17:23
Wow! Bagnaia improves again before Marquez sets an identical lap time. Bagnaia is currently top because he set the time first but what an effort from Marquez.
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati MotoGP COTA 2023
As it happened: Francesco Bagnaia wins the MotoGP Sprint at COTA
Francesco Bagnaia denied Alex Rins pole position with a new lap record which also included a first-ever sub 2m 2s lap at COTA.
There were various crashes in qualifying as Jack Miller took his tally for the weekend up to five, while Jorge Martin also crashed twice in Q2.
- Mir describes “scary” near-miss with rider-less bike: “Impossible to see…”
- “MotoGP sprint race like stepping into a boxing ring!” Let’s get ready to rumble
Stay tuned as Crash.net brings you all the latest news and updates throughout the weekend.
15 Apr 2023
17:21
Early statement from Bagnaia as he goes three tenths clear of Vinales at the start of Q2.
17:16
Q2 is go in Texas! Can anyone stop Ducati?
17:07
He does! Zarco goes fastest and will advance alongside Bezzecchi.
17:07
Zarco is making a late charge for top spot. Can he hold onto his advantage?
17:05
Raul Fernandez has fallen at turn 2 and that could spell the end for riders needing to improve.
17:04
Joan Mir goes second with a brilliant lap. The pressure is now back on Zarco.
17:01
It's already time for the final time attack runs of Q1, Bezzecchi is on his first flying lap as he leads from Zarco.
16:58
Zarco goes second but remains two tenths down on Bezzecchi.
16:58
Early crash for Jonas Folger in the final sector.
16:56
Bezzecchi gets into the mid 2.2m barrier on his first flying lap to go quickest from Oliveira.
16:51
Here we go with Q1 in COTA - can championship leader Bezzecchi advance?
16:43
Bagnaia finishes fastest from Marquez and Luca Marini. Up next is Q1.
16:42
The checkered flag is out and Bagnaia is the still the leader.
16:37
And he does! Bagnaia signifies his intent as he goes quickest from Marquez.
16:36
Bagnaia looks set to take over the at the top...
16:35
Bezzecchi goes fourth as Ducati now have six riders occupying the first seven positions.
16:29
With race pace the focus so far in P3, Marquez holds a two tenths advantage of Martin with just over ten minutes remaining.
16:24
It's been a very good start to P3 for Ducati as Quartararo is the only non-Ducati rider in the top five at present.
16:22
Alex Marquez currently leads the way from Fabio Quartararo and teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio.
16:20
Correction: It's Miller's third fall this weekend.
16:19
Make that two early fallers as Jack Miller has suffered his second crash of the weekend, this time at turn 8.
16:16
Takaaki Nakagami has already crashed - turn 11
16:11
And we're underway for MotoGP P3 at COTA