MotoGP of the Americas, Austin – Sprint Race Results

• COTA Sprint race: New MotoGP world championship standings

Francesco Bagnaia wins the Saturday Sprint race at the 2023 Americas MotoGP in Austin, Texas.

Ducati’s reigning champion fended off a fierce early challenge from Alex Rins before managing his advantage for a second Sprint victory of the season.

Rins ran wide on lap 2 but fought back to confidently retake second from Aleix Espargaro, handing LCR its first MotoGP podium since Cal Crutchlow in 2019.

Espargaro later fell victim to Jorge Martin but the Aprilia star, enjoying his best COTA race, wasn’t giving up and stuck with the sick Pramac Ducati rider before pouncing for the final podium place at the penultimate turn.

But Espargaro ran wide on the exit, allowing Martin to cut back under and claim a hard earned third.

Fabio Quartararo held an early fourth but was pushed back to sixth by the halfway stage, when he lost the front of his Yamaha and fell at Turn 1. Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez also ed out of the lead group, in the closing stages.

Termas sprint winner Brad Binder collected fifth for KTM ahead of Argentine Sunday winner Marco Bezzecchi. The VR46 Ducati rider dropped from fifth to eleventh on the opening lap before salving sixth place to at least retain the title lead.

Front row starter Luca Marini and eighth on the grid Maverick Vinales also suffered miserable opening laps on their way to seventh and tenth respectively.

Bagnaia is the first repeat winner of the new MotoGP Sprint races, which offer 12 rather than the usual 25 points for a victory.

All riders used the hard front and soft rear tyre options, during what were the hottest temperatures of the weekend so far.

• Latest Moto3 results from COTA
• Latest Moto2 results from COTA

While Miguel Oliveira and Joan Mir are returning to action this weekend, three riders remain absent due to injuries at last month’s Portimao season opener:

Pol Espargaro is being replaced at Tech3 by KTM test rider Jonas Folger, last year’s COTA winner Enea Bastianini is being replaced by Ducati test rider Michele Pirro and Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez is being replaced by HRC test rider Stefan Bradl.

Marquez has won seven of the previous COTA races, his only defeats coming in 2019 (when he fell from the lead, with Alex Rins taking victory) and 2021 (when he fought from last to sixth after a technical issue at the start).

The MotoGP Court of Appeal is yet to decide if Marquez’s double long-lap penalty will be carried over from Argentina to his next event.