MotoGP: Marc Marquez Masters COTA Chaos as Conditions Improve

Friday afternoon’s MotoGP™ Practice at the Circuit of the Americas delivered a thrilling blend of ever-changing conditions, culminating in Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) dominating the session. As the rain eased and a dry line emerged, Marquez unleashed a blistering 2:09.929, the only time in the 2:02 bracket, to firmly stake his claim as the rider to beat.

The session began on wet tires, but the drying track quickly saw riders switch to slicks. Jack Miller (Prima Pramac MotoGP Team) was an early adopter, leading the charge as times plummeted. Initially, Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol)showed strong pace, but as the circuit dried, the advantage swung to those who timed their late runs perfectly.

Marquez was the first to significantly improve, dropping into the 2:04s. The final 90 seconds were a flurry of activity, with riders pushing hard for a coveted top-ten spot and direct entry into Q2. Despite a late crash from Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR), which brought out yellow flags, the action continued.

While nobody could touch Marquez’s impressive pace, the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team pairing of Fabio Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli secured second and third, respectively. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and teammate Fermin Aldeguer, who achieved his first Q2 berth, rounded out the top five.

Notable riders advancing directly to Q2 include Jack Miller, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), and Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), making his first Q2 with KTM. World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) just scraped through, leaving big names like Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), and Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) facing the challenging Q1 session on Saturday morning.