US GP – Qualifying: Fabio Di Giannantonio shatters the lap record

He had waited 4 years between his first two pole positions in MotoGPBut Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46) seems to have found the magic formula. Just seven days after setting the fastest time in qualifying in Brazil, the Italian repeated the feat in the United States, erasing the lap record previously held by Maverick Viñales.

Setting a time of 2:00.136, seven-tenths of a second faster than the 2024 pole position time (2:00.864), he denied Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) and Pedro Acosta (KTM) first place in Q2, despite their repeated attempts. Behind them, Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati) is back at the front on a circuit that suits him well. Last year's winner will start from fourth on the grid to try and repeat that performance. This is the first time he has outqualified Marc Márquez since the last Japanese Grand Prix.

DIGGIA ONCE AGAIN TO POLE 🔝#USGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/2BLIM2I0Qk

- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) March 28, 2026

Indeed, despite statistics favoring him, the seven-time pole-sitter in Texas only managed 6th in Q2. This is Márquez's worst qualifying result in Austin since his 9th place on the grid in 2022. He was also beaten by Joan Mir (Honda), who secured an excellent 5th position thanks to a lap time of 2:00.591, which put him ahead of the rest of the field after everyone's first runs.

After setting the fastest time in Free Practice 2, Jorge Martín (Aprilia) qualified in 7th position, ahead of Álex Márquez and Luca Marini, who placed a second Honda in the top 10.

Despite excellent times in free practice, Ai Ogura is only 11th on the starting grid for the United States Grand Prix, his team Trackhouse Racing's home race. His teammate, Raul Fernández, is the only Aprilia rider not to have qualified on the first four rows. He will start the weekend's races in 13th position.

Saturday's start in Austin didn't really smile on the French riders, Johann Zarco (Honda LCR) and fabio quartararo (Yamaha). Despite their repeated attempts, the rider from Cannes finished 15th, just ahead of the rider from Nice, who was 16th. No French rider therefore participated in Q2 for the first time since the 2024 Australian Grand Prix. Diogo Moreira (Honda LCR) will start ahead of them after outperforming his teammate for the first time in MotoGP.

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MotoGP – United States Grand Prix

The Qualifications ranking: