Reigning World Champion Marc Marquez, widely regarding as the “King of C.O.T.A.” due his impressive results in Texas since his debut in the top class, had another impressive showing at the venue just outside of Austin. In the morning, he had a crash at almost two hundred kph at the crest of a hill, tumbling through the gravel run off and taking no further part in the opening session.
In the afternoon’s windy and blisteringly hot conditions, it took Marquez seven laps to actually set a lap time, given that racers were falling on every lap early in the frame. Eventually, Marquez got down to a strong lap on used, medium compound Michelin slicks. At 2:00.927.
This performance beat the standing record of 2:01.39 set by former World Champ Jorge Martin on a Ducati in 2024. The race record is a lap of 2:00.86 set by race winner Maverick Vinales on Aprilia in 2024. After showing well in practice session one aboard a KTM today, Vinales withdrew from the weekend due to ongoing issues with a much-repaired shoulder.
One of the afternoon fallers was Trackhouse Aprilia rising star Ai Ogura, briefly on top of the timing screens and winding up a strong second with a tour at 2:00.98, the only other ace in the two-minute bracket.
Last weekend’s Round Two Brazil third place finisher Fabio Di Giannanto place third with a 2:01.14 on the Rossi squad’s Pertamina factory Ducati V-four Desmo. Recent pace setter Marco Bezzecchi was fourth for Aprilia, while Alex Marquez made his first appearance near the front of the pack with a fifth best lap of 2:01.21 with the lead Gresini Ducati.
The top racers from today’s session have earned a spot in tomorrow’s Qualifying One Session, while the rest of the group must move through the final 45-minute Free Practice at 10:10 local time. Final Q takes place at 11:15 am, and the ten lap Tissot Sprint race is slated for 3:00pm Saturday afternoon.
Fastest at one point was Marquez’ team-mate Pecco Bagnaia, the former World Champion who has struggled to match the pace of his new-for-2025 team-mate in the last nine months. But Bagnaia netted eight, and a direct transfer to tomorrow’s main session.
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