2024 Americas Moto2 Grand Prix, COTA - Qualifying Results

Qualifying for round three, the Moto2 Americas Grand Prix in Austin at COTA, saw Aron Canet find a well timed late lap to pick up pole position.

With a pole already under his belt from the opening round in Qatar, the championship leader and Portimao winner was immediately competitive in Q2, and returned to the top of the timesheets at a blustery COTA with a best in the session of 2m 07.631s to take the top spot on the grid for Fantic Racing.

Fermin Aldeguer had long ago fixed the issues that held him back on Friday but couldn’t quite catch the Kalex man in qualifying, finishing just 0.109s behind for Speed Up.

The old lap record had already took a beating in the morning session, where it was lowered several times, with Aldeguer’s session topping best over a second under the previous time held by Cameron Beaubier.

But with the weather less favourable, the Boscoscuro rider could not quite match Canet on track in Q2.

Boscoscuro continued to have a strong showing in the USA - with Sergio Garcia continuing his positive opening to his sophomore season with third for MT Helmets - MSI.

Albert Arenas just missed out on a front row start, fourth for Gresini in a competitive session which saw all the eighteen riders on track well within a second of the pole time. The #75 was the best of the riders to progress from Q1.

A strong home showing for American Racing.

The only United States race on the calendar saw the Moto2 American Racing team put on a great show for the home crowd.

Ahead of qualifying it had been mixed fortunes for the team, with Marcos Ramirez a constant feature at the top of the timesheets. Californian Joe Roberts, in contrast, arrived second in the standings and had a fast free practice before a struggle in P1 and a strange crash in P2, though both eventually moved to Q2 with similar times.

Roberts again needed to dig deep, but the #16 went from having no time to his name to fourth on his last flying lap, only being shuffled back one spot to fifth by the chequered flag.

Teammate Ramirez was once again close, but this time just behind in sixth.

Dennis Foggia found late improvements for seventh, ahead of early session pacesetter Alonso Lopez on the second Beta Tools Speed Up entry.

Manuel Gonzalez (QJMotor Gresini) and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika Gas Up Team) found enough improvements to complete the top ten.

An early fall left Tony Arbolino playing catch up - recovering to eleventh for Marc VDS -  and he was not alone.

• 2024 Americas MotoGP, COTA - Full Qualifying Results
• Maverick Vinales stuns the opposition with lap record, Jorge Martin crashes twice in Q2

Disaster for Dixon

Jake Dixon was back in action after sitting out Portimao. The Aspar rider was In his first qualifying of 2024, with his Qatar crash coming in practice - and he was straight back to business - and wasted no time working his way into the top five.

As Aldeguer, followed by a flurry of riders, peeled into the pits for fresh tyres, Dixon opted to stay out - and his lap was swallowed. With no time to dip in for new rubber, the Aspar rider couldn’t match his fellow Moto2 riders in the closing minutes, leaving the British rider to drop to 14th.

There were also issues for Celestino Vietti. After moving up from Q1 with the top time the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider was in the gravel with a fall very early in the session. Like Arbolino, there was time to visit the garage and repair and return, but 15th was the best the Italian could conjure up in the time remaining.

Q1 - Crash halts Binder’s chances

After Vietti eased through along with Albert Arenas and two rookies - Jaume Masia and Diogo Moreira, several names capable of progess failed to see Q2.

A late fall saw Darryn Binder end the session without a time to his name, that spill also put a stop to Zonta van den Goorbergh, who had saved his best attempt to last but met yellow flags.

Somkiat Chantra was fifth in Q1 so just missed out for Idemitsu Honda Team Asia, so he picks up 19th on the grid.

Filip Salac returned to action following his arm surgery and was only slightly further back on times for 20th for Elf Marc VDS Racing.

Ayumu Sasaki was absent instead, declared unfit to ride following a double arm pump surgery.