Jack Miller dominated MotoGP’s FP3 on Saturday at Austin as the Ducati Lenovo rider topped the times with an impressive 2’02.923 lap.
Takaaki Nakagami showcased session-long confidence on his way to second overall with 2019 winner Alex Rins completing the top three from Friday hero Marc Marquez.
Free practice three fired up under a cloud of criticism after the MotoGP pack all voiced their concerns of the COTA circuit’s suitability for safe racing throughout Friday evening. Aleix Espargaro stating if it was down to him, they would not be racing on Sunday, with numerous others condemning the mix of new and old surfaces plus the ever increasing bumps as everything from difficult and challenging to outright dangerous.
Nakagami sat at the head of the standings as the action began, the LCR man heading Iker Lecuona before Fabio Quartararo raised the pace with a 2’06.069. The Japanese rider returned the shot with a 2’04.918 next time around with Marc Marquez slotting in behind. The Hondas sitting half a second clear of the field after the opening three laps.
The Catalan came within six-tenths of his Friday fastest as the session continued, Quartararo and Joan Mir dicing for third and fourth with the Espargaro brothers running fifth and sixth behind - the HRC machine outpacing the Aprilia by joy over a tenth.
The Ducatis began to wind up after 10 minutes on track, Johann Zarco leading Miller into sixth and seventh before Miguel Oliveira arrived to demote the pair. Nakagami once again taking charge at the top.
Mir advanced to second as the session reached middle distance, only four riders so far running 2’04 pace with Zarco up to fifth. Rins sat eighth with 20 minutes to go, Miller and Espargaro completing the top 10 but the Aprilia man’s best effort still shy of the Q2 promotion zone overall.
Nakagami sent in an early time attack, already utilising new soft Michelin tyres soon his way to a 2’03.739 lap. His teammate Alex Marquez simultaneously suffering a slow speed crash at turn one.
Oliveira was the next to strike, finding second with a 2’04.652, to sit almost one-second adrift in the session and sixth overall in the combined times before Miller arrived. The Ducati hitting the top thanks to a 2’03.5 while his race-winning teammate circulated in 17th.
The factory Yamaha’s were on a charge with 12 minutes remaining. Quartararo sliding back into third with Franky Morbidelli entering the top 10, in eighth - albeit three-tenths away from promotion overall.
Rins had found his rhythm as he rode to fourth, Mir sitting eight with Zarco, Oliveira and Marquez splitting the Suzukis and seven minutes left on the clock. Espargaro crashing his Aprilia at turn 12 on an out-lap next time around.
Mir improved alongside his teammate on his next attempt, as the Respol Hondas rolled out of pitlane for their final strikes. Pol Espargaro climbed to fifth with his first attempt, Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia the only riders in the combined top 10 yet to have improved on their Friday times so far. The eight-time champion wound up as the clock counted down, finding third with a 2’03.8, Zarco and Quartararo achingly close as they trailed in fourth and fifth with Bagnaia finally joining the party in the final minute, to seventh.
Morbidelli sat as the gateway to Q2 with 30 seconds remaining, Miller storming the standings with a blistering 2’02.923 as Jorge Martin and Enea Bastianini demoted the Italian out of promotion. Mir suffered the same fate with Bastianini doing likewise as late charges from KTM’s Brad Binder and Oliveira claimed eighth and 11th respectively. Valentino Rossi and Andrea Dovizioso completed FP3 in 15th and 17th - Lecuona sandwiched between the Petronas pair - with Marquez, Espargaro, Luca Marini and Danilo Petrucci completing the standings after the VR46 rider suffered a high speed late crash.
