ROUND 3 / MARCH 28-30, 2025
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS / AUSTIN, TEXAS
ROAD RACE I FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
P86
incredibly ran off the grid two
minutes before the warmup
lap to switch to his bike in pit
lane with slicks fitted. Nine
other riders, including front-row
starters Fabio Di Giannantonio
(VR46 Ducati) and Alex Marquez
(Gresini Ducati), followed him,
even if they weren't entirely sure
what was going on. With the pit
lane and wall swamped with
people, race direction couldn't
entertain a situation with racing
bikes jostling by. The start was
delayed by 10 minutes.
Incredibly, Marquez made no
The chaotic situation arose
from showers that left much
of the 20-turn Circuit of the
Americas wet as the MotoGP
field began its sighting lap, 25
minutes before the scheduled
start. The need for wet tires
was underlined by a crash for
Fabio Quartararo (Monster
Energy Yamaha), who switched
to slicks. Yet as the minutes
ticked by, the track surface
from the grid all the way to turn
one started to dry.
Always so quick to under
-
stand when to move, Marquez
20 FABIO QUARTARARO
6TH / 10TH MOTOGP
Yamaha Fabio Quartararo had a
positive weekend despite falling
during the MotoGP sighting lap. "I
don't understand why I crashed on
the sighting lap," he said. "I was
basically upright, the tarmac looked
quite dry, and I wasn't even pushing,
but I lost the front—it was a strange
crash. It was my first crash of the
year and the first one in a long time.
I then went to the starting grid. I was
on rain tires during the first starting
grid procedure, and it was a mess.
Then, we had the delayed start. My
first bike was damaged anyway, so
I had to use my second bike, which
had a different chassis and swingarm.
But, overall, we had a great weekend,
especially the Sprint, and hopefully,
we'll have better luck at the next one."
MYOWNRACE
Bagnaia (63) had to hold off
runner-up Alex Marquez.
Alex Marquez (73) is the new
MotoGP points leader.
