MotoGP Preview: Grand Prix of the Americas
- Silvia Cojocaru
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Written by Silvia Cojocaru, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
With a newly crowned championship leader in Marco Bezzecchi and KTM losing ground to Ducati, MotoGP approaches the Grand Prix of the Americas full throttle. Here is all you need to know before the competition stops by the famous Circuit of the Americas once again.
Track layout for the weekend: Circuit of The Americas
Part of the MotoGP calendar since 2013, the Circuit of the Americas – also referred to as COTA – produced some exciting racing over the years. As one of the five circuits on the current calendar that run counterclockwise, this is one of the most unique tracks that MotoGP races on.
Located near Austin, Texas, the track has a length of 5.513 km (3.41 mi) and was designed by Hermann Tilke to include parts of other iconic circuits in its layout, from an Interlagos-inspired chicane and turns reminiscent of those in Silverstone and Bahrain.
Its 20 exciting corners vary from long sweeping chicanes to tight hairpins and fast straights, testing various skills from the riders.
However, some controversy follows the circuit, with some riders raising awareness about the degradation of the track, which may deem it unsafe. One of COTA’s most outspoken critics, Aleix Espargaró, explained:
"I never rode on a track like this. It’s not at the level of MotoGP, not at all. I don’t think we can race here one more year with these conditions, absolutely no way.
"Super-bumpy, especially in many corners, but more or less in the corners, you can handle it. Corner two is a disaster, but if you lose the front, you are at 120, 130km/h, but in the straights, sixth gear, it’s super-difficult to maintain in one straight the throttle open.”
Past results
The Circuit of the Americas has only had four unique winners in the premier class since its addition to the calendar. Reigning world champion Marc Márquez is the dominant force at the track, with seven wins in Texas.
The Spaniard also holds the record for the rider with the most pole positions at a single track, qualifying first in COTA eight times.
Last season’s visit to COTA brought about one of the most chaotic of the year, including a first-time championship leader and a new race winner for 2025. Francesco Bagnaia was able to bounce back after a disappointing start to the year, claiming the win from his teammate, who crashed from the lead. This made Álex Márquez the MotoGP championship leader for the first time in his career.
While the reigning MotoGP champion feels comfortable at the American track, 2025 was not the first time he crashed out of the lead at COTA, with the Spaniard's last win at this track being in 2021.
Still, perhaps the most memorable moment from the American weekend happened right before the Grand Prix, when the unpredictable weather prompted Marc Márquez to hop off his Ducati and run towards the garage to switch to his back-up bike. Other riders were convinced to do the same, causing a 10-minute delay to the race start.
Other memorable fights witnessed at the American track over the years feature Álex Rins’s first Grand Prix win against veteran Valentino Rossi in 2019, and Márquez’s maiden win at the inaugural race in COTA in 2013, when he fought against teammate Dani Pedrosa for the outright spoils.
Key notices
Bezzecchi extended his winning streak in Brazil, becoming just one of five riders to win four consecutive Grand Prix. This also made him the new championship leader, after Pedro Acosta struggled in South America. The Italian might be this season’s early favorite to claim the world title, with the Aprilia bike looking more and more dominant.
Jorge Martín claimed his first Grand Prix podium with the Italian team, moving to second in the standings and just 11 points off of his teammate. With these results, Aprilia is leading the Constructors’ Championship, but Ducati will be hoping to close the gap on their Italian rivals. Last year's Constructors’ and Teams’ Champions moved up to second place after Brazil, 17 points off of Aprilia.
One of Marc Márquez’s favourite tracks, the United States might be the place where the reigning world champion returns to his winning form from 2025. Francesco Bagnaia would hope for a similar redemption, as his Brazilian weekend was cut short, crashing out of the Grand Prix.
Ducati could also look at the likes of Fabio Di Giannantonio, the only Ducati rider to make the Grand Prix podium in Brazil. The Italian qualified on pole and although he gave Marc Márquez the win in the sprint, he had an incredible race on Sunday and defended his third place.
Another team to watch is KTM, a team who struggled to keep up with the field in Brazil despite having a strong start of the season in Thailand. The Austrian team needs to prove that the result was more than just a moment of luck, especially since Acosta seems determined enough to join the fight for the title.
From first-time winners to redemption stories, COTA is sure to bring out some of the most exciting moments of the season.
Will Bagnaia be able to recreate last year’s comeback? Will Bezzecchi claim his fifth consecutive win of the season? Find out the answers to these questions and prepare for Texas to bring out the chaos once again! Tune in to the United States Grand Prix on the 26th of March at 21.00 GMT!
Comments