2024 Americas Moto3 Grand Prix, COTA - Qualifying Results

Qualifying for round three of the Moto3 championship, the Americas Grand Prix in Austin at COTA, saw David Alonso on pole position for the first time in the lightweight class as his perfect start to the Texas race weekend continued.

Alonso finished Friday on top in the Moto3 class after practice at the Americas Grand Prix, with the Valresa Aspar rider topping both sessions.

The #80 began where he left off on Saturday - despite his team pulling him in with a box call for tyres when he was set to break the lap record in P2. The Colombian smashed it on his return to track - the old record had just been jointly beaten by Joel Kelso and Ivan Ortola who managed the unusual feat of setting identical lap times. That allowed Alonso to head to qualifying with a new best of 2m 14.153s.

Further records were not to be as the breeze took over from the sun, but a well timed final run saw the CFMoto on pole with a lap of 2m 14.292s as Alonso, always solo, was able to find the pace needed to finish on top once again.

Jose Antonio Rueda pushed all the way to the end of the session and held the provisional slot before the final flying laps came in, finishing just 0.017s slower for Red Bull KTM Ajo.

Daniel Holgado once again left it late to creep up the timesheets, claiming the final front row slot for Red Bull GasGasTech3.

Colin Veijer was another rider hitting the top of the timing screens late on on his way to fourth for Liqui Moly Husqvarna IntactGP.

Joel Kelso was the final rider to take the chequered flag, moving from 15th to fifth for BOE Motorsports.

Kelso is joined on the second row by fellow Australian Jacob Roulstone. The Tech3 rookie came through Q1 and used his time on track in the first qualifying session to find a time good enough for the second row.

Several riders received warnings for their conduct over the weekend, but Matteo Bertelle was handed down a long lap penalty in the race for a second offence of riding slowly. The Snipers rider will start seventh.

David Munoz made late progress but was shuffled back to eighth on the second BOE entry, with Stefano Nepa ninth for LevelUp - MTA and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) completing the top ten.

Ivan Ortola had enjoyed a strong practice, but returned to the pits early in Q2 and finished 14th with just four laps to his name.

• 2024 Americas MotoGP, COTA - Full Qualifying Results
• Maverick Vinales stuns the opposition with lap record, Jorge Martin crashes twice in Q2

Q1 - No Progress For Yamananka

Expectations were high that Ryusei Yamanaka would cruise through and join his teammate Ortola in Q2.

His weekend had already gotten off to a shaky start - collecting Ortola in practice. The Japanese rider looked uncomfortable, had his best lap cancelled, then ran wide on his final run. That left him tenth in Q1 for 24th on the grid.

Roulstone was the only rider in the session to go faster than their previous time, the Australian was joined by fellow rookies Joel Esteban and Luca Lunetta in Q2 with Adrian Fernandez leading the group through.

Joshua Whatley was the rider who came closest but missed out. The MLav Racing rider was caught up behind a touring Lunetta on his last attempt, so will start 19th on Sunday. Teammate Scott Ogden fared slightly better in 15th.

Xabi Zurutuza ended his first Moto3 qualifying session in 23rd for Red Bull KTM Ajo.

A final corner crash, which sent David Almansa spinning in the air, saw him holding his arm after his fall with no time set. The Spaniard was later declared unfit to continue with further trauma to his injured hand.

Tatchakorn Buasri did not return to track following his heavy fall earlier in the weekend.