Race start carnage, costly crashes and Pecco Bagnaia reborn – The story of Grand Prix Americas

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Grand Prix Americas of 2025 will live long in the memory after an astonishing weekend of racing at the Circuit of the Americas. From Marc Marquez's dominant Sprint win to his jaw-dropping crash in the Grand Prix, Pecco Bagnaia's sluggish qualifying to his maiden GP victory of the season, and with a chaotic delayed race start thrown in, there was no end of drama in Austin.

'Bagnaia back to his brilliant best' - Pecco claims first win of 2025 in incident-laden GP Americas

Video credit: TNT Sports

Pecco Bagnaia came away with the biggest smile on his face after an incredible weekend at Grand Prix Americas, as the Italian profited from a costly crash by team-mate Marc Marquez to take his first victory of the 2025 MotoGP season.

The action in Austin picked up much as the MotoGP season had left off in Argentina - with Marc Marquez looking untouchable.

On a dominant Saturday, the six-time world champion claimed a third consecutive pole position before hanging on to the lead in a thrilling opening lap of the Sprint race to take victory.

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However, all of Marquez’s hard work came undone on a Sunday of treacherous conditions when he misjudged a corner and came sliding off the track to end his bid for a third straight Grand Prix win.

That allowed Bagnaia to seize the advantage as the two-time world champion claimed victory ahead of Alex Marquez, who had the significant consolation of moving to the top of the Riders’ Championship standings.

'Marquez is down!' - Race leader crashes out to end Grand Prix Americas hopes

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Marquez stars, Bagnaia 'not quite there' in Q2

The weekend started where the last one left off as Marc Marquez grabbed a third consecutive pole position the day after admitting he was pleased by comparisons to "superstar" Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton.

However, there were dramatic scenes late on when Fabio Di Giannantonio had his fastest lap reinstated after Q2 ended, propelling him into second place to split the Marquez brothers of Marc and Alex.

Things did not go quite so smoothly for Bagnaia, however, who could only qualify sixth to continue an underwhelming start to his season, leading TNT Sports expert Sylvain Guintoli to question the two-time world champion.

Wild celebrations as Di Giannantonio has time reinstated to clinch P2 at Grand Prix Americas

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"He’s still there, but there are another four Ducatis in front of him. The only Ducati behind him is the rookie, [Fermin] Aldeguer," Guintoli said.

"He’s been like that since we got here. For Pecco, it’s still not quite there. He should really be in front of all the other guys, except for Marc maybe.

"He will look back thinking ‘I still need to find something.’ He is going to have to fight hard against all these Ducatis."

Bagnaia ‘not quite there’ after qualifying P6 – ‘The only Ducati behind him is the rookie'

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Marquez brothers and Pecco duel in Sprint

Bagnaia bounced back in style during a thrilling Sprint race later in the day, surging into the lead from sixth on the grid on an electric opening lap.

However, Marquez managed to recover from a near-crash to move back to the front before holding off brother Alex and Bagnaia for the win.

A breathless race was characterised by an aggressive start from several riders, which TNT Sports analyst Michael Laverty summarised by saying "the gloves were off."

Highlights: Marquez takes Sprint win after dramatic opening lap

Video credit: TNT Sports

"Pecco [Bagnaia] was fighting from the outset. He wanted to ruffle Marc because he knew he had so much pace.

"The scrap was on. They knew they had to hit Marc on the opening lap or else he would stretch a comfortable margin.

"But I was impressed with Pecco; his run into Turn 1, then his aggression through the snake."

Breaking down a chaotic opening lap at the Grand Prix Americas Sprint race - 'The gloves were off'

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Hodgson on Marquez 'difference'

Bagnaia’s improvement hinted at a competitive Grand Prix on Sunday, but Neil Hodgson broke down just what set Marquez apart from the rest of the field as the six-time world champion eyed a hat-trick of wins.

"The difference with Marc Marquez to any other rider is he’s got that ability to press reset and forget about [a mistake]," Hodgson said.

"If that had been me, I would have been panicking for a lap or two trying to work out what was going on, but not Marquez.

Why Marquez is different to 'any other rider' - Grand Prix Americas Sprint analysis with Hodgson

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"The slide has just happened... [Francesco] Bagnaia goes around the outside, Alex Marquez to the inside, and he’s down to third.

"But he’s having none of it. He’s forgotten about that moment. He attacks. Straight away, two corners later, look who’s back in the lead - Marc Marquez.

"We’ve seen him do impressive stuff week in, week out, but yet again, he’s the man we’re all talking about."

Marquez recovers from ‘huge rear slide’ to retake lead in jaw-dropping start to Sprint race

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'Supreme' Dixon dominates Moto2

That all set things up nicely for a blockbuster finish to the weekend at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, but first there was a memorable moment to savour in Moto2.

Britain’s Jake Dixon made it back-to-back wins with a superb race from pole to flag that sent him to the top of the Riders’ Championship standings as he eyes a career-first Moto2 title.

'What a ride' - Dixon claims back-to-back wins to take lead in Moto2 standings

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Dixon’s performance earned him high praise from the TNT Sports team, especially coming on a treacherous track that was partly wet and partly dry.

"I’ve got to say the way he managed his race; it was the trickiest conditions ever," Guintoli said.

"You’ve got a drying track, different dry lines all across the track, and a constantly evolving track as well. It’s really hard not to make a mistake. He was supreme today."

Dixon 'was supreme' - Guintoli praises Brit for navigating 'trickiest conditions ever' in Moto2 win

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Why Martin comments 'make no sense'

With the MotoGP Grand Prix approaching, one rider was conspicuous by his absence – world champion Jorge Martin.

The Aprilia star was back in the paddock in Austin as he continues his recovery from injury and told TNT Sports that "maybe Qatar was realistic" for a return in round four after fracturing the scaphoid bone in his left wrist.

However, his comment that he "won’t ride any bike until I go back to MotoGP" after Aprilia had a request turned down for Martin to test their RS-GP bike left the TNT Sports team perplexed.

Martin targets Qatar return, says he 'won't ride any bike until MotoGP' after test request rejected

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"It makes no sense," Hodgson said.

"The wrist injury is bad and the only way you can check it is by riding a motorcycle. He could jump on a decent Aprilia - a superbike - and they could hire a decent circuit and push hard, and you will know exactly where your wrist is at.

"I think he’s saying that almost to make a point, because the way the organisation is, you’re not allowed to test a MotoGP bike. So he’s saying ‘I’m going to wait until I ride a MotoGP bike in Doha’. It makes no sense to me."

Why Martin's testing comments 'make no sense' - 'He is making a point'

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Chaos from the start in Grand Prix

After three days of anticipation and with racing just about to begin at COTA, all hell broke loose when Marc Marquez abandoned his bike and sprinted off to the pit lane, with half of the grid following in hot pursuit.

The chaotic scenes that followed, with Maverick Vinales left running around the grid without a bike at one point, led to a race delay.

'Marquez has bolted off the grid!' - Chaos erupts ahead of Grand Prix as riders sprint for pitlane

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The TNT Sports commentary team explained that "Marc planned that" and "everyone copied him" and the Spaniard later confirmed that, explaining that he "forced the situation" in an interview with TNT Sports.

When the racing finally got underway, Marquez looked in cruise control after holding off his rivals from the start, with Bagnaia impressing again as he glided past Alex Marquez to move into second place early on.

Bagnaia makes 'perfect' overtake to get past Alex Marquez into second

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However, there was a stunning turn of events when Marquez came off his bike after making a mistake by going onto the kerb and losing control.

The error saw the Spaniard tumble down into last place, lose the foot peg on his bike and eventually have to abandon the race and his chances of a third successive Grand Prix victory on a track where he has had so much historic success.

"Yesterday I wasn’t Superman, and today I’m not a disaster," Marquez said to TNT Sports after the race.

"It was a big mistake because the race was already done. I was controlling the gap. But I cut it a little bit too much on Turn 5 and lost the front. A disaster, yes. But we are humans, we make mistakes."

'Yesterday I wasn't Superman. today I'm not a disaster' - Marquez reacts to costly crash

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Bagnaia profited from the error by moving into the lead, a position he held until the chequered flag as the Italian claimed his first victory of the season.

Alex Marquez finished as runner-up but moved to the top of the Riders’ Championship standings ahead of his brother, while Di Giannantonio completed the podium with a fantastic third-placed finish to reward a superb weekend for the Enduro VR46 team, who also had Franco Morbidelli in fourth.

'Bagnaia back to his brilliant best' - Pecco claims first win of 2025 in incident-laden GP Americas

Video credit: TNT Sports

'Pecco right back in it' - Laverty

It all leaves the standings tantalisingly poised ahead of the Grand Prix Qatar from April 11-13, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Alex Marquez sits top of the table with 87 points, one ahead of his brother Marc, while Bagnaia is third on 75 points.

For Laverty, an eventful weekend in Austin and the re-emergence of Bagnaia as a contender has blown the season wide open.

Bagnaia 'flipped the script' with Grand Prix Americas victory - 'A different man, he's back in it'

Video credit: TNT Sports

"We’ve been saying it for quite some time, that one mistake brings it all back into play," Laverty said.

"Now there’s one point at the top of the championship table, with Alex leading the way thanks to his consistency.

"Pecco is right back in it. Pecco looked a different man today. I said yesterday the comments were good. They were positive. He went to work overnight and improved his braking prowess. He was so good on the brakes and that was his strength last year.

"Pecco has flipped the script. He’s back in it. Going to Qatar, it’s a great circuit for him and not the strongest for Marc. He’s back on form. He’s got the feeling he needs and this is just the start of it."

Marquez 'ahead of the game' but 'didn't expect everyone to chase him' - Laverty on pitlane chaos

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