Alex Rins has now entered the echelon of some truly elite MotoGP riders, joining the ranks of Rossi, Stoner, Lorenzo, Biaggi, Vinales, and Gibernau as one of the few riders in history to win a MotoGP grand prix with two different manufacturers. The recent race was a true battle of attrition as the perplexing, unusual surface at COTA caught nearly half the grid off guard, leaving only 14 of the 22 riders to cross the finish line.
The Spaniard’s triumph at the 2023 Americas Grand Prix held at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas provided Honda with a much-needed boost, coming after a dismal start to the year. Rins’ victory was timely as Honda had been struggling to make an impact in the championship, having not won a race since the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in 2021.
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Rins capitalised on a costly mistake by Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia to claim victory. Bagnaia’s second grand prix crash in two rounds occurred on lap eight of 20, opening the door for Rins to take the lead. Rins' polished riding style enabled him to mask the grip problems that the Honda riders were encountering. The reigning world champion Bagnaia, on the other hand, curiously faulted his bike, claiming it was too stable, which made it difficult for him to anticipate when it was about to lose traction. Bagnaia’s VR46 academy teammate, Mooney Ducati Luca Marini, secured second place, his first-ever podium.
Yamaha, who have had a challenging start to the championship, had their first podium finish of 2023, with Fabio Quartararo coming in third place. However, Quartararo still states that Yamaha needs to make radical changes to their motorcycle to compete consistently at the top of the field.
KTM's Jack Miller was on course for a top performance at the MotoGP Grand Prix in Texas before crashing out on lap seven. The Australian rider believes he could have challenged Alex Rins for the win if he had stayed on the bike. Nevertheless, KTM has shown glimpses of promise in the first three rounds with their RC16. Meanwhile, Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro considered COTA his "kryptonite" and crashed on lap one of the Grand Prix due to a broken ride height device, exposing a concerning issue for the Italian team.
The race in Texas illuminated the physical demands of the series, with two riders battling illness and injury during the weekend. Pramac's Jorge Martin arrived in Austin with flu-like symptoms, struggling to breathe during the sprint race due to mucus build-up. Despite crashing twice in qualifying, Martin managed to claim third place. Gresini Ducati's Alex Marquez had to contend with a stomach issue during the sprint race and ended up vomiting inside his helmet before crashing out.
The COTA race highlighted a promising shift in MotoGP's management, with Dorna Sports appointing Dan Rossomondo as its new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) to enhance the sport's global appeal. Rossomondo, who has experience in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Hockey League (NHL), aims to expand the series in America, engage a younger audience, and boost social media participation. Despite MotoGP's Latin roots, Rossomondo does not see this as a disadvantage and believes that the sport can replicate football's worldwide success. Rossomondo's appointment signifies a long-term initiative to take MotoGP to new heights.
