Argomenti trattati
The opening day of MotoGP activity at the Circuit of the Americas produced both drama and pace. After a heavy fall in the morning, Marc marquez returned to post the fastest lap in the Friday afternoon running, stopping the clocks at 2:00.927 on his Ducati Desmosedici GP26 for the Ducati Lenovo Team on spec Michelin rubber. Close behind were Ai Ogura on the Trackhouse Aprilia RS-GP26 with a 2:00.980 and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing) in third with a 2:01.114. The top five was rounded out by Marco Bezzecchi and Alex marquez, showing how tight the order remains ahead of qualifying.
Friday session: crash, comeback and close times
The day began with a serious moment when FP1 ended in a high-speed off for Marc Marquez at Turn 10; telemetry indicated the bike lost the rear over the crest at roughly 190 km/h. The session was red-flagged and medical staff attended, with MotoGP medical director Angel Charte conducting checks before Marquez walked back to the paddock. Team reports described painful bruising to the right arm and left hand but no fractures, and Marquez later rejoined the day with fresh leathers. The afternoon FP2 mirrored that recovery: Marquez set his benchmark late in the session and edged Ogura by only 0.053 seconds, underlining the narrow margins that will decide grid slots.
Incidents and session headlines
Practice was incident-heavy. Across the two sessions there were multiple spills: riders who fell included Fabio Di Giannantonio, Jorge Martin, two incidents for Enea Bastianini, Franco Morbidelli, Ai Ogura, Toprak razgatlioglu, and Alex Marquez in the early half hour, with Brad Binder sliding out late on. Pedro Acosta had topped the morning timing sheets before the red flag but placed sixth by the close of Day 1. Notable team performances placed Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia further down the order than expected, while championship leader Marco Bezzecchi was only marginally off the front runners.
Bezzecchi’s Brazil triumph and championship status
Earlier on the calendar at the Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna, Marco Bezzecchi delivered a commanding victory over 23 laps on his Aprilia RS-GP26, crossing the line 3.231 seconds clear of teammate Jorge Martin. Fabio Di Giannantonio completed the podium in Brazil, with Marc Marquez finishing fourth and Ai Ogura fifth. The result vaulted Bezzecchi to the top of the standings with 56 points, ahead of Martin on 45 and Pedro Acosta on 42. That weekend also marked a milestone: Aprilia secured its first-ever 1-2 in the class and Bezzecchi recorded a fourth consecutive Grand Prix win, a run that has reshaped the title narrative.
How the race played out
The Brazilian Grand Prix unfolded with aggressive moves and a pivotal Lap 6 event: Di Giannantonio’s bold lunge shuffled the order and allowed Martin to exploit gaps, pushing Marquez down the order briefly. Marquez fought back with a clean pass into third later on, but Bezzecchi’s pace ultimately proved decisive. Further down the field, key scorers included Alex Marquez, Fermin Aldeguer (strong on his return), Johann Zarco and Raul Fernandez. The race also saw high-profile exits as Francesco Bagnaia and Joan Mir crashed out, influencing the points distribution heading into the next round.
What this means for Austin and beyond
With practice completed at COTA, teams know few tenths will separate Q2 hopefuls when qualifying begins. The format offers two extra slots to progress directly to Q2, making Saturday morning runs critical. Marc Marquez remains the most successful rider at Austin historically with seven wins; however, his last triumph there came in 2026 and he has suffered high-speed exits from the lead in both 2026 and 2026. The combination of Marquez’s track knowledge, Aprilia’s current momentum, and the tight practice times promises a tense qualifying session and a compelling race day in Texas.
Teams will refine setups overnight and watch tire choices closely—the small gains from suspension tweaks and tire warm-up strategies can decide whether a rider battles for victory or scrambles through the field. Expect an intense super Saturday as riders push for direct Q2 access and strategists juggle the facts: recovery from crashes, recent race form, and the championship picture that now favors Marco Bezzecchi. Fans should tune in early; with margins this fine, the weekend could pivot on a single lap or a single mistake.