2026 US Moto3 - Friday Practice Results

The Friday Moto3 sessions at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas saw championship leader Maximo Quiles top Practice with a new record lap.

The timed Practice session was dominated by the Aspar rider, who controlled his squirming KTM as he managed the limit to chip away at his lap for a new Moto3 circuit best of 2:13.757s

The Spaniard found time riding solo, as did second placed Guido Pini had topped thie timesheets heading into the final three minutes after offering competiton to Quiles, finishing just 0.172s slower on his Honda for the Leopard team.

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It was a similar story for Alvaro Carpe, who showed his pace toppiing the first session of the day, going on to finish Friday third quickest with clean air ahead of his Red Bull KTM Ajo bike, the only other rider within half a second of the new record effort.

Matteo Bertelle reacted to dropping to 21st as the session progressed, bouncing back to third before a late fall from his LevelUp-MTA bike, which allowed Cape to move ahead.

Fifth went to Valentin Perrone for Red Bull KTM Tech3, while Joel Esteban was sixth quickest on the second LevelUP-MTA entry, completing a strong opening day for the team.

Joel Kelso was a front row starter and podium finisher in Austin, last year, his experience took the MLav rider to seventh.

In a talented field of newcomers it was Finnish rider Rico Salmela’s time to shine - the best of the rookies in Practice for eighth on the second Tech3 bike.

Marco Morelli also fought back late on to re-enter the top 14, moving back up to ninth for Aspar late in the session, while Casey O’Gorman survived being run wide to complete the top ten for SIC58 Squadra Corse.

The remaining automatic Q2 slots went to Adrian Fernandez in eleventh for Leopard, an impressive run from Eddie O’Shea which saw him as high as third on his way to 12th on the remaining MLav bike, Brian Uriate in 1th for Red Bull KTM Ajo and 14th placed Veda Pratama in Q2 again for Honda Team Asia.

Official COTA Moto3 Records:
Fastest race lap: Matteo Bertelle (2025) 2:13.939s
All time lap record: Matteo Bertelle (2025) 2:12.939s
New lap record: Maximo Quiles (2026 -Practice) 2:13.757s

Free Practice 1

The first session saw Carpe running solo and quickest. Quiles and Esteban completed the top three.

Esteban was one of several fallers during FP1, crashing just before Pini at the end of the session, who finished fourth, with Morelli fifth fastest.

Both Leopard bikes took a trip into the gravel with Fernandez off just before the chequered flag. Hakim Danish was first to be unseated, losing control at the direction change at turn two.

With his replacement rides in 2025 stopping Morelli from having rookie status, it was O’Gorman who was the best of the newcomers in the first run out in Austin, in seventh - just over a second off the lead pace.

The Liqui Moly Intact GP team arrive in the unfortunate situation of having both of their regular riders out of action, with David Almansa joining David Munoz on the sidelines. The team have picked Marcos Uriarte(24th after Practice) to step in for the American round.

FP1 times can be found below.