Austin MotoGP: Marquez controversially beats Vinales to pole
Marc Marquez provisionally continued his unbroken run of MotoGP pole positions at the Circuit of the Americas, but is under investigation for baulking closest rival Maverick Vinales


Marquez predictably led the opening runs at the Austin, Texas track with a best lap of 2m04.134s, giving himself a 0.394s buffer over nearest challenger Valentino Rossi.
But the reigning champion lost the front end of his works Honda at Turn 13 mere moments later, forcing him to get a ride back to the pits to change to his second bike for the final part of the session.
On his out lap for his second run, Marquez blocked Vinales while the Yamaha rider was on a hot lap, touring on the racing line at Turn 15.
Vinales was forced to abandon his lap and gesticulated angrily at Marquez, but regrouped to grab the top spot with a 2m04.064s next time round.
Marquez well and truly obliterated that effort as he lapped in 2m03.658s, 0.406s up on Vinales - but as the session ended, it was announced the incident between the pair was under investigation.
Suzuki rider Andrea Iannone was best of the rest in third, 0.551s off the pace and one thousandth of a second ahead of Tech 3 Yamaha rider Johann Zarco.
The second works Yamaha of Rossi was fifth ahead of the lead Ducati of Jorge Lorenzo.
Points leader Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) was seventh ahead of Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati), an injured Dani Pedrosa (Honda) and Danilo Petrucci, one of two riders to advance from Q1.
Completing the top 12 were Alex Rins (Suzuki) and shock Q1 pacesetter Pol Espargaro.
Provisional starting grid
Pos | Rider | Team | Gap |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Marc Marquez | Honda | 2m03.658s |
2 | Maverick Vinales | Yamaha | 0.406s |
3 | Andrea Iannone | Suzuki | 0.551s |
4 | Johann Zarco | Tech3 Yamaha | 0.552s |
5 | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha | 0.571s |
6 | Jorge Lorenzo | Ducati | 0.636s |
7 | Cal Crutchlow | LCR Honda | 0.798s |
8 | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati | 1.207s |
9 | Dani Pedrosa | Honda | 1.305s |
10 | Danilo Petrucci | Pramac Ducati | 1.400s |
11 | Alex Rins | Suzuki | 1.602s |
12 | Pol Espargaro | KTM | 2.171s |
13 | Takaaki Nakagami | LCR Honda | 1.799s |
14 | Tito Rabat | Avintia Ducati | 2.028s |
15 | Bradley Smith | KTM | 2.103s |
16 | Hafizh Syahrin | Tech3 Yamaha | 2.215s |
17 | Franco Morbidelli | MVDS Honda | 2.285s |
18 | Jack Miller | Pramac Ducati | 2.308s |
19 | Aleix Espargaro | Aprilia | 2.377s |
20 | Thomas Luthi | MVDS Honda | 2.564s |
21 | Alvaro Bautista | Aspar Ducati | 2.638s |
22 | Scott Redding | Aprilia | 2.712s |
23 | Karel Abraham | Aspar Ducati | 2.879s |
24 | Xavier Simeon | Avintia Ducati | 3.068s |

MotoGP Austin: Honda rider Marquez dominates rain-hit FP3
Marc Marquez to start Austin MotoGP fourth after Vinales block

Latest news
Why Honda and Yamaha have been left behind in MotoGP's new era
The once all-conquering Japanese manufacturers are going through a difficult period in MotoGP this season. With Suzuki quitting, Honda struggling to get near the podium and Yamaha only enjoying success courtesy of Fabio Quartararo, Japanese manufacturers have been left in the dust by their European counterparts. Key paddock figures explain why.
Who is Valentino Rossi’s newest MotoGP star?
Valentino Rossi’s protégés stole the show at Assen as Francesco Bagnaia stormed to victory to arrest a recent barren run. But it was the rider in second, on Bagnaia’s old bike, who had all eyes on him. Securing his and the VR46 team’s first MotoGP podium, Marco Bezzecchi has all the characteristics that made his mentor special
How Quartararo is evoking an absent MotoGP great in 2022
OPINION: Fabio Quartararo has seized control of the 2022 MotoGP world standings after another dominant victory as his nearest rivals faltered. And he is very much heading towards a second championship echoing how the dominator of the last decade achieved much of his success
The human importance of Marquez’s latest enforced MotoGP absence
OPINION: Marc Marquez will likely sit out the remainder of the 2022 MotoGP season to undergo a fourth major operation on the right arm he badly broke in 2020. It is hoped it will return him to his brilliant best after a tough start to the season without a podium to his name. But it’s the human victory that will far outweigh any future on-track success he may go on to have
Why Ducati holds all the power in its MotoGP rider dilemma
OPINION: The French Grand Prix looks to have made Ducati’s decision on its factory team line-up simpler, as Enea Bastianini stormed to his third win of the campaign and Jorge Martin crashed out for a fifth time in 2022. But, as Ducati suggests to Autosport, it remains in the strongest position in a wild rider market
The seismic aftershock left by Suzuki's decision to leave MotoGP
Suzuki's sudden decision to leave the MotoGP World Championship at the end of the season has acted as a stirring element in a market that had already erupted. Autosport analyses what this means for the grid going into 2023
How the real Ducati began to emerge in MotoGP’s Spanish GP
Ducati’s 2022 MotoGP bike has had a tough start to life and the expected early-season title charge from Francesco Bagnaia did not materialise. But the Spanish Grand Prix signalled a turning point for both the GP22 and Bagnaia, as the 2021 runner-up belatedly got his season underway after a straight fight with Fabio Quartararo
How Honda's praise for its 2022 MotoGP bike has turned into doubt
In a little over two months, Honda has gone from setting the pace in MotoGP testing with its new RC213V prototype to being at a crossroads - caused by the discrepancy in its riders' feedback. After a Portuguese GP that underwhelmed, serious questions are now being asked of Honda in 2022