the battle for P3 between Bezzecchi, Beaubier and Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP), and Beaubier and Arbolino then lost touch with Bezzecchi, with Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) the swooping through to get the better of the pair.

Di Giannantonio sailed home for second and a welcome return to the podium, ahead of Bezzecchi. Augusto Fernandez clawed his way back up to P4 and then finished just 0.9s off Bezzecchi, and in fifth came the home hero. Beaubier capped off a phenomenal home Grand Prix with his best Moto2 result yet, showing his experience and talent at a difficult but familiar track.

Arbolino took P6 and was back in a frontrunning postcode, ahead of fellow rookie Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and the debutants shone in Texas. Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing), Marcos Ramirez (American Racing) and Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) completed the top 10.

Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team), Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up), Simone Corsi (MV Agusta Forward Racing), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) were the final points scorers, with the likes of Albert Arenas (Inde Aspar Team) – who was taken to the medical centre for a check-up – and Celestino Vietti (SKY Racing Team VR46) crashing out of points positions. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) also crashed out.

Moto2 podium (Full Results Here)

1 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – 39’10.521
2 Fabio Di Giannantonio – Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 – Kalex – +1.734
3 Marco Bezzecchi – Sky Racing Team VR46 – Kalex – +3.100

Moto3
After a dramatic morning for the Moto3 class at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, Izan Guevara (Solunion GASGAS Aspar Team) emerged victorious for his maiden World Championship win.

The race was initially red flagged for an incident for Filip Salač (CarXpert PrüstelGP), before the restarted race then also came to an early end following a multi-rider incident between Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3), Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo), riders all ok. Öncü, however, was given a two-race suspension for the incident and will sit out the Emilia-Romagna and Algarve GPs.

As 2/3 of the race distance was not completed when that second Red Flag was brought out and there was no further restart, the first start is taken as the race result and full points awarded accordingly – with Guevara earning his first 25 after steaming away at the front.

Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took the holeshot before Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing) attacked for the lead, but the rookie had just jumped the start and was given a double Long Lap Penalty. As he peeled off it was Guevara up into second ahead of Masia and Alcoba, with Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) on the chase in fourth.

From there, Guevara barely looked back. The rookie and reigning FIM Moto3 Junior World Champion was on rails and managed to stay ahead of the chasing pack, but they, in turn, didn’t manage to stay ahead of Foggia and those on the Italian’s tail. John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) was up into the mix and before long it was Guevara the rookie ahead of the veteran duo of Foggia and McPhee.

The crash for Salač then brought out the first Red Flag, the Czech rider falling alone and then taken to hospital for a full check up, and the restart was set for a five-lap sprint. Guevara was away in the lead again as the lights went out, but then heartbreak seemed to strike for the number 28 as a technical problem took him out the lead.

However, the back straight then saw Öncü make contact with Alcoba and the Spaniard go down, with Migno and Acosta caught up in the avoiding action. The Red Flag was immediately redeployed, and it was announced there would be no second restart, with the results taken from the first initial race. That added to the emotional rollercoaster for Guevara and he was pronounced victorious, having led for much of the action anyway, and the rookie takes his first win – ahead of Foggia and McPhee as the two charged up the field early.

Masia just missed out on the podium and takes P4, with Öncü and Alcoba classified P5 and P6 as they were in the first start. Binder takes seventh and Acosta is eighth – which sees Foggia gain a big chunk of points and the gap come down to 30 between the top two in the Championship.

Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) takes P9, with Migno completing the top ten. Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride), Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Artigas and Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46 Academy) lock out the points scorers, the latter despite a tumble just before the Red Flag.

Moto3 podium (Full Results Here)

1 Izan Guevara – Solunion GASGAS Aspar Team – GASGAS – 15’57.747
2 Dennis Foggia – Leopard Racing – Honda – +0.385
3 John McPhee – Petronas Sprinta Racing – Honda – +0.499

The post MotoGP: Marquez Grabs Magnificent Seventh Win At COTA appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....