Austin, Texas

Austin MotoGP Sprint Race Subscriber Notes: The Rins Enigma, Should Yamaha Build A V4, And Sprint Races Becoming Civilized

By David Emmett | Sun, 16/04/2023 - 07:15

Sprint race number three is in the books, and despite the crashes – three in the ten-lap sprint around the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas – everyone made it back to the pits pretty much in one piece and ready to go for Sunday. After the attrition of Portimão and Argentina, this was a welcome change.

Saturday underlined once again what a massive change the sprint races are for MotoGP. They change everything: there is no such thing as "it's only Friday" any longer, as Friday determines who gets through to Q2 directly, and who has the stress of trying to pass through Q1. With qualifying counting for two races rather than one, a spot on the front two rows is now utterly vital.

Conditions had changed too. A very heavy fall of rain overnight had flooded into some of the temporary offices in the paddock, and left the track green and still damp in the morning. Then, when the sun came out, temperatures soared, track temps creeping up towards the high 40s°C.

2023 Austin MotoGP Free Practice Result: Bagnaia Leads Ducati Invasion

By Zara Daniela | Sat, 15/04/2023 - 15:50

Free practice in the premier class was dominated, unsurprisingly so, by Ducati, first with Alex Marquez who then handed over to Pecco Bagnaia in the final handful of minutes of the session. Luca Marini and Jorge Martin also finished within three tenths of a second of top spot, while Fabio Quartararo managed to infiltrate the Ducati brigade in fifth place. After fading a bit to the background on Friday, Marco Bezzecchi was more limelight-adjacent on Saturday morning, up into sixth position, ahead of veteran Johann Zarco.

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