Gresini Racing’s Enea Bastianini claimed his second victory in MotoGP after a late-race masterclass at the Circuit of the Americas.
Ducati Lenovo’s Jack Miller settling for the last place on the Texas podium having led for the majority of the 20-lap race with Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins bettering the Australian at the penultimate corner.
The premier class lined up for the 500th Grand Prix of #RacingTogether as the FIM, IRTA, the MSMA and Dorna celebrated a partnership spanning three decades. Pramac’s Jorge Martin held pole for his fourth front row start of the season at COTA as Ducati dominated the first five places on the AmericasGP grid.
Lights out saw Martin in charge from Miller and pecco Bagnaia as Bastianini jumped to fourth. The Gresini rider briefly getting the better of the factory Ducati until Bagnaia hit back to rescue third. Marc Marquez suffering a disastrous start as the pack roared past, the Spaniard falling down the field from ninth to 22nd by the first corner.
Fabio Quartararo took fellow Frenchman Johann Zarco for fifth as the action ignited. Bastianini returning to the final podium position at the close of the final lap while Marquez jumped an impressive seven places and Miller took charge out front.
The leading Yamaha began to fade as Quartararo was dispatched by Zarco with the Suzukis of Alex Rins and Joan Mir advancing fast. Marco Bezzecchi retiring the Mooney VR46 Ducati to the side of the track as the black and orange flag was raised after an early fall.
Marquez was into the points and showing front running pace as he sliced his way back through the pack. The Repsol rider sitting 14th by the end of lap four as Zarco looked to challenge Bagnaia for fourth. The move stuck as the next lap began, Bastianini now half a second ahead of the second Pramac with the podium in sight.
Quartararo was going backwards as Rins advanced for sixth. The Espargaro brothers on the edge of the top ten with the Aprilia in the hotseat, as Marquez continued his climb. The LCR of Takaaki Nakagami and the KTM of Brad Binder already dispatched as he joined his teammate quickly. His younger brother crashing out on the second LCR as turn 11 claimed the spaniard’s third fall of the weekend.
Mir bettered the reigning champion for position next time round, as Quartararo fell into the clutches of Aleix Espargaro. Rins doing likewise on Bagnaia out front as he began to pick off the Ducati’s, his first challenge on Zarco failing before he looked to regroup. Andrea Dovizoso the next best Yamaha, down in 16th.
Marquez was into the top ten as he advanced on his teammate, a second separating him from the Aprilia ahead as Binder followed him through on the Red Bull RC-16. Just five seconds covering the top nine riders after eight laps of the 5.5km layout complete.
Rins finally made the move stick on the Pramac through turn 11. The Suzuki desperately defending from the Ducati power as he secured the advantage and switched his focus to Bastianini ahead. The first strike came almost immediately but the Gresini man hit back. Marquez finally getting through on the previous world championship leader as the standings switched in the process. Bastianini taking charge of the series overall as Espargaro dropped to tenth.
Miller’s lead extended to seven-tenths as Bastianini and Rins battled on the wheels of Martin. The pair both quickly through on the Pramac as Marquez set the fastest pace on track.
A three-rider battle developed just behind as Bagnaia, Mir and Zarco bickered for asphalt with Quartararo attempting to join the fight from eighth. The Suzuki’s late race pace once again benefiting the 2020 Champion as Mir promoted himself to fifth with eighth laps to go.
Marquez set a new best race lap on 2’03.553 pace as he advanced further to seventh, the Repsol rider rueing what could have been as he looked to salvage the best result possible at his favourite track.
Another rider on the attack was Bastianini as his pace too improved. The Qatar winner running just a fraction faster than the eight-time champ with five laps to go as he began to reel in the factory Desmosedici ahead. Miller’s time looked to be up as the Italian decided when best to pounce, the move coming at turn 12 before Bastianini immediately put the hammer down, half a second the gap as the next lap began.
Marquez swept through on Martin for sixth with Quartararo following moments later. 1.4s splitting him from Bagnaia ahead as the race counted down.
Binder battled Maverick Vinales and Espargaro on the edge of the top ten as the trio repeatedly swapped positions, his younger brother heading for the pits with an issue on the WithU Yamaha.
Miller’s victory hopes disappeared as Bastianini checked out with Rins a threatening three-tenths behind in the final podium position. Quartararo and Marquez battling repeatedly for sixth on the penultimate lap as Franky Morbidelli advanced for the final championship point on the second Monster Energy M1.
Rins briefly took second with his favourite turn 11 move before the Ducati struck back. Bastianini meeting the flag for his second victory of 2022 before a penultimate corner move gifted Rins the spoils, for the Japanese manufacturer’s 500th Grand Prix podium, as Miller settled for third at the line.
Mir claimed fourth from Bagnaia with Marquez winning the fight against Quartararo in the closing stages. Team efforts seeing Martin head Zarco while Viñales bettered Espargaro on the edge of the top ten. Binder brought the KTM home in 12th from the Hondas of Pol Espargaro and Nakagami with Morbidelli completing the points finishers. Dovizoso, Luca Marini and Miguel Oliveira heading the rookie talent of Raul Fernandez, Remy Gardner, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Darryn Binder from the back of the pack.
