After a week full of preparation at ‘The Ranch’ of former MotoGP legend’s, Colin Edwards, or joining in at a spot of line dancing in a well-known spot in Texas, the MotoGP class took to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas for Free Practice 1 ahead of the third round of the 2017 season.
Will Marquez’ domination continue in Texas?
The American track has been dominated in the past by Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez who has claimed pole position and the win every year since the track was added to the calendar in 2013. The track clearly holds a special part in the 2016 MotoGP Champion’s hear as it is the home of the Spaniard’s first ever MotoGP victory in his rookie year that he went on to win the championship in.
All eyes were on him as they took to the humid track where it was overcast in parts. Rain had threatened during Moto3 Free Practice 1 but had held off. The 3.43 miles (5.5km) track is laid over an elevation change of 2 metres, made up of many twists and turns that vary from tight and testing, to long and sweeping, and the main straight measures 1.2km long; there are plenty of run off areas.
Marquez regains reign at the top
The riders were keen to get out on track and began battling I out for the top spot immediately. After the Ducati riders, Loris Baz (Reale Avintia Racing) and Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing) initially possessed the quickest times they were soon replaced by Honda and Yamaha machinery.
Marquez was keen to get a good start, probably in an effort to try and make up for a disappointing and abrupt end to the Argentina GP where he crashed out of the lead. He was being chased by Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) on track whoever who was able to lap quicker although he didn’t look as neat and tidy as the Spaniard. Marquez then was seen pulling to the side as they began the next lap and waved to Crutchlow in frustration as he passed as he clearly didn’t; want to be followed by the fellow Honda rider.
Vinales pushes Marquez aside on the leaderboard
Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) briefly knocked Crutchlow off the top spot before Maverick Vinales, who has won the opening rounds on his new Movistar Yamaha (the first rider to win the two opening races of the season on a Yamaha since legend Wayne Rainey). Marquez soon found his rhythm and was the first to lap under 2:06 minutes setting a time of 2:05.535 after just over 12 minutes of the session had begun.
Marquez currently holds the record in Texas with a time of 2:02.135 with his time that secured him pole position in 2015. His Circuit Lap Record, set during the race in 2014 is 2:03.575. It meant that although he was back on top, there was still some way to go to match the past results; would it be possible with the new Michelin tyres that they are spending their second year in Texas with?
Crutchlow crashes out
A few moments later, Crutchlow had the first incident of the session as he came off at turn six of the track within the first 15 minutes. He appeared unhurt and was able to get the bike bump-started and returned to the pits for it to be checked over.
Lorenzo looks unhappy on the Ducati
Jorge Lorenzo caused a whole influx of change in the paddock when he chose to move to Ducati for the 2017 season. After settling quickly on the 2016 evolution of the Desmosedici GP16, many felt he was one to fear as he began his new venture. However since switching to the 2017 evolution he has appeared to struggle, or looked less settled.
He crashed at the first corner of the Argentinian GP, and on-board footage highlighted his frustration as he screamed at the bike and pushed it over again in the gravel. He appeared frustrated again at the start of the first Free Practice session in Texas as he was seen shaking his head when seeing his lap times which saw him placed outside the top 10.
Iannone seen testing new fairing
For Andrea Iannone, who has moved to the Team Suzuki Ecstar camp, his time in Texas began with test of the new fairing on the GSX-RR. Since wings were banned in 2016, time has been spent working on alternative aerodynamics on the bikes. Iannone was a keen user of the winglets on his Ducati, but has adapt to riding without.
He was spotted on track with a fairing that integrated the wings in the fairing; it is slightly wider than the usual fairings and contains gaps with aerofoil vents that they would hope would keep the front end down and distort the drag behind him so riders chasing him couldn’t get a tow when sat in his slipstream.
Vinales takes over at the top
Whilst following Pol Espargaro aboard the new Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machinery, which is completing the teams’ debut year after first competed in the final round in Valencia 2016, Vinales was able to use the slipstream of the Spaniard to help him to claim the top spot with just over a third of the session left to go. He completed a time of 2:05.462 which was over a second improvement on his own time, and then on the following lap he was able to further improve with an empty track ahead of him.
He became the first rider to break through the 2:05 minute barrier with his time of 2:04.923 which was 0.539 seconds quicker than that of Marquez. Was this a sign of things to come? Was Vinales going to break the Spaniard’s domination in America?
Close call for Pol Espargaro
Pol Espargaro had a near miss as he approached turn 12 with just over 10 minutes of the opening session remaining. As he pulled the break on the approach to turn 12, the rear of the KTM lifted and flicked almost throwing him off the bike. He was able to rescue it however, and after easing off the front brake, he was able to guide the bike into the long run off area, before recovering and making his way back onto the track. Things weren’t as intense on the next lap but he still appeared to be wrestling with the KTM... a bit like a rodeo bull!
Riders end the opening session on soft tyres
The remainder of the session continued without error as although some riders were able to improve further there were no real significant changes on the timesheets. Just two minutes remained when Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) was able to make his way up to sixth however he was still almost 1.4 seconds slower than his teammate Vinales who remained on top. With a soft rear tyre, Lorezo was finally able to make a leap up to fifth on the leaderboards with just under one minute to go; although it may have helped to reassure the Spaniard, the soft tyre meant that the result could have been an anomaly.
Vinales quickest at the end of Free Practice 1 in COTA
The flag went out to end the session and Rossi was the first to cross the line; he was unable to improve. Vinales remained the quickest at the end of Free Practice 1 and also remained the only rider to lap under 2:05 minutes. Marquez was second quickest, and making it three manufacturers in the top three, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) was third.
Once again, Johann Zarco looked strong on the Monster Yamaha Tech3 machine finishing fourth quickest. He was initally outshined by his new rookie teammate, Jonas Folger, who appeared to be topping the rookie leaderboard during the tests. But since the season got underway, the double Moto2 champion, and rookie to the MotoGP class, Zarco has been incredibly strong finishing the opening session in fourth.
Alvaro Bautista, who has returned to his former team and former machinery with the Pull & Bear Aspar Ducati Team was fifth quickest, as the second highest placed Ducati as he was able to sneak in a lap at the end that pushed Lorenzo down to sixth on the timesheet. Pedrosa was seventh ahead of Rossi in eighth. Aleix Espargaro, who has made a fantastic start since moving to Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, was ninth and Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) completed the top 10.
Warmer temperatures for Free Practice 2
The riders took to a more humid track for the second Free Practice session of the day, that would count towards Qualifying should the times be better. The clouds had lifted and the sun was shining and the riders opted for mostly medium or hard Michelin Power Slicks as they began their second session on track.
Rins engine explodes on track
Rookie Alex Rins’ bad luck continued on as his Team Suzuki Ecstar GSX-RR engine popped withing minutes of him taking to the track. Smoke poured out of the rear of the exhaust and he pulled off the line knowing immediately that something was up. He quickly exited the track via a cut at the side and returned on his second bike. His troubles continued as he was seen carrying straight on when he missed a corner.
Vinales goes back to the top but Marquez responds
When the lap times started to pour in, Vinales was straight into the 2:06 minutes; on several occasions throughout the session he made mistakes especially at turn 12 but was still fast and strong. He was soon joined by Redding who knocked him down to second as the British rider was able to immediately improve on his time from FP1.
Marquez meant business and within the first ten minutes set the fastest lap so far with a time of 2:04.622. His teammate, Pedrosa also looking strong slipped into second. The increase in track temperature allowing the hard tyres to perform well. Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) shot up to fourth placing three Hondas in the top four momentarily.
Vinales sthen went on to set a personal best time with 23 minutes of the session remaining on medium compound tyres. It was almost a third of a second off Marquez’ time but it led him into a faster first sector on next lap. The Spaniard slippd own to a personal best time in the next two sectors and remained second overall. However, on his next lap, he was able to reclaim the top spot.
He had another strong opening sector, followed by two weaker (but quicker than Marquez’s)sectors. Then he managed to find another 1.5 seconds in the final sector which meant he was able to overall cut 0.171 seconds off Marquez’s time finishing up with a lap of 2:04.451.
Baz and Abraham crash out at COTA
After going straight on at certain areas of the track, Baz crashed at turn one with six minutes of the session remaining. He appeared to brake too much as he approached the first turn and the front end tucked from under him ending the day early.
Moments later, Karel Abraham (Pull & Bear Aspar) came off on the track, and as he and the bike slid down the road, his feet got tangled up with the bike. Previous to re-joining the MotoGP class, he had a leg injury the season before and after the incident appeared reluctant to walk on his leg as if he knew he had done damage. Bike and shrapnel lay in the road that needed to be recovered, and Abraham could only get to the side of the track without assistance.
Final surge at the end of day one for the MotoGP class
The final stages of the second Free Practice session saw a lot of unexpected change on the timesheets as they all pushed to finish in the top 10 in case something occurred between then and Qualifying. Crutchlow shot up to fourth with two minutes remaining but then overshot at turn one; what appears to be his usual trick in sessions like this.
Zarco was also looking strong moving up to fourth as Lorenzo slipped inside the top 10 down in ninth. A strong lap from Rossi saw him lot in in third but then in the final seconds Zarco set an incredible lap and became the lead Yamaha when he topped the timesheets with a time of 2:04.347.
Marquez regains title as fastest in COTA so far
But, determined to continue his domination in America, Marquez spared no expense as he gave it everything on his final lap. Almost losing it, and appearing to save a slide on his right elbow, he was flying and determined. He crossed the line setting a time of 2:04.061, which was 0.286 seconds than that of Zarco, but was enough to secure the top spot at the end of day one.
All riders were able to improve and so when combining the times from the two sessions, the results from Free Practice 2 were the best of the day. That meant that Zarco was second quickest as the lead Yamaha ahead of the factory Yamaha riders, Vinales in third and Rossi in fourth. Pedrosa was fifth ahead of Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) as the lead Ducati in sixth. Crutchlow was seventh ahead of Zarco’s rookie teammate, Folger in eighth. Redding was ninth ahead of Iannone who completed the top 10.
Lorenzo outside the top 10
Lorenzo was just outside the top 10 in 11th on the factory Ducati, ahead of Petrucci in 12th who is also on the 2017 evolution of the Desmosedici. Miller was pushed down to 13th in the end ahead of Aleix Espargaro and Reale Avintia Racing team rider Hector Barbera who was 15th.
The newly engaged Alvaro Bautista (Pull & Bear Aspar Team) was 16th ahead of Tito Rabat (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS), rookie Rins and Baz in 19th. Pol Espargaro was 20th ahead of Abraham who ended up 21st after being unable to continue after his crash. British riders, rookie Sam Lowes (Aprilia Racing Tea Gresini) and Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completed the timesheets at the end of day one.