2023 Austin MotoGP Race Result: The Longer The Wait, The Bigger The Gulp Of Prosecco

By Zara Daniela | Sun, 16/04/2023 - 20:24

Perhaps the rollercoaster metaphor has been abused over the years in Austin, but in everyone’s defence, COTA took it a bit too seriously and put us through quite a mix of highs and lows over 20 long and hot laps. At the end of the ride, Alex Rins celebrated LCR Honda’s 100th podium in style, with his first victory for the team and ending a long wait for Honda to grace the top step of the podium once more. The joyous celebrations continued in second place, with Luca Marini securing a maiden grand prix podium in MotoGP, while Fabio Quartararo climbed onto the podium for the first time this year, in third place.

The start of the race told a somewhat more likely story, with Pecco Bagnaia making a strong start from pole position ahead of Rins and Marini. After some minor threats from Rins on the opening lap, Bagnaia tried to get a bit of breathing room, but the Spaniard had other plans, stringing together red sector times to quickly reel in the poleman. Jack Miller didn’t seem to be missing much the Ducati’s holeshot device, as he made just as impressive of a start on the KTM, joining the leaders after a couple of corners, with Quartararo and the Mooney VR46 duo in tow. The drama started quite early, when a poor start from Alex Marquez put him in Jorge Martin’s way when the Pramac man slid out on cold tyres at turn three and took his compatriot into the gravel with him. Aleix Espargaro joined them on the naughty list by the end of the opening lap, tumbling out of the top 10 at turn 12, leaving Johann Zarco, Miguel Oliveira, Brad Binder and Maverick Viñales inside the top 10 – the latter plagued once more by issues getting off the line.

With Bagnaia and Rins starting to look quite untouchable early on, Miller was best of the rest and not yet out of contention but struggling to reduce the one second gap to the leading duo. Bagnaia could not shake Rins off in the first handful of laps but the threat from behind reduced two laps later, when Miller crashed out of third place. Disaster struck once more on lap eight, when Bagnaia made a surprising(ly costly) mistake at turn two, crashing out of the lead and changing the podium configuration once more. In the blink of an eye, Rins found himself as the sole leader and with a two second gap to manage over Quartararo and Marini.

Twelve laps seemed like a long time to hold back a Ducati, but Rins’s advantage still hovered around the two second mark going into the second half of the race, while Quartararo’s full attention was on preventing said Ducati from gobbling him up. Marini inevitably blitzed past the Yamaha on the back straight a couple of laps later and Quartararo had no response, allowing Marini a reasonably comfortable gap. The move was just as much of a worry for Honda as it was for Yamaha, as the gap to the leader promptly dipped under two seconds, but Rins immediately got the message and picked up the pace to enter the final five laps with two and a half seconds in hand. Marini gave it a final push but had to let Rins go in the last couple of laps, the LCR man taking the chequered flag over three seconds clear of his main rival.

There wasn’t much of a threat to rest of the podium positions in the closing stages, with the chasing group over three seconds back, but Bagnaia did get some unexpected help as both Viñales and Oliveira were keen to show Bezzecchi the talents of the Aprilia and eventually demoted him to sixth place. Johann Zarco, Franco Morbidelli, Fabio Di Giannantonio and rookie Augusto Fernandez held on tight to complete the top 10, while the likes of Joan Mir, Brad Binder and Takaaki Nakagami made unceremonious exists in the various gravel traps around COTA. Binder at least got some points out of it, having remounted at the back of a field of only 13 finishing riders.

MotoGP leaves Texas with Bezzecchi still in control of the world championship by 11 points from Bagnaia, while Rins climbs significantly to trail the leader by 17 points. Viñales and Zarco complete the top five, with Marini also making up ground in sixth, 26 points behind his teammate. Quartararo’s return to the podium got rewarded with a progress of four positions, up to 7th, 30 points off Bezzecchi.

Results:

Pos No. Rider Bike Time/Diff
1 42 Alex Rins Honda 41:14.6490
2 10 Luca Marini Ducati 3.498
3 20 Fabio Quartararo Yamaha 4.936
4 12 Maverick Viñales Aprilia 8.318
5 88 Miguel Oliveira Aprilia 9.989
6 72 Marco Bezzecchi Ducati 12.049
7 5 Johann Zarco Ducati 12.242
8 21 Franco Morbidelli Yamaha 20.399
9 49 Fabio Di Giannantonio Ducati 27.981
10 37 Augusto Fernandez KTM 28.217
11 51 Michele Pirro Ducati 32.370
12 94 Jonas Folger KTM 68.065
13 33 Brad Binder KTM 83.012
Not Classified
  6 Stefan Bradl Honda 37:33.2520
  30 Takaaki Nakagami Honda 22:54.5570
  36 Joan Mir Honda 16:39.6160
  1 Francesco Bagnaia Ducati 14:25.3370
  25 Raul Fernandez Aprilia 13:03.9320
  43 Jack Miller KTM 12:23.4260
  73 Alex Marquez Ducati  
  41 Aleix Espargaro Aprilia  
  89 Jorge Martin Ducati  
2023
3
MotoGP
Austin, Texas
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Comments

Thanks for the write-up, Zara. It was fun watching a full race weekend live – a weekend capped by what was, for me, a feel-good MotoGP race. Some observations:

  • I thought the Star-Spangled Banner by Suzanne Santo was terrific
  • I’m stoked for Alex Rins, Lucio Cecchinello, and the LCR team. Congrats to them
  • Great races from Fabio and Luca, as well
  • The camaraderie post race on track among the riders and in pit lane among the teams was heart warming
  • The LCR livery looks so good
  • I think Pecco is still the frontrunner for the championship with so many races to go. And the closer the championship battle, the better
  • Crazy attrition! Seeing Jonas Folger finish in the points was nice to see. Cool for him
  • The vantage point – I think going into Turn 10 with the bike leaned over and nothing but sky and the Texas flag in the background – made for some amazing images (e.g., cover photo for the Friday Round Up)
  • Watching the parade lap interviews with the riders helped me see that, even though they’re exceptional racers and athletes, they’re also regular people. Seeing the riders outside of full-on race mode provided some personal perspective I needed and wasn’t expecting to find
  • So many fast crashes at Turn 2 this weekend. I’ve been a MotoGP marshal 5 times at COTA (though never at T2) and don’t remember so many crashes there. Wonder if there was a bump in a tricky place on corner entry?
  • I personally didn’t miss MM93 the last two races and disagree with anyone who says the sport “needs” him. There is so much talent in MotoGP right now and seeing Pedro Acosta and Tony Arbolino in Moto2 gives current and future fans of the sport even more to look forward to

I agree with Chris above that while I hope MM comes back strong, he is not needed. Todays field is loaded with young and interesting talent owning many storylines. Being trackside and bringing extended family with me, I must say it was disappointing to see SIX front runners out before the half. Very happy for Rins as he has been underrated. He often had more speed than Mir but he didn’t finish enough races I guess. Miller was the clear fan favorite, so his crash hurt. BTW, #43 shirts were sold out mid Saturday! A Espargaro and Alex Marquez were two more that had race winning pace. The crowd didn’t seem to mind the Pecco crash but Rins was right there and we were enjoying the battle for the lead.

More crashes in the Gp than the sprint race! That was a proper crashfest. Bumps for sure had a major role in most of the bingles.

Congratulations to Alex Rins, Lucio Cecchinello & all the LCR team!

One Ducati in the top five, Davide Tardozzi is on his knees again.

I will be watching that race again.

I hear Peco blaming his crash on an unknown unacceptable unknowable thing. He said he was not pushing and taking it very easy through that turn. Very 2022. Hard front, slippy track, taking it easy through a turn.

In this instance I have no idea but I've heard versions of it through 2021 and 2022. The curious thing today is that sector 1 was no place to be taking it easy with Rins so close. Rins was closing the gap, Jack was following Rins towards Peco too. Slowly closing but closing. As was the case yesterday, without the back straight Peco was not fast enough compared to Rins. Soft rear wearing faster from the extra power of the Ducati, reducing this advantage lap by lap ? Next thing you know it's down the road. Can't imagine Peco taking it easy in sector 1 at that point but I have no idea. I do wonder when a rider drops it two races in a row, big points gone, the fave, they are angry at....well something but nothing and they don't know. 

Great race by Rins - fantastic weekend really. Great to see Marini finally snag a spot on the steps and Fabio I'm sure feels releaved to finally get up there as well,

Boring stat: All 3 GP wins have come from the 2nd grid pos and that 2nd spot has podiumed in each sprint as well (1 Win, 2 2nds)

…until he crashed. Disappointing but still promising. Delighted to see AR42 get the win with a bike that has prettier livery than the Repsol Hondas. MM93 must be sitting at home knowing that he has a new Honda challenger. His era may be closing. When you see Turn 2 in the flesh it is downright scary. TV always makes things look slower and flatter. Another bucket list tick by going up the COTA tower. Great views that show how big the circuit is.

Thanks for the trackside insights Rusty Trumpet. Yes Jack had me getting excited for a bit. He is very good, until he crashes. That's racing. We know he's trying.

Great result for Alex Rins, when so many other top class riders were chucking it down the road.

Did you walk up the tower or catch the elevator Rusty T? One could parachute back down.

I suspect all the Hondas are factory whatever the team they are in. The question would be how much new stuff they have on them at any time given that it is heavily a project in progress. Bradl's bike would be very interesting.

The MotoGP crashes were mainly front end, in Moto3 there were lots of rear end loss high sides.

A testament to electronics and traction control working in MotoGP?

I believe it was during one of the FPs, but one of the announcers said that Rins had made comments complaining that Honda weren't utilizing him enough to help develop the new bike. It's his first time at a satellite team in MotoGP so it's gotta be an adjustment for him.

They gave him Marc's chassis for Argentina and that seems to have ruffled some feathers. Rins' latest result will only compound the issue surely. Then you have the whole dynamic of Marc's team sitting him down and talking 'riding style' with Rins' data in front of him.

It's still early days and at a specialist track, so I won't be surprised if Jerez demonstrates that the RCV is still a dog.

Oh I wasn't aware of the chassis thing, that's very interesting. And 1,000% agree that I don't expect mriacles from Rins at any other track. He could be pretty up and down on the Suzuki, which by all accounts was a great bike. I still really like the guy, and I've always liked LCR, so more good results would be welcome.

For me this win was more about Rins than the Honda.  Rins is exceptional at this track.  Next race he will probably be much further back (hope not but thats the reality at Honda).

Forget MM, how must Mir be feeling at this point!

Pecco tossing it down the road, twice in as many races, is.....perplexing. AND....it wasn't his fault, or so he says. Sorry, Pecco, you're the one on the bike and using excuses is not the way to move forward. I've never understood why HRC signed Mir instead of Rins. OK, his WC is nice, but he's never been at the front end of races, where Rins has. I was very happy for Rins and its a testament to his talent that he has won on 2 bikes....2 vastly different bikes! Be very interested to see how he does the rest of the year. MM must have some hope that the bike is faster and is chomping at the bit wanting to be out there on track. 

VERY disappointed to see Miller crash out. I was really wanting KTM/Miller/Binder to do well.

 

Rins is very fast but I did spend the end of the race worrying that he would repeat his in a good placing front end fold. Happily he left that to others.

Had a great time at COTA, really enjoyed the racing in all 3 classes. The Moto2 battle between Acosta and Arbolino was very entertaining and the war of attrition in the MotoGP race was hectic and full of twists and turns.. The surprise podium of Rins, Marini, Quartararo was alot of fun to see. The circuit did a good job of putting on the event all 3 days.

I do have to say one thing, whoever designed the parking at COTA was a masochistic Satan worshipper of a civil engineer. I have been to sporting events all around the country and that was the most diabolical clusterf**** parking lot I have yet to see. I even waited in the circuit for over an hour before I attempted to leave and even that was not enough. They sure designated the lot correctly, "F" for completely F'ed up!!

SO happy for Rins, he's a class act and silky smooth - I suspect that's why he can ride the Honda better than anyone else, including MM.  2nd in the Sprint and 1st in the main on his 3rd weekend racing the bike??  Nakagami tossed it, and he's been riding it forever, and Mir, understandable as he's still green on this bike.  Rins can ride anything apparently, and I'm super stoked he just rubbed this into Puig's soul.  HRC doesn't need MM93 or Puig.  Rins, with Ken K., can and should takeover Honda's shitshow.  

Is Jorge Martin getting a penalty? or does nothing happen because he wasn't overtaking for position? I don't even know the rules anymore. I just saw a guy knock another rider into the landscaping at COTA, and scarcely a word has been said about it. 

GP wins on multiple manufacturers. Don't know how many have done it but the number can't be huge. Not counting sprints and going back to last year Rins has won three of the last six GPs,  now on two different machines. I'm so happy to see him succeed. He was poetry in motion in that beautiful Suzuki blue, glad to see he's still top class in the timeless LCR livery. 

 

 

Miller has won on Honda and Ducati, Vinales on Yamaha and Suzuki. They're both vying to be the first to win on three different bikes in the "modern" era. Some others have done it ... from Wikipedia ... "The three-peat feat has been achieved by just four riders since 1949; Mike Hailwood, Randy Mamola, Eddie Lawson and, most recently, Loris Capirossi, who won for Yamaha in 1996, Honda in 2000 (both during the 500cc era) and then a first Ducati 'MotoGP' win in 2003."

Like you, I'm frickin' delighted for Rins. Starting to work on a Tamiya model of his Suzuki from a couple of seasons back!