Francesco Bagnaia made it a pole position and sprint race double as Ducati’s reigning world champion set the standard ahead of Sunday’s MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas.
The 26-year-old Italian crashed at the Argentine Grand Prix last time out in wet conditions but rebounded strongly in Austin with a reminder of the form that brought him last year’s title.
He was thoroughly dominant in the sprint, pocketing the 12 points on offer to the winner and moving just one point behind championship leader Marco Bezzecchi in the early season standings.
Honda’s Alex Rins took nine points with second place, some 2.545 seconds behind the winner, while third went to Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin who rocketed through the field from 12th on the grid, with Aleix Espargaro taking fourth for Aprilia.
Espargaro had been running second at one stage, while Fabio Quartararo was also showing lively pace before crashing at the first corner with six laps remaining.
Brad Binder took fifth in the sprint, with Bezzecchi sixth as he conceded ground to Bagnaia in the championship, having been nine points ahead heading into this weekend after his maiden race win in Argentina.
Pole position earlier went to Bagnaia in a lap record of two minutes and 1.892 seconds, with Rins an impressive second, ahead of the Mooney VR46 of Luca Marini.
Marini’s team-mate Bezzecchi could only take fifth on the grid, with Alex Marquez (Gresini) fourth and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) in sixth spot.
Grid classification
1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) 2:01.892
2. Alex Rins (Honda) +0.160 seconds
3. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46) +0.289
4. Alex Marquez (Gresini) +0.350
5. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46) +0.376
6. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) +0.647
7. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) +0.857
8. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) +0.990
9. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) +1.170
10. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM) +1.192
Championship Standings
Riders
1. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46) 54
2. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) 53
3. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) 35
4. Alex Marquez (Gresini) 33
5. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) 32
Teams
1. Mooney VR46 72
2. Pramac Racing 64
3. Ducati 53
4. Red Bull KTM 53
4. Aprilia 50