MotoGP Live Ticker Austin: Marc Marquez with heavy crash in FT1

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In the end, Acosta snatches the best time from Di Giannantonio and corrects it to 2:01.715 minutes. Martin finishes third – he is the only driver in the top 5 who did not put on fresh tires in the final phase. Marc Marquez improves to fourth place. Fernandez takes fifth place.

Alex Marquez, Marini, Ogura, Bezzecchi and Morbidelli round out the top 10. Bagnaia finishes eleventh. 13 drivers are within one second.

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The last ten minutes have begun. Some drivers have put on fresh tires. Raul Fernandez improves and takes the lead, but is immediately pushed back by Diggia. He is the first driver under 2:02 minutes. Marc Marquez is also back on track.

Bagnaia marks a new best time with 2:02.546 minutes. Overall, the gaps remain tight. The top 5 are separated by only 0.162 seconds, the top 10 by half a second.

In the MotoGP stream, Davide Tardozzi from Ducati gives an update: The Spaniard is doing well so far. He has abrasions on his right arm and left hand that are painful, but no fractures.

Marc Marquez has not yet returned to the track after his crash. MotoGP doctor Angel Charte was seen in the box and will have examined the Spaniard. Meanwhile, Marquez’s second bike is being prepared. It’s quite possible that he will go out again in the last 20 minutes. In the standings, he has dropped to 20th place.

Aprilia is also mixing it up at the front on this track: Currently, three riders from the brand are in the top 5. Acosta continues to lead ahead of Diggia, behind him Ogura is the new third ahead of Bezzecchi and Martin. Only 0.164 seconds separate the top five.

The session continues. Just over half an hour is left on the clock. The order: Acosta, Di Giannantonio, Bagnaia, Bezzecchi, Alex Marquez, Fernandez, Bastianini, Morbidelli, Binder, Martin. Marquez is in 13th place.

The first crash in this session is reported – and it’s Marc Marquez. He is in the gravel at turn 10, his bike appears to have flown into the airfence. The replay shows: He slipped over the crest at the turn entrance and crashed into the gravel at high speed.

The good news: Marquez can get up. Because the track limits need to be repaired, the session is initially interrupted.

The first ten minutes of this training session are complete and Pedro Acosta is leading with a provisional best time of 2:02.595 minutes. Fabio Di Giannantonio and Francesco Bagnaia follow behind. It is sunny and dry in Austin. Most drivers are using soft front and medium rear tires.

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Jorge Martin arrives at the MotoGP weekend in Austin with injuries. After the Brazil race, the Aprilia pilot felt pain and expects a physically demanding weekend on the challenging Circuit of the Americas: “I’m not at 100 percent yet. I could have fitness problems here.”

The focus is therefore initially on arrival rather than attack: save energy, finish the race and “bring the bike home”. However, Martin does not rule out a top result: “If I can fight for the win, I will, but it will be difficult.”

Maverick Vinales is also still struggling with his injured left shoulder. He wants to see how he gets on in today’s training and how strong the pain is. An early exit is not ruled out.

In Moto2, Celestino Vietti starts this training Friday as the leader. He marks a new track record with 2:06.724 minutes. The old best time has been beaten by several riders, including Vietti’s direct pursuers David Alonso and Tony Arbolino. The top 3 are only 0.134 seconds apart.

Senna Agius finishes the session as fourth, followed by IntactGP teammate Manuel Gonzalez. Overall, twelve riders are within one second.

– to the result

The first best time in Moto3 goes to Alvaro Carpe, who tops FT1 in 2:14.209 minutes. Maximo Quiles finishes second two tenths behind. Joel Esteban, who crashes late, takes third place. Behind him are Guido Pini, also with a late crash, and Marco Morelli. The top 5 are separated by 0.630 seconds. Other crash pilots in the training are Adrian Fernandez (P6) and Hakim Danish (P20).

– to the result

The first free practice of the Bagger World Cup is complete. Archie McDonald sets the first best time with 2:13.705 minutes ahead of Oscar Gutierrez and Cody Wyman, who already has 1.879 seconds gap to the top. Filipp Rovelli and Jake Lewis complete the top 5. The session was not broadcast in the official stream.

Marc Marquez was often the great dominator in Austin in the past. He won seven times, crashed three times while leading. But other stars also have their favorite tracks: Valentino Rossi dominated Assen, Casey Stoner regularly shone on Phillip Island. Who has celebrated the most wins on which tracks so far, we have summarized in our photo gallery.

Photo gallery: MotoGP track kings: Who has the most wins where?

Aprilia made a clear statement at the start of the 2026 season. Four podium finishes in the first two races and most recently the fourth consecutive win for Marco Bezzecchi speak a clear language. ServusTV expert Gustl Auinger is impressed – and at the same time cautious: “That Aprilia is in a strong development phase was clear. But this dominance is surprising. It would be too early to call a change of power.”

While Aprilia shines, Ducati remains under pressure – and Marc Marquez remains a central factor in the title fight. Auinger recognizes a new maturity in the Spaniard: “He approaches things more thoughtfully, knows his limits better.” Consistency instead of risk could pay off, even though Marquez is still considered one of the top favorites according to experts.

For the upcoming race in Austin, Auinger nevertheless sees a clear benchmark: “The win leads through Marquez.” Seven wins on the Circuit of the Americas underline his dominance, even though crashes and setbacks in the past have repeatedly caused breaks in the series. The key will be whether he can use his strength in the left-hand corners – especially since Aprilia has now set new standards in top speed.

After MotoE was discontinued last year with the end of the 2025 season, a new support series celebrates its premiere in Austin: the Bagger World Cup, sponsored by Harley-Davidson. Six events in the USA and Europe, held as part of selected MotoGP weekends, are planned. There are nine participants. You can find all the important information about the new racing series here.

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