Andrea Iannone pulled out a last-minute surprise, the Ecstar Suzuki rider sneaked ahead of the dominant Marc Marquez by less than six hundredths of a second to set fastest time on a slow day at the Circuit of the Americas.
With bad weather confidently forecast for tomorrow, today’s times are likely to determine the top ten to go straight into Q2 tomorrow, and there was one surprise here too … with a troubled Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha) languishing in 13th, after an oil leak then braking issues cost him crucial set-up time in the morning.
Significantly, Repsol Honda-mounted Marquez – who has won all five races so far at the circuit outside Austin, all from pole – had been fastest in the morning and most of the afternoon, all without bothering to fit soft tyres for a final blitz run.
Marquez also came back from an innocuous crash, losing the front on one of the slower corners on the long and complicated Texan circuit.
Third-fastest went to an apparently revived Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha) within a tenth of a second, and strong also in the morning.
Team-mate Valentino Rossi also came good at the end of the session, placing fourth, ahead of Argentine winner Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) and second Suzuki rider Alex Rins.
Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati) was seventh, one place ahead of team-mate Andrea Dovizioso. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) completed the top ten.
It was a heroic performance by Pedrosa, who suffered a broken right wrist 12 days ago in the Argentine GP
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- Rossi, MotoGP, Grand Prix of the Americas, 2018.
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- Marquez, MotoGP, Grand Prix of the Americas, 2018.
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- Iannone, MotoGP, Grand Prix of the Americas, 2018.
Moto2
Moto2 looked like a KTM benefit, until Alex Marquez (VDS Kalex) pushed into second behind Red Bull KTM’s Miguel Oliveira in the closing stages … only to be demoted to third by Sam Lowes (SII KTM) at the last gasp.
Times were close, with 19 within one second of Oliveira.
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) was fourth, then impressive rookie Joan Mir (VDS Kalex), the reigning Moto3 champion ahead of Isaac Vinales’s Kalex.
Argentine GP star Iker Lecuona (KTM) was seventh, ahead of mid-class returnee Hector Barbera (Kalex), with Argentine GP winner Mattia Pasini (Kalex) ninth.
Remy Gardner was placed 23rd, escaping unhurt from a high-speed crash on the Tech 3.
Moto3
Jorge Martin came through in the closing moments to tip fellow Honda rider Aron Canet off the top of the Moto3 time-sheets; with a third Honda next up, ridden by Fabio di Giannantonio.
Argentine GP winner Marco Bezzecchi was top KTM, placed third, ahead of two more of the dominant Hondas, ridden by Lorenzo Dalla Porta and Enea Bastianini.
The top ten were within one second, but times on the slippery track slow – almost three seconds off the circuit best.