Jack Miller battled hard for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing through qualifying and Sprint action at the epic, fast and sprawling Circuit of the Americas for round three of 2024 MotoGP. The Australian took 7th in the afternoon race. Brad Binder ranked 12th for the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas Sprint under a hot Texan sky. The KTM Academy was well represented by Jose Antonio Rueda who clocked the 2nd fastest lap-time in Moto3™.
- Jack Miller pushes through to Q2 for 11th place and then reaches 7th in the Sprint after an intense six-rider scrap
- Brad Binder starts from 17th on the grid after a costly fall in Q1 and rides to 12th as part of the same train as his teammate
- Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda will start from the first row of the Moto3 grid while Celestino Vietti was 15th quickest in Moto2™ and half a second from Pole
‘COTA’ attracts adjectives like ‘tricky’, ‘technical’ and even more fanciful ones like ‘rodeo’ for the weaving blend of turns and speed through the 5.5km, 20-corner layout on the outskirts of Austin. Red Bull KTM came to the popular site hunting more competitiveness and with their eyes on podium potential for the first time in the USA.
Sunshine, breezy and hot conditions graced both Friday’s practice schedule and Saturday’s intense qualification schedule heading into the 10-lap afternoon Sprint. Both riders had to attempt Q1 in the morning and an early slow-speed fall at Turn 11 for Binder disrupted the session. The South African pushed in the final minutes to register a ‘flyer’ but missed out. Miller, in contrast, headed the session but then lacked enough tires to make an impact in Q2 and took 11th.
Regaining ground was the theme of the Sprint and Jack surged to the front of the second group and held 6th in the second half of the race. Brad was part of the same large pack and a few positions further back. Miller dueled all the way to the flag and pocketed points for 7th. Brad was 12th but working on set-up and information for the GP distance tomorrow.
The Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas gets underway at 14.00 local time (21.00 CEST) and will run for 20 laps. Moto3 is the first race of the day at 18.00 CEST and then Moto2 at 19.15.
Jack Miller, 11th in qualification, 7th in the Sprint: “Obviously we wanted a bit more but we had a decent start and got into the group. I had a nice battle towards the end but still have to get an understanding of that last sector [of the lap]. I could catch-up in some sectors but lost in others. We have a bit of work to do but happy enough. Fingers crossed we can get in that position tomorrow and have a crack at the top five. The pace of the race will be different so will the strategy.”
Brad Binder, 17th in qualification, 12th in the Sprint: “A tough Saturday. The big issue this morning was that when I crashed I had one bike set up in one direction and one bike in another. I had to qualify on the one that I didn’t want and with a mix of used and new tires. I messed up the qualifying and it made the whole day difficult. Starting from 17th was not ideal but I had a good one and it took me a while to work out the setting I had on the bike and how I could push. Now I understand our potential and I think in the race tomorrow I can give it a bit more of a push in the first laps.”
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “Qualifying was a bit tricky. We went to Q1 and Brad’s crash compromised that session for him while Jack got through to Q2 although he couldn’t put a lap together as he had done before. Starting from the fourth and six rows we knew it would be tough for the Sprint with little time to recover positions. Anyhow Jack did his job and brought home some points. Brad recovered some positions but not quite enough. We have another chance tomorrow and will try to leave this race with something in the pocket.”
Results Qualifying MotoGP Grand Prix of Americas
1. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Aprilia +2:00.864
2. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +0.328
3. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati +0.402
11. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +1.433
17. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 2:02.140 (Q1)
18. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +2:02.223 (Q1)
Results MotoGP Sprint Grand Prix of Americas
1. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Aprilia 20:27.825
2. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati +2.294
3. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati +4.399
4. Pedro Acosta (ESP) GASGAS +6.480
7. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +9.237
12. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +10.724
DNF. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS
KTM GP Academy
Red Bull KTM Ajo flew into Moto3 with Jose Antonio Rueda relishing only his second attack of the COTA curves and the Spaniard was joined by countryman Xabi Zurutuza; the debutant made his first ever laps and sessions in Moto3 after reaching the required minimum age for the world championship. Rueda was a protagonist and after Q2 had secured a spot in the center of the first row of the grid. Zurutuza went through Q1 and ranked 23rd.
In Moto2 Celestino Vietti topped Q1 to have another attempt at a time attack for better grid slots. The Italian was only 0.6 from the Pole Position time, giving him 15th on the grid in just his third outing for the defending world champions. Moto2 rookie teammate Deniz Öncü was 7th in Q1, meaning 21st for Sunday’s 16-lapper.
Results Qualifying Moto3 Grand Prix of Americas
1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO 2:14.292
2. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.017
3. Daniel Holgado (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +0.195
4. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +0.282
6. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +0.577
16. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna +1.446
17. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO +1.940
23. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo 2:17.818 (Q1)
Results Qualifying Moto2 Grand Prix of Americas
1. Aron Canet (ESP) 2:07.631
2. Fermin Aldeguer (ESP) +0.109
3. Sergio Garcia (ESP) +0.188
15. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.680
21. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo 2:08.601 (Q1)
22. Senna Agius (AUS) 2:08.617 (Q1)
23. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO 2:08.870 (Q1)
29. Darryn Binder (RSA) 1:42.627 2.08.733 (Q1)
