COTA Ratings: Enea Bastianini perfect, but who stole the show for full marks?

Enea Bastianini - 10

(Started 5th, finished 1st)

The first double winner of 2022, Enea Bastianini delivered a sensational ride as he regained the championship lead from Aleix Espargaro. After biding his time during the early stages and letting Jack Miller set the pace, Bastianini came through on Jorge Martin for second as the Pramac rider began to struggle, before claiming the lead off Miller with five laps to go. Not content with just taking the lead, Bastianini, who also set a new all-time race lap record, pushed on and was able to break clear of the Australian within a lap or so. 

• Miller: Enea made the difference, Pramac or Factory? It doesn’t bother me 
• Keith Huewen: Brilliant Bastianini has got it all, Marquez ride of the day
• Enea Bastianini: We can battle for the championship

Alex Rins - 9 

(Started 7th, finished 2nd) 

Close to full marks, Alex Rins claimed his best result of the year and a second podium in succession after gaining six places in the race. Even more impressive was the fact Rins was able to overtake and stay ahead of several Ducati’s, who are notoriously difficult to pass given their straight-line speed. Rins is beginning to look more and more like a championship contender given his last two performances. 

Jack Miller - 8 

(Started 2nd, finished 3rd)

A great bounce-back weekend for Jack Miller as the Australian took his first podium of 2022. After enduring one of his worst races in MotoGP in Argentina, MIller looked back to his best and he led three quarters of the race before being pipped on the final lap by Rins. Although Miller failed to keep pace with Bastianini, a rider who could be coming for his seat in 2023, scoring valuable points was needed, which he did. Consistency will be key going forward for the factory Ducati rider, who has always been strong around COTA. 

Joan Mir - 7 

(Started 8th, finished 4th) 

While Joan Mir produced another solid performance to claim fourth, the Spaniard remains without a podium so far this year. Mir was able to, like Rins, get through on three of Ducati’s leading quintet, however, the 2020 world champion wasn’t quite able to match the exploits of Rins, which is why a mark of seven has been awarded. 

Francesco Bagnaia - 7 

(Started 3rd, finished 5th) 

By far his best weekend of the season from a consistency point of view, Francesco Bagnaia took a second consecutive top five finish as he looks to regain the form of 2021. Bagnaia would have been disappointed not to challenge his team-mate for third, and with the Italian still not firing on all cylinders, anything higher than a seven was deemed too much. Not to the extent of Martin or Johann Zarco, but Bagnaia also suffered from rear tyre degradation towards the end. 

Marc Marquez - 10

(Started 9th, finished 6th) 

Following a technical problem at the start which left Marc Marquez last heading into turn one, the eight-time world champion produced an unbelievable comeback to take sixth place. By the end of lap two Marquez was already back up to 17th, before making that P14 come the end of lap 3. Although progress was slower from that point forward, Marquez continued to pick apart the 2022 grid as he eventually came through to sixth. What’s clear, is that without the issue at the beginning of the race, Marquez would likely have taken victory given his pace advantage over the whole field, which is why a perfect score has been given to the Repsol Honda rider, despite a relatively poor qualifying, his worst in Austin. 

Fabio Quartararo - 7 

(Started 6th, finished 7th) 

A difficult race for the reigning world champion as, not for the first time this season, Quartararo struggled to make overtakes especially on the Ducati’s due to the top speed difference. The Yamaha rider looked poised to regain sixth off Marquez late on as the Honda rider began to struggle for grip, however, he was unable to do so. 

Jorge Martin - 6 

(Started 1st, finished 7th)

A pretty spectacular loss of performance over the final few laps saw Jorge Martin drop from second to seventh. The pole sitter looked comfortable following Miller during the early stages, but with tyre degradation proving to be worse for the Spaniard compared to anyone around him, Martin gets the lowest grade thus far. 

Johann Zarco - 6 

(Started 4th, finished 9th)

Matching Martin with a grade of six is team-mate Johann Zarco as the Frenchman suffered with identical issues. Zarco was running in a comfortable fourth for much of the race, but once Rins and Bagnaia came through, it began a severe drop for the two-time Moto2 champion. 

Maverick Vinales - 6 

(Started 14th, finished 10th) 

What looked like a very promising weekend, one that should have yielded his best result as an Aprilia rider, was hindered by a poor showing in qualifying which ultimately ruined Maverick Vinales’ chances of fighting for a podium. All weekend Vinales was inside the top five, but after failing to advance through Q1, the former Yamaha rider was unable to make progress quickly enough during the early stages. 

Aleix Espargaro - 5 

(Started 13th, finished 11th)

Not his favourite circuit, far from it in fact, Aleix Espargaro looked to be in for a good weekend at the Circuit of the Americas, similar to his team-mate. But after failing to secure a top ten spot in FP3, and missing out in Q1, Espargaro, like Vinales, was reduced to watching the victory battle from afar. Having just won his maiden MotoGP seven days prior, a lot of expectation was on the Aprilia rider’s shoulder heading into round four. 

Brad Binder - 6 

(Started 17th, finished 12th)

For the first time in 2022 KTM seemed to struggle massively at the Austin track. Brad Binder, who is as much of a Sunday man as there is, was unable to make up for a disastrous qualifying session as he finished outside the top ten for the first time this season. 

Pol Espargaro - 5 

Started 12th, finished 13th) 

Pol Espargaro gets the same grade as his brother after a disappointing weekend aboard his RC213V. Overtaken into turn 12 by Marquez, Espargaro eventually finished 11 seconds down on his team-mate. 

Takaaki Nakagami - 5 

(Started 10th, finished 14th)

Takaaki Nakagami’s struggles in race conditions continued in Austin as the Japanese rider lost a total of four places from his starting position. 

Andrea Dovizioso - 4

(Started 15th, finished 15th) 

Andrea Dovizioso’s tough season continues aboard the 2022 RNF Yamaha after claiming just one point at a track he’s done very well at in the past. 

Franco Morbidelli - 4 

(Started 19th, finished 16th) 

Perhaps one of the biggest surprises in 2022 has been the lack of form shown by Franco Morbidelli. Now fully fit, the Italian has been nowhere compared to his team-mate which was again the case throughout last weekend.

Luca Marini - 5

(Started 11th, finished 17th)

Quickly becoming a trend in his MotoGP career, Luca Marini once again qualified much higher than his race finish. The VR46 academy rider, like several other riders including Martin and Zarco, munched through his tyres which resulted in another disappointing race finish. 

Miguel Oliveira - 4

(Started 20th, finished 18th)

If Miguel Oliveira was hoping for a more consistent 2022 season, then the first four races have done nothing to suggest that will happen. Aside from his brilliant win in Mandalika, the Portuguese rider has struggled, which was highlighted by being way behind Binder at COTA. Qualifying in 20th, the KTM rider managed to gain just two places in the race. 

Raul Fernandez - 4

(Started 21st, finished 19th)

A quiet race for the 2021 Moto2 runner-up as he finished as the top rookie for the first time this season. 

Remy Gardner - 4

(Started 22nd, finished 20th)

Like Fernandez, it was a subdued race for the Tech 3 KTM rider, although he did manage to get the better of Fabio Di Giannantonio on the final lap. 

Fabio Di Giannantonio - 4 

(Started 18th, finished 21st)

A tough race for the Ducati rookie as his team-mate took all the headlines with another victory. 

Darryn Binder - 4

(Started 24th, finished 22nd)

His worst race of the season so far, Darryn Binder could only manage last place of the complete runners. The South African was more than a minute down on the race winner. 

Marco Bezzecchi - 3

(Started 16th, DNF)

A crash on lap two saw Marco Bezzecchi become the first rider not to finish the American MotoGP. 

Alex Marquez - 3

(Started 23rd, DNF) 

A disastrous start to 2022 continues for Alex Marquez as the Spaniard crashed out for the second time in four rounds.