2022 Austin MotoGP, COTA - Free Practice (3) Results

Free Practice (3) results from the Austin MotoGP at the Circuit of the Americas, round 4 of the 2022 world championship.
Fabio Quartararo, Grand Prix of the Americas, 8 April
Fabio Quartararo, Grand Prix of the Americas, 8 April
Austin MotoGP, COTA - Free Practice (3) Results
Pos RiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1^2Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)2'02.361s17/17333k
2^2Enea BastianiniITAGresini Ducati (GP21)+0.059s10/14351k
3˅1Jack MillerAUSDucati Lenovo (GP22)+0.086s17/17344k
4^2Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.129s16/17344k
5^4Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP22)+0.260s18/19344k
6^6Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.437s14/14342k
7^1Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.513s10/15342k
8^9Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+0.547s13/16342k
9^5Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+0.560s16/16338k
10^1Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+0.636s14/17341k
11˅6Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.711s12/17342k
12^9Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.725s14/15332k
13˅6Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+0.993s9/14338k
14^1Andrea DoviziosoITAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)+1.009s15/16339k
15˅14Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP22)+1.152s5/15341k
16˅3Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+1.261s12/16342k
17˅7Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP22)+1.276s14/14334k
18˅2Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+1.472s15/15343k
19^5Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)+1.588s14/15336k
20=Remy GardnerAUSKTM Tech3 (RC16)*+1.738s16/16332k
21^1Darryn BinderRSAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)*+1.935s10/14338k
22˅3Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP21)*+1.988s15/15346k
23˅5Fabio Di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP21)*+2.145s12/12338k
24˅1Raul FernandezSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)*+2.181s14/15332k

Key:
^X Rider is X positions higher than FP2.
= Rider is same position as FP2.
˅X Rider is X positions lower than FP2.

* Rookie

Riders directly to Qualifying 2 - Top 10 Combined Practice Times:
PosRiderNatTeam
1Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
2Enea BastianiniITAGresini Ducati (GP21)
3Jack MillerAUSDucati Lenovo (GP22)
4Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)
5Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP22)
6Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP22)
7Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)
8Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
9Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)
10Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)

Fastest Friday time:
Johann Zarco FRA Ducati 2m 2.542s

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)

Fabio Quartararo leads Free Practice 3 for the Americas MotoGP in Austin, Texas, but a spate of late yellow flags contributed to the likes of 2019 winner Alex Rins, new world championship leader Aleix Espargaro and Aprilia team-mate Maverick Vinales all missing out on the top ten and heading for Qualifying 1.

"Working for the race with the used soft tyre we did a really good lap time and had good pace," Rins said. "The problem was with the new tyre, on both laps, we had yellow flags. So bad luck and now we need to go through Qualifying 1. But I'm feeling quite good so, theoretically, it won't be a problem..."

Yellow flags had already influenced the outcome of the earlier Moto2 session, prompting the MotoGP time attacks to begin earlier than usual, just after the halfway stage of FP3.

Takaaki Nakagami, Joan Mir and Aleix Espargaro all featured at the top but Johann Zarco's Friday best held firm until Qatar winner Enea Bastianini fired his Gresini Ducati to the head of the combined times with ten minutes to go.

Bastianini's reign continued until the very last lap, when Quartararo surged from third to first by just 0.059s with a 2m 2.361s.

Jorge Martin, tenth but the quickest rider not to attempt a flying lap on Friday, fell on his out-lap with the hard front tyre, forcing the Termas de Rio Hondo runner-up to rush back to the Pramac Ducati pits for his spare machine. The Argentine runner-up didn't make the top ten cut.

Joan Mir was another faller, at Turn 11, and after setting a 'red' first sector. Fortunately for the former world champion, he was already up to fifth. 

Current champion Quartararo had a different kind of issue, with a swarm of riders trying to get a late tow from the Monster Yamaha rider. But the Frenchman, aready in fourth, didn't need to oblige and deliberately ran wide to force some of them to pass.

Marc Marquez found another Yamaha to chase in the form of Andrea Dovizioso, helping the returning eight-time world champion jump from sixth to second place, before Quartararo hit the top. The #93 later appeared to accidentally obstruct Bastianini.

Zarco fell in the final minute at Turn 2, but his Friday time kept him safely in the top ten. Brad Binder was another to bring out the yellow flags at the end of the session, robbing the likes of Rins of a last chance to advance directly to Qualifying 2.

Marc Marquez is returning to 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.

COTA is one of his most successful circuits, having won seven of the eight MotoGP races held at the Texan track, falling while leading in 2019, when Suzuki's Alex Rins took victory.

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.

The soft front tyre was popular this morning, but the hard is expected to be used by almost all riders for the hotter afternoon sessions and Sunday's grand prix. Rear choice for the race is more complicated with some - such as Alex Rins - potentially able to make the soft last the distance, rather than needing the medium. FP4 will prove crucial in that regard.

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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