COTA MotoGP

[Yorick]

Fab Frog is going well. Maybe Morbidelli gave him a shock

https://www.crash.net/motogp/results/10 ... ce-results

[wull]

Friday practice results from the Americas MotoGP at COTA in Austin, Texas, round 3 of 21 in the 2023 world championship.


2023 MOTOGP OF THE AMERICAS, AUSTIN - PRACTICE (1) RESULTS
POS RIDER NAT TEAM TIME/DIFF LAP MAX
1 Luca Marini ITA Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) 2'03.250s 13/14 342k
2 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.150s 15/15 335k
3 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP22) +0.278s 15/16 343k
4 Alex Marquez SPA Gresini Ducati (GP22) +0.301s 15/16 338k
5 Jack Miller AUS Red Bull KTM (RC16) +0.426s 14/14 338k
6 Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP23) +0.458s 14/15 344k
7 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Lenovo (GP23) +0.542s 14/14 343k
8 Maverick Viñales SPA Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) +0.647s 13/16 340k
9 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) +0.889s 14/16 335k
10 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +0.954s 16/17 343k
11 Joan Mir SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +1.062s 14/14 335k
12 Franco Morbidelli ITA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +1.092s 15/16 336k
13 Marco Bezzecchi ITA Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) +1.114s 15/15 344k
14 Alex Rins SPA LCR Honda (RC213V) +1.202s 11/16 338k
15 Miguel Oliveira POR RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) +1.411s 5/13 340k
16 Raul Fernandez SPA RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) +1.654s 14/15 336k
17 Fabio Di Giannantonio ITA Gresini Ducati (GP22) +1.656s 16/16 339k
18 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) +1.804s 5/14 338k
19 Augusto Fernandez SPA Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* +2.482s 8/17 334k
20 Stefan Bradl GER Repsol Honda (RC213V) +2.521s 13/15 333k
21 Michele Pirro ITA Ducati Lenovo (GP23) +2.522s 13/13 340k
22 Jonas Folger GER Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) +4.926s 11/12 334k

[Yorick]

Blimey. FP2 nowt like FP1

I'm away and it's years since I missed any practices or qualifying.
Home for the races though

https://www.crash.net/motogp/results/10 ... ce-results

[Bigyin]

Looking at the sector timings it seems like the Yamaha still does well in twisty slow speed sector 4 ........ doesnt show in any of the other 3 and the straight line sector 3 is all Bologna

[wull]

2023 MOTOGP OF THE AMERICAS, AUSTIN - PRACTICE (2) RESULTS
POS RIDER NAT TEAM TIME/DIFF LAP MAX
1 ^5 Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP23) 2'02.178s 19/20 341k
2 ^5 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Lenovo (GP23) +0.063s 20/21 341k
3 ^6 Alex Rins SPA LCR Honda (RC213V) +0.217s 19/20 342k
4 ˅3 Luca Marini ITA Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) +0.238s 20/21 343k
5 ˅1 Alex Marquez SPA Gresini Ducati (GP22) +0.504s 20/21 340k
6 ^2 Maverick Viñales SPA Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) +0.539s 22/22 342k
7 ˅5 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.543s 19/20 338k
8 ^3 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +0.557s 18/18 344k
9 ^9 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) +0.587s 19/20 342k
10 ˅5 Jack Miller AUS Red Bull KTM (RC16) +0.663s 18/19 340k
11 ^3 Marco Bezzecchi ITA Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) +0.700s 20/22 343k
12 = Joan Mir SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +0.726s 16/17 339k
13 ˅3 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) +1.030s 20/20 335k
14 ˅11 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP22) +1.151s 17/17 339k
15 = Miguel Oliveira POR RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) +1.162s 14/14 340k
16 ˅3 Franco Morbidelli ITA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +1.265s 14/18 339k
17 ^4 Michele Pirro ITA Ducati Lenovo (GP23) +1.507s 17/18 341k
18 ˅2 Raul Fernandez SPA RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) +1.512s 17/19 339k
19 ˅2 Fabio Di Giannantonio ITA Gresini Ducati (GP22) +1.901s 16/17 340k
20 = Stefan Bradl GER Repsol Honda (RC213V) +1.951s 14/18 333k
21 ˅2 Augusto Fernandez SPA Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* +2.383s 15/16 338k
22 = Jonas Folger GER Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) +4.351s 17/17 334k




Jorge Martin leads Friday practice for the Americas MotoGP in Austin, Texas, while title leader Marco Bezzecchi misses the top ten sending him to Saturday's Qualifying 1.


Reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia, among those not to fit a new soft rear tyre this morning, moved swiftly to the top in the afternoon (again on mediums). However, Luca Marini's 2m 3.250s remained the best of the day until another Ducati rider, Pramac's Martin, dipped under the VR46 rider at the halfway mark of the hour.

Martin was still in charge as time attacks began in the final 15 minutes and Joan Mir surprised by putting Repsol Honda fastest on his return from injury. Former Suzuki team-mate Alex Rins, Aprilia riders Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales, Marini and then Bagnaia (now on the favoured hard front, soft rear) then all featured on top before the crucial final run.

That was when Martin hooked a useful tow from Alex Marquez to deliver his 2m 2.178s, while a fall for team-mate Johann Zarco (which also caused Mir to take evasive action and tumble) brought out yellow flags to cancel some other last laps.


Former COTA winner Rins, Marini and Marquez completed the top five with Vinales the top Aprilia in sixth with Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo saving a feet-off 'rodeo' moment (and impact to a 'delicate area') on his way to seventh.

Both Red Bull KTMs made the top ten, sandwiching Aleix Espargaro.


RNF Aprilia's Miguel Oliveira suffered a fast fall at Turn 2 after clipping the kerb early in the afternoon, then a much slower fall after losing the front at Turn 12, causing him to drop from an early first to 15th.

After light rain showers in both the Moto3 and Moto2 afternoon sessions, the one-hour MotoGP Practice 2 passed without further moisture.

That should have been a big relief for the likes of Bezzecchi, who had been left 14th after a fall on his time attack this morning - but the VR46 Ducati rider again missed out with 11th this afternoon.


RIDERS DIRECTLY TO QUALIFYING 2 - TOP 10 COMBINED PRACTICE TIMES:
POS RIDER NAT TEAM
1 Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP23)
2 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Lenovo (GP23)
3 Alex Rins SPA LCR Honda (RC213V)
4 Luca Marini ITA Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)
5 Alex Marquez SPA Gresini Ducati (GP22)
6 Maverick Vinales SPA Aprilia Factory (RS-GP23)
7 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
8 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16)
9 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Factory (RS-GP23)
10 Jack Miller AUS Red Bull KTM (RC16)

[G.P]

Good top see both KTMs straight into Qualy 2.
Jake went well in Moto2 as well.

[hawkati]

Jack's having a bit of a crash mare - 5 downers so far this weekend. Bagpuss pulled it out of the hat in Q2 with a new lap record but I'm more than concerned that the track will bite back with bumps at turn 1 & 12. Hope it's not a skittlefest in the sprint frenzy later tonight..

[Bigyin]

Sprint race was the calmest out of the 3 so far but exposed Yamaha weakness even more on the unusual COTA layout

[wull]

Sprint race results from the Americas MotoGP at COTA in Austin, Texas, round 3 of 21 in the 2023 world championship.





2023 MOTOGP OF THE AMERICAS, AUSTIN - SPRINT RACE RESULTS
POS RIDER NAT TEAM TIME/DIFF
1 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Lenovo (GP23) 20m 35.270s
2 Alex Rins SPA LCR Honda (RC213V) +2.545s
3 Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP23) +4.706s
4 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) +5.052s
5 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +8.175s
6 Marco Bezzecchi ITA Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) +8.877s
7 Luca Marini ITA Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) +9.453s
8 Miguel Oliveira POR RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) +10.768s
9 Jack Miller AUS Red Bull KTM (RC16) +12.448s
10 Maverick Viñales SPA Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) +12.739s
11 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP22) +14.251s
12 Joan Mir SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +14.988s
13 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) +15.592s
14 Franco Morbidelli ITA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +16.534s
15 Raul Fernandez SPA RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) +19.290s
16 Augusto Fernandez SPA Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* +23.128s
17 Fabio Di Giannantonio ITA Gresini Ducati (GP22) +25.626s
18 Stefan Bradl GER Repsol Honda (RC213V) +25.787s
19 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +27.169s
20 Jonas Folger GER Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) +46.973s
Alex Marquez SPA Gresini Ducati (GP22) DNF
Michele Pirro ITA Ducati Lenovo (GP23) DNF



Francesco Bagnaia wins the Saturday Sprint race at the 2023 Americas MotoGP in Austin, Texas.

Ducati's reigning champion fended off a fierce early challenge from Alex Rins before managing his advantage for a second Sprint victory of the season.

Rins ran wide on lap 2 but fought back to confidently retake second from Aleix Espargaro, handing LCR its first MotoGP podium since Cal Crutchlow in 2019.


Espargaro later fell victim to Jorge Martin but the Aprilia star, enjoying his best COTA race, wasn’t giving up and stuck with the sick Pramac Ducati rider before pouncing for the final podium place at the penultimate turn.

But Espargaro ran wide on the exit, allowing Martin to cut back under and claim a hard earned third.

Fabio Quartararo held an early fourth but was pushed back to sixth by the halfway stage, when he lost the front of his Yamaha and fell at Turn 1. Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez also crashed out of the lead group, in the closing stages.


Termas sprint winner Brad Binder collected fifth for KTM ahead of Argentine Sunday winner Marco Bezzecchi. The VR46 Ducati rider dropped from fifth to eleventh on the opening lap before salving sixth place to at least retain the title lead.

Front row starter Luca Marini and eighth on the grid Maverick Vinales also suffered miserable opening laps on their way to seventh and tenth respectively.

Bagnaia is the first repeat winner of the new MotoGP Sprint races, which offer 12 rather than the usual 25 points for a victory.

All riders used the hard front and soft rear tyre options, during what were the hottest temperatures of the weekend so far.


While Miguel Oliveira and Joan Mir are returning to action this weekend, three riders remain absent due to injuries at last month’s Portimao season opener:

Pol Espargaro is being replaced at Tech3 by KTM test rider Jonas Folger, last year’s COTA winner Enea Bastianini is being replaced by Ducati test rider Michele Pirro and Repsol Honda's Marc Marquez is being replaced by HRC test rider Stefan Bradl.

Marquez has won seven of the previous COTA races, his only defeats coming in 2019 (when he fell from the lead, with Alex Rins taking victory) and 2021 (when he fought from last to sixth after a technical issue at the start).

The MotoGP Court of Appeal is yet to decide if Marquez's double long-lap penalty will be carried over from Argentina to his next event.

[Skub]

Rins is a bit of a COTA specialist.it would seem. Honda will be hoping the form continues,but I doubt the bike is good enough to allow any of it's riders to be consistent. We were robbed of a Mark Marquez/Rins battle,I wonder how that would have gone.

Pecco just had another gear.

[Yorick]

One for the Eagle eyes

What's strange about this?..

Screenshot_20230416_160752_Samsung Internet.jpg (234.13 KiB) Viewed 221 times

[G.P]

I haven't seen warm ups yet but unless its factually incorrect, I give up!

[Yorick]

6 different nationalities. Quite rare.

[ChrisW]

And only one Ducati - also quite rare at the moment.

[Yorick]

And only one Ducati - also quite rare at the moment.

Only 2 ducs in top 10.

[ChrisW]

Moto2 was enjoyable

Am I a bad person for thinking that less-than-perfect track surfaces aren't necessarily a terrible thing?

[hawkati]

They're great until you're sliding on your arse cursing the track!

[ChrisW]

Dropping like flies....

[wull]

Race results from the Americas MotoGP at COTA in Austin, Texas, round 3 of 21 in the 2023 world championship.



2023 MOTOGP OF THE AMERICAS, AUSTIN - RACE RESULTS
POS RIDER NAT TEAM
1 Alex Rins SPA LCR Honda (RC213V)
2 Luca Marini ITA Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)
3 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
4 Maverick Viñales SPA Aprilia Factory (RS-GP23)
5 Miguel Oliveira POR RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)
6 Marco Bezzecchi ITA Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)
7 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP23)
8 Franco Morbidelli ITA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
9 Fabio Di Giannantonio ITA Gresini Ducati (GP22)
10 Augusto Fernandez SPA Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)*
11 Michele Pirro ITA Ducati Lenovo (GP23)
12 Jonas Folger GER Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)
13 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16)
Stefan Bradl GER Repsol Honda (RC213V)
Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V)
Joan Mir SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V)
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Lenovo (GP23)
Jack Miller AUS Red Bull KTM (RC16)
Raul Fernandez SPA RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)
Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Factory (RS-GP23)
Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP23)
Alex Marquez SPA Gresini Ducati (GP22)


Alex Rins ends Honda’s MotoGP victory drought in style at the 2023 Americas MotoGP in Austin, Texas.

The new LCR rider took the lead when Ducati’s reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia crashed out just before the halfway stage.

But the victory battle wasn’t over, with VR46 Ducati's Luca Marini later blasting past Fabio Quartararo's Yamaha for second and facing only a two-second gap to Rins.


Rins responded, managing his advantage for Honda’s first win since the absent Marc Marquez at Misano in 2021.

Rins’ sixth premier-class victory, after five for Suzuki, was also LCR’s first since Cal Crutchlow in 2018.

Meanwhile, Marini celebrated his first (Sunday) MotoGP podium and Quartararo his first rostrum of the season.


In a replica of the Saturday Sprint, Bagnaia and Rins battled for the lead on the opening lap. But this time there was no shaking off the Spaniard, who sunk his teeth into the factory Ducati.

The pressure paid off when Bagnaia crashed out of the lead, at Turn 2, on lap 8 of 20.

The reigning champion’s second fall in as many MotoGP races left the Italian visibly shocked but Bagnaia’s downfall was one of no less than ten race accidents, three of them on the opening lap.

Sprint podium finisher Jorge Martin lost the front of his Pramac Ducati at Turn 3, wiping out an unlucky Alex Marquez. Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro was down soon after, falling from his Aprilia at Turn 12.

KTM's Jack Miller, who had jumped from tenth to third, was leading the pursuit of the top two when he suffered his sixth and final accident of the weekend.

Repsol Honda’s Joan Mir, Miller’s team-mate Brad Binder, Rins’ team-mate Takaaki Nakagami and Honda stand-in Stefan Bradl then fell after Bagnaia, meaning just 13 riders reached the finish.


High front tyre pressure, also an issue in the ten-lap Sprint, could again have been behind many of the falls.

Espargaro’s team-mate Maverick Vinales got another poor start before recovering to fourth ahead of RNF Aprilia’s Miguel Oliveira and title leader Marco Bezzecchi (VR46).

As in the Sprint, all riders chose the hard front and soft rear tyres.


While Miguel Oliveira and Joan Mir returned to action this weekend, three riders remained absent due to injuries at last month’s Portimao season opener:

Pol Espargaro was replaced at Tech3 by KTM test rider Jonas Folger, with last year’s COTA winner Enea Bastianini replaced by Ducati test rider Michele Pirro and Repsol Honda's Marc Marquez (a seven-time COTA winner) by HRC test rider Stefan Bradl.

The MotoGP Court of Appeal is yet to decide if Marquez's double long-lap penalty will be carried over from Argentina to his next event, which is expected to be the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez later this month.

[Pirahna]

I've been learning Spanish since September. When the 3 podium finishers were chatting in Spanish before going out to the podium I got about 90% of what Quartararo said, about 50% of Marini (I think it was his accent) and about 10% of Rins, the Spanish speak like words are fired from a machine gun.

I enjoyed the racing.