MotoGP Austin 2026: free practice results, Marquez dominates Practice. Acosta shines in FP1

MotoGP Austin 2026 free practice: Friday lights up the Grand Prix of the Americas

The 2026 Grand Prix of the Americas opens with a Friday full of twists and turns at the Austin circuit. The free practice sessions on 27 March have already provided important indications with qualifying and the race in mind.

The stand-out riders of the day: Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta, among crashes, record times and performances of the highest level.

MotoGP Austin 2026: VR46 conquers America with a special livery that tells a story of identity

FP1 results MotoGP Austin: Acosta ahead of everyone

The first free practice session ends with the fastest lap from Pedro Acosta, who posted an excellent 2:01.715.

Behind him are:

Fabio Di Giannantonio

Jorge Martin

The key moment of the session is the crash by Marc Marquez, who was involved in a spectacular highside. The Spaniard, however, gets back on track immediately and finishes fourth.

FP1 standings Austin MotoGP

Acosta – 2:01.715

Di Giannantonio +0.103

Martin +0.221

Marquez +0.378

Raul Fernandez

Alex Marquez

Luca Marini

Ai Ogura

Marco Bezzecchi

Franco Morbidelli

Further back is Francesco Bagnaia, still struggling to find the right feeling.

Practice MotoGP Austin: Marquez flies and sets the fastest time

In Friday’s decisive session (Practice), which grants direct access to Q2, everything changes.

It is Marc Marquez who sets the fastest time in 2:00.927, coming close to the lap record and sending a very strong signal to the opposition.

Top 3 Practice Austin

1st Marc Marquez – 2:00.927

2nd Ai Ogura

3rd Fabio Di Giannantonio

A superb performance from Ogura, increasingly competitive, while Ducati confirms its strength with Di Giannantonio.

MotoGP Austin 2026: Márquez in his kingdom against struggling Ducati, the GP that could change everything

Crashes and difficulties: Austin confirms itself as a technical track

The Circuit of the Americas remains one of the most demanding tracks on the MotoGP calendar.

During the day there were several crashes:

Jorge Martin

Enea Bastianini

Franco Morbidelli

The track conditions and tyre management made the final time attack especially complicated.

MotoGP Austin 2026 free practice, Italians to the fore: Ducati competitive

Good signs for the Italian riders:

several riders qualify directly for Q2

Di Giannantonio among the best on Friday

Bagnaia recovering in the final stages

Ducati remains a benchmark bike, even if its dominance seems less clear-cut than in the past.

Viñales out: no-show in Austin

A compromised weekend for Maverick Viñales, forced to withdraw because of shoulder problems.

An important absence that could affect the balance within the KTM team.

Final analysis: Marquez favourite, Acosta outsider

After Friday, some interesting hierarchies emerge:

Marc Marquez is the reference on this track

Pedro Acosta is the revelation of the weekend

Aprilia on the rise

Ducati competitive but less dominant

Conclusion

The 2026 Austin GP promises plenty of action. Friday has already offered everything: crashes, surprises and great performances.

With Marquez in form and Acosta ready to surprise again, qualifying and the Sprint will be decisive in defining the pecking order.