The GP of the Americas of MotoGP started, with Maverick Viñales setting the pace in the first free practice session in Austin. This was a session mainly to work on the bikes and adaptation to the track, since the times do not count for anything. Miguel Oliveira was 17th.
The leader after the first flying laps was Maverick Viñales (Aprilia), ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GasGas Tech3/KTM) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha). Viñales solidified his position, being chased by Acosta… before he lost several positions by not improving on the third flying lap. There, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) became second on the timesheets, with Jorge Martín (Prima Pramac/Ducati) in third.
No one could distance Viñales from the lead, but Red Bull KTM was close, with Jack Miller moving up to second and Brad Binder to third, both less than a tenth of a second behind the Spaniard. With about 20 minutes left until the checkered flag, there was finally a change in the lead. Marc Márquez (Gresini/Ducati), competing at one of his favorite circuits, beat Viñales by 0.076s. However, nearly half of the session was still remaining.
And the lead of the six-time premier class champion lasted only a short time, being beaten minutes later. Martín took the lead on the timesheets, with Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team/Ducati) moving up to second and Viñales to third. With 12 minutes left until the end, Miller set the fastest time up to that point. Shortly after, Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac/Ducati) and Raúl Fernández (Trackhouse Racing/Aprilia) also surpassed Martín, to finish in second and third respectively.
New change at the front six minutes from the checkered flag: Acosta took the lead and shortly after, Marc Márquez became the second place. With less than three minutes left, Viñales returned to the top, being 0.425s faster than Acosta.
Until the end, no one else surpassed Viñales, but Martín moved to second and finished 0.149s behind. Acosta finished in third, with Enea Bastianini (Ducati) in fourth. Bezzecchi completed the top five ahead of Binder. Marc Márquez finished eighth and Bagnaia could only manage 11th. As for Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing/Aprilia), the Portuguese rider settled for the last positions, with the 17th time.
