Luca Marini had his best Saturday to date as a Honda HRC Castrol rider, converting seventh on the grid to a hard-fought eighth place as his teammate Joan Mir fell while battling at the front.

A memorable Saturday at the Grand Prix of The Americas for the Honda HRC Castrol team, achieving their best grid positions of the year as both riders brought the fight to the front of the field. After Friday’s mixed conditions, Luca Marini and Joan Mir were primed to show their ever-evolving speed in the hot and dry as the temperature rose throughout the day.

Luca Marini shone bright throughout every session – sixth in Free Practice 2 converted into first in Q1. Earning passage to Q2 for the first time as a Honda HRC rider, Marini was not satisfied and immediately worked for more. A best time of 2’01.737 saw him qualify in seventh place and as the best Honda, just three tenths from the front row.

Primed on the third row, Marini suffered in the opening sector after a close call with another rider and dropped back but quickly recovered. Locked in a fierce battle with Viñales and Acosta for the majority of the race, the #10 crossed the line in eighth place. Two points and his best Sprint result on the Honda RC213V, Marini showed even more of his potential and now sits on 12 points – just two shy of the total he earned in 2024.

Having earned his Q2 pass on Friday, Joan Mir waited for his moment and put in an explosive session. Challenging for a spot on the front row, a late crash would see the #36 unable to improve on his 2’02.008 – the time still good enough for eighth place, just behind Bagnaia and his teammate.

When the lights went out on the Sprint, Mir roared forward and immediately attacked into the tight first corner. Quickly dispatching of the KTMs, he then set his sights on the VR46 riders and a top five finish. An unfortunate front-end crash in the closing stages of the race meant his efforts went unrewarded, but there is no questioning his and the Honda’s speed.

Sunday offers both Honda HRC Castrol riders another chance to show their potential and add to their respective points halls. Marini and Mir have generally fared better in the Grands Prix so far this year. Set to begin at 14:00 Local Time, the Americas GP will be 20 laps and the weather is expected to continue heating up.

Luca Marini

Eighth

“A super good day, especially this morning in Qualifying when I was able to make a really good lap. I was able to push the limit of the bike and really enjoy riding after a couple of changes when we look at what we had in Argentina – another step. I’m able to ride like I want, and we can make up ground in the entry of the corner which then helps in the middle and on exit. In the Sprint today I am happy with my result, but we had some vibrations which limited us to get closer to the top five. I think it won’t be as much of a problem in the long race on Sunday, which I am looking forward to because I think again, we can perform well and get closer. Thanks to everyone for their work, not just this weekend but leading up to this point as well. We keep working in this direction.”

Joan Mir

DNF

“I am really frustrated with today. The crash was my mistake, I didn’t have any warnings during the race, and I had the pace, riding within our pace. The balance with the bike is good and I am enjoying riding it. Of course there is the side that is positive, we are fast, and we matched Bagnaia’s lap time in the race. We have made so much progress over the winter and now we need some more things to make that next step because we are now fighting in a different situation to the last years. Our time is coming from corner entry, we are in a good position in this part of the lap. Tomorrow we can be close in the long race.”

MotoGP 2025
Sprint Race Round 3   Americas

Americas GP - Sprint Race

Sunny
Humidity
57%
Track Temp
46°C
Air Temp
28°C
Pos. Rider Num Nation Points Team Constructor Time/Gap
1 Marquez Marc 93 SPA 12 Ducati Lenovo Team Ducati 20'29.509
2 Marquez Alex 73 SPA 9 Team Gresini Racing MotoGP Ducati 0.795
3 Bagnaia Francesco 63 ITA 7 Ducati Lenovo Team Ducati 1.918
4 Di Giannantonio Fabio 49 ITA 6 Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Ducati 8.536
5 Morbidelli Franco 21 ITA 5 Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Ducati 9.685
6 Quartararo Fabio 20 FRA 4 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 10.676
7 Acosta Pedro 37 SPA 3 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 12.049
8 Marini Luca 10 ITA 2 Honda HRC Castrol Honda 13.588
9 Ogura Ai 79 JPN 1 Trackhouse Racing Aprilia 13.752
10 Bezzecchi Marco 72 ITA 0 Aprilia Racing Aprilia 14.584
11 Aldegeur Fermin 54 SPA 0 Team Gresini Racing MotoGP Ducati 14.754
12 Binder Brad 33 RSA 0 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 14.908
13 Bastianini Enea 23 ITA 0 Red Bull KTM Tech 3 KTM 16.009
14 Miller Jack 43 AUS 0 Prima Pramac Yamaha Yamaha 16.182
15 Rins Alex 42 SPA 0 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 18.181
16 Zarco Johann 5 FRA 0 LCR Honda Honda 18.625
17 Fernandez Raul 25 SPA 0 Trackhouse Racing Aprilia 21.666
18 Fernandez Augusto 7 SPA 0 Prima Pramac Yamaha Yamaha 29.061
19 Chantra Somkiat 35 THA 0 LCR Honda Honda 33.622
20 Savadori Lorenzo 32 ITA 0 Aprilia Racing Aprilia 37.989
21 Vinales Maverick 25 SPA DNF Red Bull KTM Tech 3 KTM DNF
22 Mir Joan 36 SPA DNF Honda HRC Castrol Honda DNF
MotoGP 2025

Rider standings

Pos. Rider Num Nation Points Team Constructor
1 Marquez Marc 93 SPA 86 Ducati Lenovo Team Ducati
2 Marquez Alex 73 SPA 67 Team Gresini Racing MotoGP Ducati
3 Bagnaia Francesco 63 ITA 50 Ducati Lenovo Team Ducati
4 Morbidelli Franco 21 ITA 42 Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Ducati
5 Di Giannantonio Fabio 49 ITA 28 Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Ducati
6 Zarco Johann 5 FRA 25 LCR Honda Honda
7 Binder Brad 33 RSA 19 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM
8 Ogura Ai 79 JPN 18 Trackhouse Racing Aprilia
9 Acosta Pedro 37 SPA 16 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM
10 Bezzecchi Marco 72 ITA 14 Aprilia Racing Aprilia
11 Marini Luca 10 ITA 12 Honda HRC Castrol Honda
12 Quartararo Fabio 20 FRA 10 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha
13 Mir Joan 36 SPA 10 Honda HRC Castrol Honda
14 Miller Jack 43 AUS 8 Prima Pramac Yamaha Yamaha
15 Bastianini Enea 23 ITA 7 Red Bull KTM Tech 3 KTM
16 Rins Alex 42 SPA 5 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha
17 Vinales Maverick 25 SPA 4 Red Bull KTM Tech 3 KTM
18 Aldegeur Fermin 54 SPA 3 Team Gresini Racing MotoGP Ducati
19 Oliveira Miguel 88 POR 2 Prima Pramac Yamaha Yamaha
20 Fernandez Raul 25 SPA 1 Trackhouse Racing Aprilia
21 Chantra Somkiat 35 THA 0 LCR Honda Honda
22 Fernandez Augusto 7 SPA 0 Prima Pramac Yamaha Yamaha
23 Savadori Lorenzo 32 ITA 0 Aprilia Racing Aprilia
Location Information

The Circuit Of The Americas is the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the U.S. near Austin, Texas, with a 5.513km track and a capacity for 120,000 fans. Construction of the impressive 1000-acre facility was completed late in 2012, with MotoGP lining up at the track for the first time… read more.

Length 5.513 kilometres / 3.426 miles
Width 15 metres
Left corners 11
Right corners 9
Longest straight 1.2 kilometres / 0.746 miles
Constructed 2012
Modified 2018 (track repairs to the surface to smooth down bumps)

9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd Austin, TX 78617 - View in Google Maps

circuitoftheamericas.com

Records

Pole Position 2m 00.864s (164.2 km/h) Maverick Viñales (Aprilia, 2024)
Race Lap 2m 02.575s (161.9 km/h) Maverick Viñales (Aprilia, 2024)
Race Time 41m 09.503s (160.7 km/h) Maverick Viñales (Aprilia, 2024)
2025 Sprint Winner Marc Marquez (Ducati)
2025 Race Winner Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)