More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Marquez storms to eighth COTA pole.

Qualifying for MotoGP™ at the Circuit of the Americas was a belter with pole position being decided for the Sprint and the Grand Prix on Sunday. Going into it as favourite, having topped Friday afternoon and Saturday morning action, COTA master Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) remains the rider to beat with his eighth pole at the circuit where he chases an eighth Grand Prix win.

PRESSURE ON: the battle to ascend into Q2

First up though, Q1 and the dogfight to get into the shootout of Q2; big names in abundance, there were always going to be headlining acts sidelined from a shot at pole. On his first flying lap, yellow flags were out due to a highside on the exit of Turn 9 for Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) after running marginally off the kerb. He was perfectly OK and after grabbing the nearest scooter, he rushed back to pitlane and hopped on his spare bike. Due to the yellow flags, the first laps were largely cancelled. After that, a red flag due to the air-fence needing to be re-deployed.

Following a brief stoppage, 08:36 remained on the clock, making for a second half of the session full of activity, including Fernandez’s return to the track. Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) was the first rider to set a lap time, with the benchmark of 2:02.001 for everyone else to beat but after the first runs, nobody was able to; Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) found time and went up to P2 before making an impressive save at Turn 1. Despite other efforts, Marini and Quartararo sailed into Q2, leaving Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) as one of the big disappointments, rooted to P13 with Aprilia out of Q2 for the first time since Thailand in 2022.

POLE BATTLE: Q2 ignites in the USA

First laps in, Marc Marquez set the benchmark of a 2:01.522, the fastest time of the weekend but on the second flying lap, plenty of riders were on course to better it. At Turn 11, the #93 had a big moment but escaped a fall, although the lap had now gone. With the first half of the session done, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) had moved into P2 ahead of Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), whilst in P5, Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) had saved a crash on his elbow at Turn 19 but a forced to be reckoned with inside the top five. He was just behind Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini MotoGP Team) who was up in P4.

FIGHT UNTIL THE END: Marquez brothers in pole scrap

The final five minutes were the deciding moments, with Marc leading Mir and thus giving his ex-teammate a good look at a fast lap at COTA. Just behind, Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) was trying to latch on but fell at Turn 1; he soon remounted whilst teammate Alex Marquez was on a storming lap and went provisional pole ahead of his brother but the timing screens were alive with red sectors. Marc responded to grab pole but behind, Di Giannantonio, who originally had his lap cancelled for yellow flags, had it reinstated for P2. Alex Marquez rounded out the front row whilst Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Franco Morbidelli and Pecco completed the second row.

Top Honda honours were swept away by Marini who heads up the third row ahead of teammate Mir and Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), with the latter two setting identical lap times. Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) took his first top ten with KTM, ahead of 2021 World Champion Fabio Quartararo and late crasher Aldeguer.