AUSTIN, TEXAS – Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Álvaro Carpe kicked off the Moto3 weekend at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) with a commanding performance in Friday’s opening practice session (FP1). The Spaniard posted a fastest lap of 2 minutes, 14.209 seconds, immediately establishing himself as a frontrunner for the Americas Grand Prix.
The 3.43-mile (5.51 km) road course saw a tightly contested session, with Maximo Quiles of the CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team closely trailing Carpe, just 0.196 seconds behind. Joel Esteban, riding for LevelUp MTA, secured third position, followed by Guido Pini of Leopard Racing and Marco Morelli, also from CFMOTO Aspar Team, completing the top five.
The opening session also provided a first look at the performance of Indonesian rider Veda Ega Pratama. The Honda Team Asia rider finished 15th, 1.744 seconds off Carpe’s pace. While not immediately challenging for the front, the position offers valuable data for Pratama and his team to analyze and refine their setup ahead of qualifying and the race.
Carpe’s strong start to the weekend builds on a successful 2024 season, where he secured both the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and JuniorGP World Championship titles. He transitioned to Moto3 with Red Bull KTM Ajo this year and has quickly demonstrated his potential at the world championship level. According to records, Carpe was born on June 5, 2007, making him 18 years vintage during this event.
The competitive field at COTA saw several riders within striking distance of the top spots. The close margins suggest a thrilling race weekend is in store for Moto3 fans. Esteban’s third-place finish demonstrates the competitiveness of the LevelUp MTA team, while Pini and Morelli’s positions highlight the strength of the CFMOTO Aspar Team.
For Pratama, the 15th-place result provides a baseline for improvement. The Honda Team Asia will undoubtedly be focusing on optimizing the bike’s settings to close the gap to the leading group. Coming off a positive result in Brazil, Pratama will be looking to build on that momentum at COTA. The team will be analyzing data to pinpoint areas for improvement, particularly in cornering speed and overall lap consistency.
The Moto3 class is known for its unpredictable racing, and COTA’s challenging layout – with its long straights and technical corners – is sure to add to the excitement. Riders will need to balance speed with tire management and strategic overtaking to succeed. The track’s abrasive surface can also play a role, impacting tire wear and grip levels throughout the race.
The full results from FP1 are as follows:
| Position | Number | Rider | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 83 | A. Carpe | Red Bull KTM Ajo | 02:14.209 | |
| 2 | 28 | M. Quiles | CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team | 02:14.405 | +0.196 / +0.196 |
| 3 | 78 | J. Esteban | LEVEL UP – MTA | 02:14.555 | +0.346 / +0.150 |
| 4 | 94 | G. Pini | Leopard Racing | 02:14.595 | +0.386 / +0.040 |
| 5 | 97 | M. Morelli | CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team | 02:14.839 | +0.630 / +0.244 |
| 6 | 31 | A. Fernandez | Leopard Racing | 02:15.136 | +0.927 / +0.297 |
| 7 | 67 | C. O’Gorman | SIC58 Squadra Corse | 02:15.276 | +1.067 / +0.140 |
| 8 | 14 | C. Buchanan | CODE Motorsports | 02:15.367 | +1.158 / +0.091 |
| 9 | 18 | M. Bertelle | LEVEL UP – MTA | 02:15.454 | +1.245 / +0.087 |
| 10 | 66 | J. Kelso | GRYD – MLav Racing | 02:15.501 | +1.292 / +0.047 |
| 11 | 27 | R. Salmela | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | 02:15.543 | +1.334 / +0.042 |
| 12 | 73 | V. Perrone | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | 02:15.777 | +1.568 / +0.234 |
| 13 | 19 | S. Ogden | CIP Green Power | 02:15.843 | +1.634 / +0.066 |
| 14 | 51 | B. Uriarte | Red Bull KTM Ajo | 02:15.856 | +1.647 / +0.013 |
| 15 | 9 | Veda Ega Pratama | Honda Team Asia | 02:15.953 | +1.744 / +0.097 |
| 16 | 21 | R. Moodley | CODE Motorsports | 02:15.982 | +1.773 / +0.029 |
| 17 | 11 | A. Cruces | CIP Green Power | 02:16.311 | +2.102 / +0.329 |
| 18 | 6 | R. Yamanaka | AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI | 02:16.368 | +2.159 / +0.057 |
| 19 | 8 | E. O’Shea | GRYD – MLav Racing | 02:16.651 | +2.442 / +0.283 |
| 20 | 13 | H. Danish | AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI | 02:16.709 | +2.500 / +0.058 |
| 21 | 54 | J. Rios | Rivacold Snipers Team | 02:16.850 | +2.641 / +0.141 |
| 22 | 10 | N. Carraro | Rivacold Snipers Team | 02:16.910 | +2.701 / +0.060 |
| 23 | 32 | Z. Mitani | Honda Team Asia | 02:17.212 | +3.003 / +0.302 |
| 24 | 88 | M. Uriarte | Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP | 02:17.540 | +3.331 / +0.328 |
| 25 | 5 | L. Rammerstorfer | SIC58 Squadra Corse | 02:17.774 | +3.565 / +0.234 |
The action continues at COTA with FP2 on Saturday, followed by qualifying and the race on Sunday. Fans can follow live timing and updates on the official MotoGP website. The next checkpoint for the Moto3 championship is the race itself, where riders will battle for valuable points in their quest for the world title.
What are your predictions for the Moto3 race at COTA? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
