2024-04-12 23:28:48
The first day of the US Grand Prix ended with a MotoGP training thriller. The World Cup leaders were in outstanding form. Jorge Martin set a new COTA course record.
The important second training session on the slopes in Texas followed on from the events of the free practice session. The first four drivers also dominated the first third of the second session with the significant difference that Jorge Martin immediately took the top spot. Viñales, Acosta and Bastanini followed within 0.3 seconds. Right behind: Pecco Bagnaia. After a defensive start in the morning, the double world champion was now able to step up. The same initially also applied to the second Aprilia works driver. Aleix Espargaro, only 18th in the first training session, improved by almost a second right from the start in sixth place.
The big first time hunt was started by the COTA champion – Marc Márquez improved to third position. Now, as the fans expected, the rodeo course was even more spectacular. Using soft rubber, Viñales was the first to push the Martinator off the top.
Already strong in the first training session, an obviously highly motivated Franky Morbidelli moved into fourth position. Now also with the soft Michelin option, Jorge Martin followed suit and #89 was the first number on the monitors once more.
Pecco Bagnaia also switched to attack mode following twenty minutes. With his low lap time of 2:03, the #1 pushed the lead even closer together. With 15 minutes on the clock, both factory Ducati, both Pramac Ducati and both factory Aprilia are in the top ten. Only Acosta represents the RC16 quartet.
Now events come to a head. First, Viñales drives a new top lap, then in just one minute he is passed back by Aleix Espargaro, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Marc Márquez and Enea Bastianini. Jorge Martin shoots the bird of the day. With an almost unbelievable lap, the #89 smashed the all-time lap record by 0.6 seconds. With this firework of lap times, world champion Bagnaia flew out of the top ten at the start of the 10-minute countdown. And Jack Miller and Brad Binder only found themselves in 14th and 18th place before the last stop in the pits. When it comes to top speed, KTM is ideally positioned for this. The first three places with Brad Binder and 350.6 km/h at the top go to Austria on day one.
The last three minutes today also had the essence of a razor-sharp qualifying. Maverich Viñales manages to improve once more, but the legendary time of the “Martinator” remains unmatched. Marc Márquez achieved third place on his last lap. But the King of Austin is half a second behind the Pramac driver. Behind “MM93”, Bagnaia also makes a safe entry into Q2. The VR46 duo takes the last two places for direct entry.
Big disappointment in the KTM box, however. Even in the last race, the Red Bull RC16 failed to improve. Places 14, 15 and 16 for the trio Binder, Fernandez and Miller.
The situation at Honda is even more bitter. The last four places go to the pilots of the RC213V – the most successful motorcycle on the “Circuit if The Americas”. Taka Nakagami is in 22nd place, over 2.5 seconds behind the top.
Result MotoGP – Practice
1. Jorge Martín (L) Pramac Ducati 2:01,397 sec.
2. Maverick Viñales (E) Aprilia +0.076 sec
3. Marc Márquez (L) Gresini Ducati +0.409 sec
4. Francesco Bagnaia (I) Ducati +0.411 sec.
5. Pedro Acosta (E) GASGAS +0.569 sec.
6. Aleix Espargaró (E) Aprilia +0.627 sec.
7. Franco Morbidelli (I) Pramac Ducati +0.706 sec.
8. Enea Bastianini (I) Ducati +0, sec.
9. Fabio Di Giannantonio (I) VR46 Ducati +0.847 sec.
10. Marco Bezzecchi (I) VR46 Ducati +0.961 sec.
11. Miguel Oliveira (P) Trackhouse Aprilia + 1,069 sec.
12. Raúl Fernández (E) Trackhouse Aprilia +1,079 sec.
13. Alex Márquez (L) Gresini Ducati +1.096 sec.
14. Brad Binder (ZA) KTM +1.154 sec.
15. Augusto Fernandez (E) GASGAS +1.156 sec.
16. Jack Miller (AUS) KTM +1,405 sec.
17. Fabio Quartararo (F) Yamaha +1,442 sec.
18. Alex Rins (E) Yamaha +1,478 sec.
19. Johann Zarco (F) LCR Honda +1,617 sec.
20. Joan Mir (E) Repsol Honda +2,047 sec.
21. Luca Marini (L) Repsol Honda +2,124 sec.
22. Takaaki Nakagami (J) LCR Honda +2,587 sec.
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