Alex Rins (center) flanked by Valentino Rossi (left) and Jack Miller (right). Photo : John Feinberg ( The Checkered Flag )

MotoGP: COTA’s previously-undefeated king, Marc Marquez, has lost his throne as Alex Rins (42, Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) took home the checkered flag today at the Circuit of the Americas to score his first-ever MotoGP win.


Photo : John Feinberg ( The Checkered Flag )

Marquez (93, Repsol Honda Team) was, at times, between four and six seconds ahead of his competition behind him; Valentino Rossi (46, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). Based on the fast qualifying times set on the damp track, it was expected Rossi could have taken the lead and beat out Marquez today. During midway of the race, Marquez took a spill at T12 which caused him to retire.




Alex Rins nearing the end of the MotoGP race. Photo : John Feinberg ( The Checkered Flag )

The motorbike engines were drowned out with cheers from the packed stands as Rossi fans yelled for him to take the trophy home following the Marquez crash.


0.462s; that’s all that Rins had against Rossi across the line after overtaking him on lap 17. It was either of their race, but Rins was determined to win especially since it would mean it would be the first win for Suzuki since 2016 at Silverstone.

Jack Miller (43, Pramac Racing) took third, making his first podium visit also since 2016, but at Assen. He was nearly nine seconds (+8.454) behind Rins.


Moto3

#44 Aron Canet of Sterilgarda Max Racing Team takes the win for Moto3 after starting in 6th. Photo : John Feinberg ( The Checkered Flag )


Moto3 saw a relatively large upset of their starting grid as none of the top-three starters finished with a podium spot. Aron Canet (44, Sterilgarda Max Power Team) took the checkered flag after starting in 6th, Second place, Jaume Masia (5, Bester Capital Dubai) had started in fourth, with the third place-finisher Andrea Migno (16, Bester Capital Dubai) starting at a staggering 13th.


Masia fell behind Canet by less than 1 second, with Migno coming at just over a second gap, showing that those top three really faught for that top spot until the very end.



Maisa now holds 45 points with Canet to lead the Moto3 World Standing. Canet’s win also meant that his team, Sterilgarda Max Power Team, saw its first win.






Moto2



#23, Marcel Schrötter of Dynavolt Intact GP came in 2nd behind teammate #25 Thomas Luthi. Photo : John Feinberg ( The Checkered Flag )


Moto2 saw a repeat performance of their practices, with teammates Marcel Schrötter (23, Dynavolt Intact Racing) and Thomas Luthi (25) taking second and first, respectively. Schrötter was starting on pole but, as many Moto2 riders, didn’t fully prepare for a best braking line with so many other riders on the first turn during the race compared to a more spread field in practice.

Alex Marquez (73, EG 0,0 Marc VDS) fell from his second-place starting point down to finishing fifth, but not without giving a fight. Him and Luthi were battling for some time for Luthi to get that second place spot and held it for nearly half the race.


Some additional shots.