The beginning of the chronicle of the FP1 of the GP of the Americas of MotoGP is worth the start of the FP2. And it went like this: The six stars that Marc Márquez wears in the cap that he debuts at this GP of the Americas are not by chance or the result of the inspiration of any designer. The Repsol Honda rider has earned each of those free-wheeling stars at the Austin, Texas circuit, and they represent each of the six victories he has on this track, after winning uninterruptedly in MotoGP from 2013 to 2018, both years inclusive. He only failed in 2019, when he fell while leading, and now, on the return to the Texas circuit to the World Cup calendar, after last year’s absence due to the pandemic, the eight-time world champion has shown his candidacy for a new victory this Sunday since the first day.
The Repsol Honda rider led her both in the dry and in the wet. In FP1, with the asphalt soaked by the rain that fell overnight and early in the morning, the man from Lleida had stopped the clock at 2: 15.872, which gave him a 0.167 lead over Jack Miller. In FP2, with the asphalt already dry and still with the potholes more latent than in the morning, again # 93 was the fastest on the Texas track, this time with 2: 04.164 and again ahead of the Australian, that this time it has been only 0.015 of the best.
The asphalt is very bumpy and the patch-based resurfacing has left in some areas a track that is more a motocross area than a speed one, but it is just as bad for everyone and the best of the first day has been a Marc who is, without a doubt, the sheriff of this texan circuit. In his favor he plays that he turns counterclockwise, to the left, which is how he likes it the most and something that has already helped him to return to the path of victory last June in Germany. In Aragon, his last great race, he was also second on a left-wing track. And to that we must add that He has been doing great here since he was a rookie, since he trained for the first time in 2013 and put a churro of difference to his rivals.
Back to the present, the great unknown is whether that battered right arm will allow him to fully roll the 20 laps of Sunday’s race, because this track is one of the most demanding in the World Championship at a physical level, for long, therefore change of direction and therefore pothole. Input, Alzamora’s ward is licensed to dream of his seventh star.
Among those who will present the most opposition to Márquez is a Miller who has started very well, at a track where he was third in the race two years ago. Against him he plays that Ducati has never won on this track, but it is also true that the current Ducati is probably the best or the most complete and easy in history. After him, and until completing the first ten places with direct access to Q2, Quartararo, Pol, Nakagami, Bagnaia, Martín, Zarco, Rins and Bastianini. Further back, Mir 13th, Álex Márquez 16th, Rossi 17th, Aleix 19th and Lecuona 20th. The latter is one of the three drivers who has crashed, along with Oliveira and Aleix.
The anecdote of the session has starred Rins who, once again, has run out of gas in his Suzuki on the return to the pits and, as so many times, Miller has towed him, with the classic maneuver of putting his foot down. on the opposite stirrup to push him. Other times, as in Australia years ago, it took him as a package. Here it has not been necessary and the new dad in the category, whose son Lucas was born last week, was able to get to his box on the back of his saddle.
