Americas MotoGP: Rins tops FP1 at COTA, Marc Marquez returns

Following a violent crash during warm-up for the Indonesian GP, Marquez suffered a new episode of the diplopia – or double vision – which previously sidelined him for three months late last year. 

Missing the Argentina GP while he recovered, the Honda rider was given the all-clear to continue racing this weekend at his beloved Circuit of the Americas. 

And it only took Marquez five laps to get back up to speed, the seven-time COTA winner going top of the pile with a 2m04.469s just 15 minutes into FP1. 

He would stay at the top of the timesheets with that lap until just under 12 minutes to go, when Maverick Vinales on the Aprilia went 0.096s clear with a 2m04.373s. 

Having made a breakthrough with set-up on the Aprilia in Indonesia and carrying that through to a strong Argentina weekend, Vinales came into COTA confident he could be strong. 

Rins had his session interrupted at around mid-distance, with his GSX-RR slowing on the exit of Turn 11 onto the back straight. 

But the 2019 COTA race winner managed to get back out on track on his second Suzuki and lit the timing screens up in the dying stages with a run of three-successive sessions-topping times. This run culminated in a 2m04.007s, which put him top of the pile at the chequered flag by just 0.008s. 

A late charge from Vinales threatened Rins’ lap, but the Aprilia rider had to settle for second ahead of factory Ducati rider Jack Miller. 

Reigning world champion Fabio Quartararo led the session in the early stages and was fourth at the chequered flag, 0.0443s off the pace, while Marquez completed 17 laps in fifth. 

He headed Honda teammate Pol Espargaro, who stopped on track at Turn 10 after the chequered flag. 

Erstwhile championship leader Enea Bastianini guided his Gresini Ducati to seventh ahead of current points leader Aleix Espargaro on the second of the Aprilias. Trailing the Argentina winner was LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami, while Johann Zarco (Pramac Ducati) rounded out the top 10 ahead of 2020 world champion Joan Mir on the sister Suzuki.

The KTM contingent was led by Brad Binder down in 12th with a 2m04.983s, with Francesco Bagnaia on the factory team Ducati and Pramac’s Jorge Martin behind him. 

COTA has been partially resurfaced from Turns 2 to 10 and Turns 12-16 since last October’s race after bumps led to safety concerns and an ultimatum from the riders. 

However, several corners – including the fast, plunging Turn 10 left-hander – still appear to have some aggressive bumps.

FP2 for the 2022 MotoGP Americas GP gets underway at 2:10pm local time.

Grand Prix of the Americas MotoGP FP1 times:

Cla	Rider	Bike	Laps	Time	Gap	Interval	km/h
1	Alex Rins	Suzuki	14	2'04.007			160.045
2	Maverick Viñales	Aprilia	15	2'04.015	0.008	0.008	160.035
3	Jack Miller	Ducati	18	2'04.437	0.430	0.422	159.492
4	Fabio Quartararo	Yamaha	17	2'04.450	0.443	0.013	159.476
5	Marc Marquez	Honda	17	2'04.469	0.462	0.019	159.451
6	Pol Espargaro	Honda	15	2'04.581	0.574	0.112	159.308
7	Enea Bastianini	Ducati	15	2'04.594	0.587	0.013	159.291
8	Aleix Espargaro	Aprilia	16	2'04.686	0.679	0.092	159.174
9	Takaaki Nakagami	Honda	18	2'04.744	0.737	0.058	159.100
10	Johann Zarco	Ducati	17	2'04.893	0.886	0.149	158.910
11	Joan Mir	Suzuki	16	2'04.900	0.893	0.007	158.901
12	Brad Binder	KTM	17	2'04.983	0.976	0.083	158.795
13	Francesco Bagnaia	Ducati	17	2'05.003	0.996	0.020	158.770
14	Jorge Martin	Ducati	16	2'05.050	1.043	0.047	158.710
15	Alex Marquez	Honda	18	2'05.146	1.139	0.096	158.589
16	Luca Marini	Ducati	17	2'05.177	1.170	0.031	158.549
17	Franco Morbidelli	Yamaha	14	2'05.287	1.280	0.110	158.410
18	Andrea Dovizioso	Yamaha	15	2'05.324	1.317	0.037	158.363
19	Raúl Fernández	KTM	14	2'05.326	1.319	0.002	158.361
20	Marco Bezzecchi	Ducati	16	2'05.386	1.379	0.060	158.285
21	Remy Gardner	KTM	15	2'05.672	1.665	0.286	157.925
22	Darryn Binder	Yamaha	16	2'06.198	2.191	0.526	157.267
23	Miguel Oliveira	KTM	15	2'06.445	2.438	0.247	156.959
24	Fabio Di Giannantonio	Ducati	16	2'06.497	2.490	0.052	156.895
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