2024 Americas MotoGP, COTA - Friday Practice Results

* Rookie

Official COTA MotoGP records  
Best lap: Francesco Bagnaia 2m 1.892s (2023)  
Fastest race lap: Alex Rins 2m 3.126s (2023)

Jorge Martin keeps Maverick Vinales at bay with a new lap record on day one of the 2024 Americas MotoGP at COTA.

Meanwhile, all the (Red Bull) KTMs, Yamahas and Hondas missed the top ten cut and will be heading for Saturday’s Qualifying 1.

• Americas Moto2: Latest Results
• Americas Moto3: Latest Results

After soft front and medium rear tyres were used in the morning, most riders switched to the opposite compounds in the afternoon, before indulging in time attacks with new soft rubber during the final stages.

Maverick Vinales’ 2m 3.294s morning best was beaten by Jorge Martin early in the afternoon hour, with the pair - plus 2022 event winner Enea Bastianini - filling the top three as time attacks began.

Vinales showed his cards first, but Martin responded with a scorching new lap record, breaking 0.6s clear of Vinales’ Aprilia team-mate Aleix Espargaro, after Vinales had a lap scrapped due to track limits.

While only Vinales could put pressure on Martin, reigning double world champion Francesco Bagnaia, plus factory KTM riders Jack Miller and Brad Binder began the final run out of the top ten and facing Qualifying 1.

Bagnaia held his nerve to claim fourth but the KTMs, Yamahas and Hondas will all be in Qualifying 1, the four Hondas at the bottom of the timesheets.

Seven-time COTA winner Marc Marquez made a slow start to both Friday sessions but later fired a warning shot by being amongst the quickest on used tyres in the morning and leapt from 21st to 3rd on medium-medium tyres midway through the afternoon.

The Gresini rider, who insists he will be happy with a first Ducati podium on Sunday, then returned to third on his final lap of the afternoon.

Fresh from his first MotoGP podium, rookie Pedro Acosta kicked off his Austin weekend with a strong fifth for GASGAS Tech3, as the only RC16 rider directly into Qualifying 2.

Behind Espargaro, Franco Morbidelli impressed with seventh as Bastianini, Fabio di Giannantonio and VR46 team-mate Marco Bezzecchi completed the top ten.

*Rookie.

Official COTA MotoGP records  
Best lap: Francesco Bagnaia 2m 1.892s (2023)  
Fastest race lap: Alex Rins 2m 3.126s (2023) 

New rubber propels Maverick Vinales to the top sport in opening practice for the 2024 Americas MotoGP at a sunny COTA in Austin, Texas.

Sporting a Batman-themed helmet design, the Portimao Sprint winner was competitive throughout as he kept Pramac's world championship leader Jorge Martin at bay by 0.124s.

GASGAS rookie Pedro Acosta, fresh from his first MotoGP podium, also featured on top on the way to third ahead of former event winner Enea Bastianini (Ducati).

Marco Bezzecchi (VR46), Brad Binder (KTM) and Franco Morbidelli (Pramac) followed with COTA king Marc Marquez (Gresini Ducati) in eighth - but don’t be fooled: Like Bastianini, Marquez didn’t fit new tyres at the end.

Younger brother and team-mate Alex Marquez was the only faller this morning, sliding off his Gresini machine in the early stages.

Jack Miller was quickest on several occasions but was the third rider in the top ten - after Bastianini and Marquez - to stick with old rubber and was pushed to ninth.

Reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia likewise remained on the same set of soft front-medium rears throughout for 11th place, with Raul Fernandez putting the home Trackhouse team in 12th.

Defending COTA race winner Alex Rins was the quickest Yamaha in 13th with Luca Marini the fastest Honda in 15th.

The top ten riders in this afternoon’s practice session will receive direct access to Qualifying 2.

The unstable COTA subsoil means there has again been a partial resurfacing ahead of this year’s MotoGP event, with new asphalt at turns 2, 9-11, 12 and 16-19.

• Americas Moto2: Latest Results
• Americas Moto3: Latest Results