MotoGP Austin, Qualifying: super Viñales beats Acosta! Bagnaia follows Marquez

by VALERIO BARRETTA

MotoGP Austin, qualifying results

MotoGP Austin, the qualifying report

Three grand prix and three different polemen. Three weekends and no one always started from the front row. Numbers that testify to the exceptional balance of the MotoGP World Championship: a balance that, despite having the Ducati as a great protagonist, today sees an Aprilia and a KTM in front. Thanks to a Maverick Viñales sumptuous, capable of conquering the 15th pole position in the top class, destroying the competition with a time of 2:00.864. The Aprilia Spaniard feels wonderful on the RS-GP here at COTA and is three tenths ahead of Pedro Acosta who never ceases to amaze: if the Spaniard, in his third weekend in MotoGP, is already capable of going to the front row, it is confirmation that we are faced with a special rider.

A rider who is capable of putting himself behind not only all the Ducatis, but also eight MotoGP titles, those accumulated by Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia, third and fourth respectively. In his “home garden”, the Cabroncito he is the best of the Ducati riders, preceding the reigning world champion by a tenth. The Piedmontese will be forced to recover from the second row both in the Sprint and in the race: teammate Enea Bastianini and rival Jorge Martin are asked to do the same, sixth after a very troubled Q2 with two crashes. Third row for Aleix Espargaró, Fabio Di Giannantonio and an increasingly rediscovered Franco Morbidelli, tenth Marco Bezzecchi.

However, Fabio Quartararo and Brad Binder were eliminated in Q2 and will start both races from 16th and 17th place respectively. The Hondas are still last, totally disastrous. Yet, last year, the Japanese won at COTA with Alex Rins.

MotoGP Austin, live coverage of qualifying

You can relive the emotions of the qualifying sessions in Austin with our live commentary.

The program

MotoGP returns to the track this afternoon. In fact, at COTA in Austin, the first points of the weekend will be awarded today with the Sprint scheduled for 10pm. Tomorrow, however, the Grand Prix of the Americas will begin at 9pm.