Alex Rins won the Grand Prix of the Americas in MotoGP on Sunday in Austin. Dustin Safranek / PANORAMIC
Sunday in Austin, the Spaniard Alex Rins (Honda-LCR) took advantage of the fall of Francesco Bagnaia to win. Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) is on the podium for the first time this season.
Spaniard Alex Rins (Honda-LCR) won the Motorcycle Grand Prix of the Americas on Sunday ahead of defending French vice-champion Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), 3rd and who signed his first podium of the season in the United States.
On the demanding route of Austin (United States), the big loser of this 3rd round of the season is the Italian Francesco Bagnaia: starting in pole position, the reigning champion was on his way to victory, but in seventh lap in 20, he crashed and retired.
A retirement that suited Rins since the Spaniard, then on the heels of the Ducati rider, took the opportunity to recover the lead of the race. The reins acquired, he was never worried by the competition until the finish.
«I am so happy !reacted Rins, who arrived this season at Honda-LCR. The 27-year-old Barcelonan was the only one present this weekend to have already won in the premier category on the Texas track (in 2019, with Suzuki).
He finished ahead of the Italian Luca Marini (Ducati-VR46), second, and Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), who started from seventh position on the grid.
«It was very complicated (…) but I’m super happy because I had some difficult first races, we work so hard with the team“said the 23-year-old Niçois.
The other Frenchman on the grid Johann Zarco (Ducati-Pramac) finished seventh.
Bagnaia “does not understand”
The Italian Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati-VR46), sixth in the GP, remains the championship leader ahead of Bagnaia, now 11 points behind his compatriot.
«I don’t understand (…) I’m very disappointed and quite nervous because it wasn’t my fault“, declared the defending champion to Canal + after his fall.
It’s a blow for the one we nicknamed “I’m sorry“, who hoped so much to redeem himself from his blunder two weeks ago in Argentina, when he fell while a place on the podium was promised to him. By the way, he had lost the championship lead to Bezzecchi.
In Austin, the Turinese however saves the furniture since he won the sprint on Saturday, a new race format, shorter than the GP, earning more points in the championship.
Thanks to this victory, Bagnaia had returned on Saturday evening to one point behind his compatriot Bezzecchi in the general classification, with the hope of recovering the lead in the classification at the end of the GP. In vain.
In the lower categories, in Moto2, the young 18-year-old Spaniard Pedro Acosta took his second victory of the season, ahead of the Italian Tony Arbolino, who retains the reins of the general classification, after an intense battle until the flag checkered.
In Moto3, 18-year-old Spaniard Ivan Ortola won for the first time in his GP career. The Spaniard Daniedo (KTM Tech3), fifth, remains at the head of the championship, tied on points with the Brazilian Diogo Moreira, fourth on Sunday.
