Maverick Vinales made it a perfect weekend of pole position, new lap record and wins in the Sprint race and the Grand Prix race aboard his Aprilia RS-GP at the Circuit of The Americas. In doing so, Vinales became the first rider to win MotoGP Grand Prix races on three different makes of motorcycle – Suzuki, Yamaha and now Aprilia. Four-time 500cc World Champion Eddie Lawson won 500cc Grand Prix races with Honda, Yamaha and Cagiva, racking up 31 wins in 127 starts. Other riders who won with three manufacturers in premier-class Grand Prix racing include Mike Hailwood, Randy Mamola and Loris Capirossi.
Vinales said the team studied carefully the data on tire wear from Saturday’s sprint and came up with “two or three” turns where altering his approach allowed him to reduce his tire wear. Even a poor start, with an issue with the clutch and contact that left him back in 11th place at one point, didn’t prevent him from slicing through the field. Vinales now sits third in the points standings.
Pedro Acosta continued to stun, leading the Grand Prix race twice and only giving the lead up to Vinales after a fight. Acosta was the only front runner to go with a medium rear tire, a choice made after he slid down the order in the sprint after he made “a complete mess” of his tire management strategy. Jorge Martin led for six laps but faded at the end, ceding the final podium spot but clinging to the Championship lead.
Enea Bastianini put in a strong ride at the track where his 2022 win put him on course for a promotion to the factory Ducati team. Plagued by injuries last year, Bastianini has been overshadowed this season by fellow Ducati riders Martin and Francesco Bagnaia, and his news conference demeanor was a mix of happiness and relief.
Sergio Garcia led the Moto2 race from lights to flag, with American Joe Roberts leaping into second after qualifying fifth and taking his second podium of the season. Roberts is riding a wave of confidence and enjoying the familiar environs of the American Racing Team.
David Alonso rode away from the field and took the Moto3 win by 5.163 seconds. It was the second win of the season for the CFMOTO rider. The excitement took place further down the field, where Ivan Ortola and Stefano Nepa collided and fell. Ortola ran over to Nepa’s machine – the bike he raced last season – and jumped on. Nepa had to chase Ortola down and pull him off his bike. Both continued, with Ortola crashing out and Nepa finishing 18th.
