30.03.2025
MotoGP 2025 - Round 03 of 22, Circuit of the Americas, USA – Qualification and Sprint
- Pedro Acosta is the lead performer with the KTM RC16 after the ten-lap Sprint under blue skies at COTA, close to the city of Austin. The Spaniard earns points for the third time this season
- Brad Binder takes 12th position in the third Sprint of the year around the 5.5km layout with a very diverse mix of turns, gradient and technicality
- 13th place for Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Enea Bastianini as Maverick Viñales fails to finish on a dry day in Texas and after weather-hit Friday program of practice
- Jose Antonio Rueda guides the KTM RC4 to 4th place in Moto3™ Q2 for the KTM GP Academy as the championship leader fills the second row of the grid. Deniz Öncü is 10th fastest in Moto2™
The long, winding 20-turn COTA facility has been the American home for MotoGP since 2013 and staged round three of the current campaign after recent events in Thailand and Argentina. For the two Red Bull KTM teams the trip to Austin presented another chance to dial-in the strengths of the 2025 KTM RC16 race package. Friday was problematic with a wet Free Practice and then subsequent Practice session that was held in drying conditions and mixed grip. Pedro Acosta and Maverick Viñales made the direct cut to Q2.
Saturday was hotter and brighter. The qualifying run in the morning saw Acosta excel and briefly hold a front row slot until belated reorganization of positions in the wake of a yellow flag. He rested with P4. Viñales was only half a second adrift in 10th. Red Bull KTM machinery occupied slots on the sixth row with Binder in P16 and Bastianini in P17 for the Sprint that afternoon and for the full Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Sprint lapped COTA ten times and brought the riders into the usual intense dispute for the opening contest of the GP. Acosta battled to the top five but ran wide twice during the first minutes and had to fight his way back to 7th for three points. Viñales kept his countryman company for the first laps but then had an issue with rear vibration and had to retire. Binder surged forward and made up a swell of positions before losing optimum tire grip and crossed the line in P12, one place in front of Bastianini; the Italian again improving his speed over his qualifying run.
MotoGP fans in Europe will need to wait until 20.00 (CET) on Sunday to catch the 20-lap Grand Prix.
Pedro Acosta, 4th in qualification, 7th in the Sprint: “A tough one. After a good qualifying we were having problems with the front tire but it’s something that a lot of riders are having. Let’s see tomorrow. It will be a long race and we’ll do the best we can. We have to make laps and get an understanding of what we need and what we can improve.”
Brad Binder, 16th in qualification, 12th in the Sprint: “Pretty difficult weekend here so far but the Sprint was definitely a bit better for us. I started to get more and more chatter so if we can try and make that go away for tomorrow then we can see what we’ll do. I want to make a clean start and have a clean race because today I was trying a bit too hard and this results in mistakes where you lose more than you are trying to gain. On the last lap I went deep into Turn 11 and the guys got me: if you’re not in 9th then it’s quite pointless anyway!”
Enea Bastianini, 17th in qualification, 13th in the Sprint: “Qualifying was so-so and it’s something we need to work on for the future. The race was better and this is the way for us at the moment. It was not easy because I had some vibration from the rear of the bike from the third or fourth lap. I was trying to catch the group in front of me but it was too tricky today. We need to improve for tomorrow and see if we can make a step.”
Maverick Viñales, 10th in qualification, DNF in the Sprint: “We made a change in Argentina and I feel good on the bike, and now that I’m faster we can understand even better where we can improve. I see clearly where the bike is strong and I’m positive and optimistic. I think I could have been top 6-7 in the Sprint and I tried the medium tire this morning and I really liked it. Unfortunately, we had a technical issue with rear vibration and I almost crashed twice. I thought it was better to bring the bike back in one piece, but I am riding well. We try again tomorrow.”
Aki Ajo, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “Our work is never done but I have to say that the higher grip here this weekend is giving us some positive feelings and our performance in qualifying was quite good. The situation is not solving all the points that we need to improve but at least it is a bit clearer and a bit more promising for us. We cannot be happy with the results from the Sprint however and there were a couple of issues – like with Maverick – that we need to understand but in general we are making small steps and the information we are gathering is helping us. We’ll look for more progression in the race tomorrow.”
Grand Prix of Americas photographs can be found HERE
Results Qualifying MotoGP Grand Prix of Americas
1. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati 2:01.088
2. Fabio Di Giannantonio (ITA) Ducati +0.101
3. Alex Marquez (ESP) Ducati +0.360
4. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.416
10. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +0.931
16. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 2:02.637 (Q1)
17. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3 2:02.868 (Q1)
Results MotoGP Sprint Grand Prix of Americas
1. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati 20:29.509
2. Alex Marquez (ESP) Ducati +0.795
3. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati +1.918
7. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +12.049
12. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +14.908
13. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +16.009
DNF. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3
KTM GP Academy
Moto3 was a happy hunting ground once more for the KTM RC4 and especially for Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda. The Spaniard and his rookie teammate and countryman Alvaro Carpe focused on set-up for the high-speed flowing sections of COTA as well as the slower, hard-braking areas. Rueda topped Q2 halfway through a sunny Saturday session but a small crash dented his chances of further improvement in the 15-minute chrono and he took P4. Carpe was less than three tenths of a second away and with the 7th best lap will be on row three.
Red Bull KTM Tech3 rookie Valentin Perrone was able to benefit from the presence of teammate Jacob Roulstone. The Australian had recovered sufficiently from his off-season neck injury to make his first GP appearance of the year in the USA. Perrone rode to 21st after Q1 while Roulstone clearly needs time to work up to speed and confidence and ended Saturday with 23rd.
Moto2 pushed Deniz Öncü and Collin Veijer into contention for improved lap-times and the best possible grid slots on Friday and Saturday. As with most classes, Friday morning’s first run took place on a wet track but the second outing took place in a mixed track state as the warm temperatures dried the asphalt. The pair were 16th and 21st fastest. A drier surface increased the speed and Saturday’s run of Q1 and Q2 ended with the Turk 10th in the list and the Dutch rookie a few rows back in 25th.
The Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas begins with Moto3 at 18.00 CET.
Results Qualifying Moto3 Grand Prix of Americas
1. David Muñoz (ESP) KTM 2:14.422
2. Maximo Quiles (ESP) CFMOTO Aspar Team +0.110
3. Joel Kelso (AUS) KTM +0.124
4. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.166
5. Dennis Foggia (ITA) CFMOTO Aspar Team +0.316
7. Alvaro Carpe (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.416
21. Valentin Perrone (ARG) Red Bull KTM Tech3 2:15.591 (Q1)
23. Jacob Roulstone (AUS), Red Bull KTM Tech3 2:15.748 (Q1)
Results Qualifying Moto2 Grand Prix of Americas
1. Jake Dixon (GBR) 2:07.432
2. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP) +0.250
3. Barry Baltus (BEL) +0.295
6. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team +0.451
10. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.626
13. Daniel Holgado (ESP) CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team +0.984
25. Collin Veijer (NED) Red Bull KTM Ajo 2:09.254 (Q1)
PRESS CONTACT
Evangelia Sissis
PR Manager MotoGP
+43 676 665 2742
evangelia.sissis@ktm.com