2022 Austin MotoGP, COTA - Free Practice (1) Results

Free Practice (1) results from the Austin MotoGP at the Circuit of the Americas, round 4 of the 2022 world championship.
Alex Rins, Grand Prix of the Americas, 8 April 2022
Alex Rins, Grand Prix of the Americas, 8 April 2022
Austin MotoGP, COTA - Free Practice (1) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)2'04.007s14/14346k
2Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+0.008s15/15342k
3Jack MillerAUSDucati Lenovo (GP22)+0.430s16/18351k
4Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.443s14/17336k
5Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.462s6/17346k
6Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.574s13/15343k
7Enea BastianiniITAGresini Ducati (GP21)+0.587s12/15346k
8Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+0.679s14/16344k
9Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+0.737s14/18345k
10Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP22)+0.886s16/17344k
11Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.893s12/16343k
12Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.976s17/17347k
13Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP22)+0.996s16/17342k
14Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP22)+1.043s15/16341k
15Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+1.139s8/18346k
16Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+1.170s16/17340k
17Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+1.280s14/14334k
18Andrea DoviziosoITAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)+1.317s8/15340k
19Raul FernandezSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)*+1.319s13/14341k
20Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP21)*+1.379s16/16344k
21Remy GardnerAUSKTM Tech3 (RC16)*+1.665s14/15342k
22Darryn BinderRSAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)*+2.191s16/16343k
23Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)+2.438s14/15338k
24Fabio Di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP21)*+2.490s14/16339k

* Rookie

Official COTA MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 2m 2.135s (2015)
Fastest race lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 2m 3.575s (2014)

Alex Rins puts a technical issue behind him to be fastest in opening practice for the Americas MotoGP in Austin, Texas, but was just 0.008s clear of Aprilia's Maverick Vinales.

Ducati's Jack Miller, Yamaha's reigning champion Fabio Quartararo and Honda's returning eight-time champion Marc Marquez made it five manufacturers in the top five.

"It was not so bad," said Rins. "We were forced to change our plans because we had a small problem with one bike, but overall I'm quite happy with the things that we tried on the second bike so we'll keep working for the race.

"The situation with the bumps is much better than last year. They did a good job. Still in the hard braking areas it's a bit bumpy but I think it's normal with the cars and everything. But the track is much safer."

Marquez is back in action after missing the Mandalika race and following Argentine weekend due to a new episode of double vision caused by his huge warm-up accident in Indonesia.

The seven-time COTA winner soon looked at home around one of his most successful circuits, topping the session after 15 of the 45 minutes when Rins, the only other MotoGP rider to have won in Austin, was just behind him on the timesheets.

Quartararo, runner-up to Marquez last October, and Aprilia's Maverick Vinales then climbed to second and third, while Rins was forced to abandon his Suzuki at the side of the track due to a technical problem.

Vinales, who told Crash.net yesterday it was 'only a matter of time' before he is fighting at the front on the now race winning RS-GP, then took over from Marquez as the final ten minutes began.

"I think it's just a matter of confidence and knowing the bike. That's all," Vinales said, when asked what he needs to take the next step and fight for the podium. "Because [in Argentina] we could see there were only two corners where I could be faster. So it's a matter of time. Working, working and working. It will arrive.

"My mentality is to go full gas [in Austin]. I don’t care if there are still bumps or not," he added.

But Rins put his earlier troubles behind him and fought back to regain the advantage from Vinales in the closing minutes. Vinales then closed to within 0.008s of his fellow Spaniard on the final lap.

Marquez's team-mate Pol Espargaro, who crashed from fourth last Sunday in Argentina, fell from his RCV in the opening minutes of FP1 and finished the session with a technical problem on his way to sixth.

Qatar winner Enea Bastianini made an encouraging start to the weekend with seventh, followed by Aleix Espargaro, who now leads the world championship for Aprilia after his historic victory last Sunday.

Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) and Johann Zarco (Pramac Ducati) completed a top ten covered by 0.886s.

Subsurface soil movement means large bumps have been a persistent issue at COTA, resulting in the latest partial resurfacing for the 2022 event, covering Turns 2-10 and 12-16.

Track schedule in UK time - 2022 Austin MotoGP

Friday
3pm-3.40pm: Moto2 Free Practice 1
3.55pm-4.40pm: MotoGP Free Practice 1
4.55pm-5.35pm: Moto3 Free Practice 3

7.15pm-7.55pm: Moto2 Free Practice 2
8.10pm-8.55pm: MotoGP Free Practice 2
9.10pm-9.50pm: Moto3 Free Practice 2

Saturday
3pm-3.40pm: Moto2 Free Practice 3
3.55pm-4.40pm: MotoGP Free Practice 3
4.55pm-5.35pm: Moto3 Free Practice 3

6.35pm-6.50pm: Moto2 Qualifying 1
7pm-7.15pm: Moto2 Qualifying 2
7.30pm-8pm: MotoGP Free Practice 4
8.10pm-8.25pm: MotoGP Qualifying 1

8.35pm-8.50pm: MotoGP Qualifying 2
9.10pm-9.25pm: Moto3 Qualifying 1
9.35pm-9.50pm: Moto3 Qualifying 2

Sunday
3.20pm-3.30pm: Moto2 warm-up
3.40pm-4pm: MotoGP warm-up
4.10-4.20pm: Moto3 warm-up

5.20pm: Moto2 race
7pm: MotoGP race
8.30pm: Moto3 race

Termas: MotoGP World Championship standings
Pos RiderNatTeamPointsDiff.
1^5Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)45 
2=Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)38(-7)
3˅2Enea BastianiniITAGresini Ducati (GP21)36(-9)
4^4Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)36(-9)
5˅2Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)35(-10)
6^3Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)33(-12)
7˅3Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)28(-17)
8˅3Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP22)24(-21)
9NAJorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP22)20(-25)
10^5Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)20(-25)
11=Jack MillerAUSDucati Lenovo (GP22)15(-30)
12˅2Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)14(-31)
13^3Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)13(-32)
14^6Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP22)12(-33)
15˅3Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)11(-34)
16˅2Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)10(-35)
17˅2Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)10(-35)
18NAMarco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP21)*7(-38)
19=Darryn BinderRSAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)*6(-39)
20˅3Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)4(-41)
21˅3Andrea DoviziosoITAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)2(-43)
22˅3Remy GardnerAUSKTM Tech3 (RC16)*1(-44)

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