The FIM Harley Davidson Bagger World Cup made its historic race weekend debut at COTA on Friday. Australian Archie McDonald topped FP1 aboard his Joe Rascal Racing Harley Davidson with a lap of 2 minutes 13.705 seconds, beating teammate Cody Wyman and Oscar Gutierrez of Niti Racing. Test pacesetter Eric Granado finished fourth. Eight of the nine riders took part in the session. History is being made in Austin.

Marc Marquez topped a crash filled COTA Friday despite his own terrifying 192km/h FP1 fall. He shook off the morning scare to finish Practice 0.053 seconds clear of Ai Ogura, with Di Giannantonio third and championship leader Bezzecchi fourth. Martin, Alex Marquez, Bagnaia, Marini and Bastianini also secured direct Q2 spots. Toprak crashed and ended 18th. Quartararo led Yamaha in 15th. COTA belongs to Marquez. Still.

Aprilia unveiled the X 250TH at COTA on Friday, with Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin doing the honours ahead of this weekend’s Americas Grand Prix. Just 30 units will be built, 25 destined for the US market at $150,000 each. The track only machine produces 240 horsepower and becomes the first customer bike ever sold with full carbon carbon MotoGP spec brake discs. Only 30 exist. Good luck.

Pedro Acosta topped COTA FP1 by just 0.103 seconds from Di Giannantonio, with KTM, Ducati and Aprilia split by 0.113 seconds at the front. Marc Marquez crashed at Turn 10 within the opening ten minutes, flew through the gravel and rejoined on his second bike with a bandaged right hand to salvage fourth. Bezzecchi eighth. Bagnaia sixth. COTA is wide open.

Marc Marquez walked away from a terrifying 192km/h crash at Turn 10 in COTA FP1 today, bringing out the red flag just 10 minutes into the session. Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi confirmed he escaped with only bruising to his right hand and arm, with medical director declaring nothing serious had been injured. Marquez rejoined on his second bike and finished fourth. COTA weekend is already dramatic.

Marc Marquez has defended the FIM’s circuit homologation process despite the Brazil chaos, saying the system works but circuits must follow through. MotoGP’s return to Goiânia was wrecked by a sinkhole on the main straight Saturday and asphalt breaking apart at Turns 11 and 12 Sunday, cutting the race from 31 laps to 23. Final homologation was only confirmed the Thursday before the race, with the entire paddock already on site. Marquez says the process is sound. Others disagree.

Francesco Bagnaia wants MotoGP to make pre-event test sessions mandatory at new circuits, speaking ahead of the US Grand Prix at COTA. Brazil’s return after 22 years ended in chaos, with the race shortened by eight laps due to surface degradation at Goiânia.  Bagnaia pointed to Indonesia 2022 as proof that testing works, with tyre problems identified and fixed before race weekend.  He confirmed factory test riders would be sufficient, with Buenos Aires and Adelaide joining the calendar next season. 

Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall’Igna branded Brazil as below expectations despite pole position and a Sprint win, urging the team to keep working without panicking. He praised Di Giannantonio’s performance but pointed directly to Bagnaia’s qualifying crash as critical, noting that at Goiania, where overtaking was almost impossible, recovering from 11th was an enormous ask. Marquez finished fourth despite riding on the defensive all race.

Jorge Martin arrives at COTA carrying the physical toll of back to back race weekends. He told media in Texas he is feeling pain after Brazil, admitting consecutive rounds are not ideal for his body right now. He puts his current fitness at 95% and expects to hit peak condition by Jerez. Despite that, he believes he is a better rider now than during his 2024 title winning season. The Martinator is back.