Unstoppable on Saturday: rivals have no answer for the #12 as the Aprilia rider storms to a second Saturday win in succession
Maverick Viñales of Aprilia Racing secures back-to-back victories in the Tissot Sprint! Starting from a pole position set as a lap record, the #12 rider accelerated away at full throttle, leaving his competitors trailing behind at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas. Even the formidable Marc Marquez of Gresini Racing MotoGP™ had to settle for a battle for second place on Saturday. Marquez first contended with rookie Pedro Acosta of Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, and then had to fend off Championship leader Jorge Martin of Prima Pramac Racing. However, Marquez maintained his position and clinched P2, while Martin managed to overtake the rookie, further extending his lead in the standings.
As the race began, Turn 1 held promise for potential bold maneuvers, but the Sprint remained drama-free, especially for Viñales, who swiftly surged ahead to claim the lead. Meanwhile, Marquez swiftly moved ahead of Acosta at Turn 1, with the trio managing to maintain a comfortable lead over Enea Bastianini of Ducati Lenovo Team and Martin.
Martin demonstrated early aggression, overtaking Bastianini as he began to close the gap with Acosta. By the time Martin halved the distance, Viñales had already established a commanding lead, signaling his dominance from the outset.
With seven laps remaining, Marquez found himself under pressure from Acosta and Martin, with the trio closely bunched together on the vast Circuit of the Americas. Acosta wasted no time in attempting a pass, but Marquez successfully defended his position. Martin then seized the opportunity to overtake Acosta just before the back straight, setting his sights on Marquez.
Meanwhile, Viñales remained untouchable at the front, steadily extending his lead to over two seconds and maintaining a consistently strong pace. Neither Marquez nor the Sprint’s reigning champion could match his performance, with the #12 rider crossing the finish line to claim his second consecutive Sprint victory, outshining both rivals on the same day. This victory, combined with the 20 points he secured on Sunday in Portugal, significantly narrows the gap to the top, now sitting 36 points behind the leader instead of second overall.
Marquez secured second place, successfully holding off Martin’s attempts to challenge him, while Acosta settled for fourth, resisting a late surge from Aleix Espargaro of Aprilia Racing. Bastianini finished sixth after a fierce battle, narrowly edging out Jack Miller of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, with reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team trailing behind them. Raul Fernandez of Trackhouse Racing claimed the final Sprint point, closely followed by Franco Morbidelli of Prima Pramac Racing, who secured his first top-ten finish of the year after missing the pre-season.
Unfortunately, technical issues forced Fabio Di Giannantonio of Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team to retire early, while Augusto Fernandez of Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, Joan Mir of Repsol Honda Team, Takaaki Nakagami of Idemitsu Honda LCR, and Johann Zarco of Castrol Honda LCR all crashed out, fortunately without sustaining injuries.
All eyes now turn to Sunday’s race, with riders seeking redemption and hoping to challenge Viñales’ formidable pace. With Marquez, Martin, and Acosta eager to make their mark, it promises to be an exhilarating showdown. Don’t miss the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas Grand Prix race at 14:00 (UTC -5) to see if Viñales can make history as the first rider to win with three different factories in the MotoGP™ era, or if someone else has a surprise up their sleeve to thwart his ambitions.
SPRINT RESULT
| POS | RIDER | # | SPLIT | POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M. Viñales APRILIA RACING TEAM | 12 | 12 | |
| 2 | M. Marquez GRESINI RACING | 93 | 2.294 | 9 |
| 3 | J. Martin PRAMAC RACING | 89 | 2.105 | 7 |
| 4 | P. Acosta TECH 3 | 31 | 2.081 | 6 |
| 5 | A. Espargaro APRILIA RACING TEAM | 41 | 0.177 | 5 |
| 6 | E. Bastianini DUCATI TEAM | 23 | 1.964 | 4 |
| 7 | J. Miller RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING | 43 | 0.616 | 3 |
| 8 | F. Bagnaia DUCATI TEAM | 1 | 0.112 | 2 |
| 9 | R. Fernández TRACKHOUSE RACING TEAM | 25 | 0.288 | 1 |
| 10 | F. Morbidelli PRAMAC RACING | 21 | 0.257 | |
| 11 | M. Oliveira TRACKHOUSE RACING TEAM | 88 | 0.470 | |
| 12 | B. Binder RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING | 33 | 0.360 | |
| 13 | M. Bezzecchi TEAM VR46 | 72 | 0.825 | |
| 14 | A. Marquez GRESINI RACING | 73 | 3.919 | |
| 15 | F. Quartararo YAMAHA FACTORY RACING | 20 | 0.106 | |
| 16 | A. Rins YAMAHA FACTORY RACING | 42 | 2.572 | |
| 17 | L. Marini REPSOL HONDA TEAM | 10 | 4.843 | |
| dnf | J. Zarco TEAM LCR | 5 | 4 Laps | |
| dnf | J. Mir REPSOL HONDA TEAM | 36 | 3 Laps | |
| dnf | F. Di Giannantonio TEAM VR46 | 49 | ||
| dnf | A. Fernandez TECH 3 | 37 | ||
| dnf | T. Nakagami TEAM LCR | 30 |
MOTO 2 Canet steals a late pole position from Aldeguer
In a thrilling finale to qualifying, Aron Canet of Fantic Racing snatched pole position with a sensational time of 2:07.631, edging out his compatriot Fermin Aldeguer of Beta Tools SpeedUp. Canet’s late charge saw him leapfrog to the top spot, leaving Aldeguer trailing by just 0.109 seconds after the Spaniard had dominated most of the session. Meanwhile, Qatar podium finisher Sergio Garcia of MT Helmets – MSI secured third place, marking his second front-row start in the Moto2™ class.
Initially, it seemed like Aldeguer was on course for his first pole position of the season, but Canet’s impressive last-minute effort ensured the title chase leader clinched Saturday’s P1 spot, denying the Boscoscuro charge that completed the front row.
Albert Arenas of QJMotor Gresini Moto2 delivered a stunning final lap to claim fourth place, narrowly missing out on a front-row start by a mere 0.046 seconds. Home favorite Joe Roberts of OnlyFans American Racing Team completed the top five, aiming to mount a podium challenge in front of the American fans. However, his teammate Marcos Ramirez had to settle for sixth position after a mistake in the final corner hindered what seemed to be a promising last lap.
Dennis Foggia of Italtrans Racing Team secured seventh place, just over a tenth behind Ramirez, maintaining his strong performance throughout the weekend. Alonso Lopez launched from eighth on the second Beta Tools SpeedUp machine, while Portimao polesitter Manuel Gonzalez of QJMOTOR Gresini Racing Moto2™ completed the third row. Bo Bendsneyder of Pertamina Mandalika GAS UP Team rounded out the top 10, setting the stage for an electrifying intermediate class showdown at COTA at 12:15 (UTC -5)!
MOTO 3 Alonso takes first pole to make some history for Colombia
Colombia has reason to rejoice as David Alonso of CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team secures a historic debut Grand Prix pole position, clinching the first Saturday P1 with a late surge! Alonso leads the charge ahead of his key rivals, with Jose Antonio Rueda of Red Bull KTM Ajo trailing by a mere 0.017 seconds in P2, and Championship leader Daniel Holgado of Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 completing the front row.
Having topped Practice by 0.3 seconds, Alonso was the frontrunner heading into qualifying, a status he reinforced in the early stages. Initially holding P1, Alonso faced a challenge when Rueda cranked up the pace, briefly snatching provisional pole with his #99 KTM. However, Alonso responded emphatically, securing a debut pole position in Moto3™. Holgado also made a significant late push, clinching P3 on his final lap.
Collin Veijer of Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP will lead the second row of the grid, accompanied by Joel Kelso of BOE Motorsports, who continues his strong qualifying performances in 2024 with a P5. Joining them on Row 2 is Jacob Roulstone of Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, delivering a standout session to claim his best qualifying result of the season in P6. However, Roulstone faces a challenge with a Long Lap penalty, while Matteo Bertelle of Rivacold Snipers Team, starting from seventh, will need to complete three Long Lap penalties during the race for riding slow on line. For comprehensive details on the penalties, refer to the Sportity app utilized by the FIM MotoGP™ Stewards.
David Muñoz of BOE Motorsports will launch from P8, followed by Stefano Nepa of LEVELUP – MTA and Taiyo Furusato of Honda Team Asia rounding out the top 10. Despite a tumultuous weekend, which included bike issues during qualifying, last year’s Americas GP winner Ivan Ortola of MT Helmets – MSI will commence his podium quest from P14.
Official MotoGP Press Release
