Marc Marquez takes first front row in 441 days 03.10.2021: Grand Prix of the Americas MotoGP 2021 Round 15 Another milestone for Marc Marquez on his return from injury as he secured third on the grid, his first front row of the season. Pol Espargaro faces an uphill battle from 12th on Sunday.

Grand Prix of the Americas
MotoGP 2021   Round 15




Another milestone for Marc Marquez on his return from injury as he secured third on the grid, his first front row of the season. Pol Espargaro faces an uphill battle from 12th on Sunday.


Both Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro achieved their targets during the first of the Saturday sessions, the pair advancing into Q2 directly with fourth and seventh places respectively in Free Practice 3.



After leading the way in both Friday sessions, eyes were on Marc Marquez to see what he could produce on Saturday at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas. With a steady FP3 under his belt, the six-time COTA winner used Free Practice 4 to refine his setting for the race and make a final assessment of the bumps before Q2. Marquez’s first run produced a 2’03.209 – moving him to the provisional top of the timesheets. This would stand as his best time of the session as Marquez’s second run was compromised by traffic.




441 days since his last front row, at the 2020 Spanish GP, Marc Marquez returns with a third-place position on the grid. Tomorrow’s 20-lap Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas is set to be a long and physically demanding affair but the #93 is feeling confident with his race pace.



Saturday in Texas was a complicated day for Pol Espargaro. Espargaro suffered a fall at Turn 12 during Free Practice 4, but walked away unharmed and returned to the garage before rejoining on his second Repsol Honda Team RC213V. In Q2, the #44 set a 2’03.875 to take 12th on the grid – his fastest lap of the weekend so far.



Left to rue a timing miscalculation, Espargaro was unable to fully capitalize on his second tyre of Qualifying and is ready to grit his teeth through what is set to be a long and demanding Americas GP.


The 20-lap race will start at 14:00 Local Time on Sunday, October 3. Forecasts are predicting another hot day under the Texas sun.   
    
       


    
Marc Marquez  93
3RD  2'03.209


“I am really happy with this front row because Qualifying has been one of my weak points this season. With the first tyre I felt OK and with the second tyre I found some traffic and I was on top of the time sheets so there was not much reason to push a lot.



It’s my first front row of the season, which is strange to say but that’s how it is! With the used tyre I feel better than on the new tyre, our race pace is quite good. We will try to make another step in Warm Up and continue this direction.”         

    
       



    
Pol Espargaro  44
12TH  2'03.875


“Our first run in Qualifying wasn’t too bad, I was just assessing the bike after our crash and the feeling was there. In the second run, I misjudged the time I had left and I was in a group with Jack and Marc so didn’t have a chance to push with the last tyre.


I missed my chance in Qualifying unfortunately. We still have a bit of feeling to find on the front end of the bike but this was not the limit in Qualifying. It’s going to be a very long and very physical race tomorrow, all we can do is put our head down and make the most of what happens. Turn 1 will also be a critical point.”         

    
       
    


Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas Qualifying Results



1    BAGNAIA Francesco     63    ITA    Ducati Lenovo Team    Ducati    2'02.781
2    QUARTARARO Fabio     20    FRA    Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP    Yamaha    0.348
3    MARQUEZ Marc     93    SPA    Repsol Honda Team    Honda    0.428
4    MARTIN Jorge     89    SPA    Pramac Racing    Ducati    0.497
5    NAKAGAMI Takaaki     30    JPN    LCR Honda    Honda    0.511
6    ZARCO Johann     5    FRA    Pramac Racing    Ducati    0.598
7    RINS Alex     42    SPA    Team Suzuki Ecstar    Suzuki    0.672
8    MIR Joan     36    SPA    Team Suzuki Ecstar    Suzuki    0.747
9    MARINI Luca     10    ITA    SKY VR46 Avintia    Ducati    0.765
10    MILLER Jack     43    AUS    Ducati Lenovo Team    Ducati    0.939
11    BINDER Brad     33    RSA    Red Bull KTM Factory Racing    KTM    1.000
12    ESPARGARO Pol     44    SPA    Repsol Honda Team    Honda    1.094
13    MORBIDELLI Franco     21    ITA    Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP    Yamaha    0.462 Q1
14    DOVIZIOSO Andrea     4    ITA    Petronas Yamaha SRT    Yamaha    0.634
15    MARQUEZ Alex     73    SPA    LCR Honda    Honda    0.690
16    BASTIANINI Enea     23    ITA    Avintia Esponsorama    Ducati    0.708
17    LECUONA Iker     27    SPA    Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing    KTM    0.914
18    OLIVEIRA Miguel     88    POR    Red Bull KTM Factory Racing    KTM    0.982
19    ESPARGARO Aleix     41    SPA    Aprilia Racing Team Gresini    Aprilia    1.009
20    ROSSI Valentino     46    ITA    Petronas Yamaha SRT    Yamaha    1.289
21    PETRUCCI Danilo     9    ITA    Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing    KTM    1.419
    

    


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