2026 US Moto3 - Qualifying Results

Qualifying at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas for the Moto3 US GP was dominated by Alvaro Carpe, his first flying lap was good enough for pole and on new record pace, but the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider returned to lower his best further to claim pole in style.

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Already leading the way after leading around his rookie team-mate Brian Uriarte and still going fast enough to be streets ahead, the final flying lap saw Carpe unleashed - pulling away from the group on track after gaining a small slipstream for a new record best of 2:12.107s.

A rookie was second quickest - this time the standout performance from a talented set of newcomers came from Casey O’Gorman. The SIC58 Squadra Corse Honda rider had a marker in front, but no slipstream, becoming the first Irish rider to score a Moto3 front row after learning the track behind Carpe earlier in the weekend, finishing 0.412s slower.

The final front row spot went to Valentin Perrone, who made up time to move from eight to third despite being in a move looked at by race direction on the same lap, where he and Zen Mitani ended up sandwiching Uriarte in the fight for track space.

Veda Pratama was a podium finisher in Brazil just a week ago and the rookie was in with a shout of the front row in Austin, finishing fourth for Honda Team Asia.

Guido Pini ran solo for fifth, the best of the Leopard riders, just ahead of Brazil’s polesitter Joel Esteban, who was sixth this time out for Level Up - MTA.

Adrian Fernandez spent his session stalking championship leader and Brazilian race winner Maximo Quiles around the track, but with the Aspar rider strangely off the pace after finishing Friday fastest, the Leopard rider had to pass and push on for seventh, with Quiles eighth. A tough day at Aspar was compounded by Marco Morelli finishing well off the pace in 18th.

The last rider to improve was Rico Salmela, the Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider leapt up to ninth as the chequered flag waved, pushing Scott Ogden back a spot, completing the top 10 for CIP Green Power - the best of the riders to move up from Q1.

Joel Kelso, who was on the podium last year at COTA was the best of the MLav riders in 11th ahead of Eddie O’Shea in 17th.

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: Alvaro Carpe (2026 -FP2) 2:13.190s

Q1 Ogden leads Q2 charge ahead of well timed Mitani run

Zen Mitani (12th in Q2) was out first, the only rider to set a lap for several minutes. Once the rest of the pack arrived it was Scott Ogden displaying red sectors to take over at the top of the standings.

Mitani improved further to hold second, with the remaining progression spaces going to Adrian Cruces (15th) and Nicola Carraro(16th), who moved into fourth late one.

The run displaced Ryusei Yamanaka who just missed out for MT Helmets in fifth, lining up 19th for the race on Sunday.

Liqui Moly Intact GP have both of their regular riders out in Austin, with David Almansa joining David Munoz on the sidelines. The team brought in Marcos Uriarte (21st) to step in for the American round.

Hakim Danish will be at the back of the grid. After leaving the pits late, the MT Helmets rider crashed after hitting the kerb, resulting in a violent highside - leaving the Malaysian with no time set.

There was a final fall moments later - It was again for Cormac Buchanan(22nd). After being cleared for the session after a huge crash in FP2 the Code Motorsports rider was again highsiding over his bike, this time at turn seven.

Full qualifying results can be found below.