Rain, a delayed start and an end to the #93's clean sweep in 2025 - Sunday in Austin had a little bit of everything as Alex Marquez becomes the new title chase leader
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) is a Grand Prix winner in 2025 after an immensely dramatic Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas unfolds on a Sunday afternoon that saw COTA King, Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), crash out of the lead. With another P2 finish, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) becomes the new MotoGP title chase leader, as Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) completed the podium in an absolutely unforgettable Round 3.
RAIN (AND A QUICK THINKING MM93) CREATES PRE-RACE CHAOS IN AUSTIN
Talk about amplified drama. Rain before the start saw the riders face incredibly tricky conditions heading to the grid, as Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) proved. The Frenchman crashed on his sighting lap but managed to get back round to the grid, as we then saw something we very rarely see.
Just before the three-minute board was signalled, Marc Marquez dashed off the grid. This led to Bagnaia, Di Giannantonio, Alex Marquez and more following suit, with riders and team members sprinting down pit lane to grab the spare bikes that were fitted with slick tyres.
Some though, including Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol), Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3), opted to gamble on slick tyres from the get-go and remained on the grid - along with some other riders. However, in the chaos, the red flags were thrown. Below, the reasoning from Race Director Mike Webb:
“We called for a delay and then quick start procedure due to safety concerns. Given the number of riders, bikes and pit staff on the grid and in the pit lane area, it was impossible to start the Warm Up lap. A new race start was the safest way to respond to the unprecedented circumstances at the start of the Grand Prix. We will analyse the situation together with the teams and revisit the regulations.”
After a brief pause in proceedings, the updated information was a 14:10 pit lane green light and a quick start procedure, with original grid positions to be occupied by every rider. Then, it was time to try again – every rider now on slicks. But again, there was drama. Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) had to be wheeled off the grid before we finally got the Grand Prix underway.
LIGHTS OUT: Marc Marquez grabs early lead
Marc Marquez launched well and grabbed the holeshot, with Alex Marquez holding off Bagnaia into Turn 1. Pecco was trying to wriggle his way past the Gresini rider, first at Turn 11, then at Turn 12, but both attempts failed. Meanwhile, Marc Marquez built a 1.1s lead at the end of Lap 1, with the top four – Marquez, Marquez, Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio – nearly two seconds up the road from Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Team), who was enjoying a good battle with Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team).
On Lap 4, Marc Marquez’s lead was up to 1.4s over Alex Marquez, who had Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio clinging onto his tailpipes. Then, at Turn 12, Bagnaia’s latest manoeuvre worked. The #63 was now in P2, so with clear air, could he reel in teammate Marquez?
A 2:02.466 from the #93 saw Marquez stretch his lead to 1.6s at the start of Lap 5, and then a 2:02.433 meant the gap was now up to the two-second mark. Meanwhile, further down the pack in the fantastic fight for P6, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed at Turn 1.
MORE DRAMA: The #93's first error of 2025
Then, fancy another massive slice of drama? Because that’s what we got. Turn 4 was the place, and it was race leader Marc Marquez who was on the floor! The front end washed away as he clipped across the curb too far, hit a wet patch, and with that, the undefeated run was over. Marquez was able to remount in P18, but without a right foot peg, plus more damage to his GP25, there was no way back into the points for the #93 with both Viñales and Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing) passing the six-time MotoGP Champion.
BOUNCING BACK: Bagnaia holds on for victory
So where did that leave us? Bagnaia led Alex Marquez by 1.6s, with the latter 2.2s clear of Di Giannantonio. And on Lap 13, Marc Marquez called time on his 2025 Sunday outing at the Americas GP. The victory streak was officially over.
On Lap 15 of 19, Bagnaia grew his advantage to three seconds. A lap later, it was a tenth more as Marquez continued to hold Di Giannantonio at arm’s length – 1.3s to be exact. Meanwhile, the fastest rider on track was Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and the rookie, with two laps left, bullied his way past Miller for P5. However, a fantastic ride then ended in the gravel trap at Turn 15, and at a similar time, Zarco’s impressive display ended at Turn 12.
Last lap time. Bagnaia simply had to bring it home, but 2.5s behind, Alex Marquez couldn’t relax as much. Diggia was prowling, a second split the two, so any slight error from the #73 could prove costly. In the end, it stayed as you were. Bagnaia bagged a massive 25 points to become the 10th rider in history to earn 30 MotoGP wins, as new World Championship leader, Alex Marquez, crossed the line in P2 for the sixth straight outing. Di Giannantonio’s efforts weren’t enough for P2, but nevertheless, a phenomenal P3 was pocketed for the Italian in Austin.
POINTS SCORERS: Americas GP edition
Morbidelli came home in P4, with Miller grabbing his best Yamaha result with a very classy P5. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) came from P13 on the grid to finish P6, Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) rose to the occasion on a Sunday once more to fly the KTM flag highest in P7, as Marini, Ogura, and Quartararo completed the top 10.
Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was P11, Raul Fernandez leaves Trackhouse MotoGP Team’s home race with a P12, as Augusto Fernandez (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), Viñales and Savadori rounded out the points finishers in Texas.
Well, MotoGP delivers again. Drama, drama and a bit more drama. Marc Marquez’s 100% record vanishes as a new Marquez sits atop the Championship – Alex. And how big will that victory be for Pecco? The double MotoGP World Champion will now be brimming with confidence heading to Qatar for Round 4. See you all there.
For full results, click HERE!
Dixon dominates to go back-to-back, Gonzalez gamble fails in Austin
P1 on Friday, pole position on Saturday, P1 on Sunday. Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) was simply unstoppable at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas as wet weather added an extra dose of spice to the Moto2 Grand Prix. Dixon eventually beat Tony Arbolino (BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) by 4.1s, Alonso Lopez (Team HDR Heidrun) completed the podium in P3, as a slick tyre gamble for Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dnavolt Intact GP) fails to pay off to see the now former title chase leader leave Austin with zero points scored.
Just as the Moto3 race ended, the skies decided to sprinkle some water over COTA to add some pre-race drama to Moto2. But with the rain not heavy, some riders decided to chance it on slick tyres for the start – including World Championship leader Gonzalez. Dixon, the polesitter and Argentina GP winner, opted for Pirelli’s wet tyres.
And it proved to be the right decision for the Brit and most of the other riders. On Lap 8, Dixon lapped Gonzalez, the Spaniard’s teammate Senna Agius and Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team), who were all struggling to keep their Triumph-powered machines on the road.
With five laps left, Dixon grew his lead to six seconds over Arbolino, with Lopez four seconds behind the Italian. That gap dropped to 5.2s on the penultimate lap, but heading onto the final lap, it grew again to 5.5s. Meanwhile, chasing teammate Lopez for the final podium spot, Celestino Vietti (Team HDR Heidrun) crashed not once, but twice. Turn 12 the first and then eager to get back into the race, Turn 13 saw Vietti go down to end his points hopes altogether.
There were no such issues for Dixon though. A mixed conditions masterclass saw the #96 clinch a second consecutive victory and with it, the Championship lead. Arbolino collected his first podium of the season, and so too did Lopez as Boscoscuros locked out the rostrum.
Aron Canet (Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO) claimed an important points haul in P4, with Izan Guevara (BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) coming from P26 on the grid to bag a P5 – a great ride from the Spaniard. Top rookie honours went the way of Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – FRINSA – MSI) who secures his best Moto2 result in P6, with riding wounded Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing LINO SENOGO), Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team), Mario Aji (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) rounding out the top 10 – the latter duo also putting in career-best Moto2 rides. For Aji, that’s his greatest Grand Prix result to date.
Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing) gave the home team some points in P11, Oscar Gutierrez (QJMOTOR – FRINSA – MSI) claimed his first Moto2 top 15 while standing in for Sergio Garcia, Zonta van den Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) picked up points with a P13, reigning Moto3 World Champion David Alonso (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team) walks away from COTA with a P14 after a promising weekend, as Alex Escrig (KLINT Forward Factory Team) closed out the points scorers in P15.
A drama-filled Moto2 race in Austin ends with Dixon dominating… again. Heading to Qatar, the Briton holds a 13-point lead over Canet, with Gonzalez slipping to P3 before Round 4 gets underway.
For full results, click HERE!
Rueda makes a statement at the rodeo as Quiles impresses on debut
Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) put in another stunner at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, hitting the gas at the front and pulling a gap to take his second win of the year. Joel Kelso took his first dry weather podium in second, with LEVELUP – MTA teammate Matteo Bertelle completing the rostrum for his first Moto3 podium ever.
Off the line it was a stunning start for Maximo Quiles (CFMoto Valresa Aspar Team) and the debutant kept it pinned round the first lap too, leading his very first racing lap in the World Championship. The classic group fight at the front was in hot pursuit although it didn’t take long for some dramas to change the dynamic again.
David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) was the first as he slid out of the lead group, suffering another tough race and after starting on pole. Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) had some dramas too, the first of which was nearly not making it out of pitlane on time after a technical issue. He was allowed to leave to line up on the grid despite the red light because the green flag hadn’t been removed, but he was at the back. And then he jumped the start and got two Long Laps.
Meanwhile, Quiles led the first lap but then came under attack, with Rueda making his way to the front and building a lead. By half race distance it was over two seconds, with Kelso and Bertelle in a duel in second and third. Then came Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI), Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Quiles on the chase, before a much bigger gap back to a big group battle from seventh place down.
Rueda began the final lap with some breathing space in the lead, with Kelso also managing to make it a safe second ahead of teammate Bertelle, who finally takes a podium after having also taken two poles to start the season but missed out on the rostrum. The fireworks came behind between Piqueras and Quiles, who had a spectacular last lap duel. Experience just won out as the #36 takes fourth and a good chunk of points. Quiles debuts in the top five after a stunning weekend, however with Carpe forced to settle for sixth but having already tasted his own rookie podium success.
Dennis Foggia (CFMoto Valresa Aspar Team) came out on top of what was a close group battle for seventh, ahead of Adrian Cruces (CIP – Green Power), Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and a first top ten for New Zealander Cormac Buchanan (DENSSI Racing - BOE). Fellow rookie Guido Pini (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) was hot on his heels.
Fernandez, after starting at the back AND completing the two LLPs for the Jump Start, put in an impressive recovery ride to take P12 and some valuable points, with the scorers completed by David Almansa (Leopard Racing), the returning Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Nicola Carraro (Rivacold Snipers Team). Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) crashed out of the fight for the top ten, the latter caught up in the former’s crash.
Now we head for Qatar and another fresh challenge, with Rueda now squarely in the crosshairs for the likes of Piqueras and Fernandez. Can they hit back? We’ll find out in two weeks!
Check out full results here!