KEY MOMENTSSprint race starts at 20:00pm GMTFabio Di Giannantonio claims pole position for the US MotoGPMarco Bezzecchi and Marc Marquez under investigationMarc Marquez was fastest on Friday despite 190km/h crashMaverick Vinales is out for the rest of the weekend due to injury

The 2026 MotoGP United States Grand Prix continues on Saturday 28 March with qualifying and the sprint race at the Circuit of the Americas. 

The third round of the 2026 MotoGP season sees the championship return to COTA, having come to the track every year since 2013 except 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. 

Reigning world champion Marc Marquez has the most wins of anyone at COTA with seven, and led Friday’s practice times despite suffering a huge 190km/h crash at Turn 10 in FP1. 

Read more: Why his usual US MotoGP walkover will be harder for Marc Marquez in 2026

The factory Ducati rider was lucky to walk away with just some bruising after the fast crash, which he later said was a result of him attacking the track too aggressively without considering the change in surface from last year. 

But Marquez looked much more like the rider we’ve come to expect on Friday at COTA and heads into Saturday’s action chasing a first pole of 2026 and a second sprint win. 

Aprilia remained strong on Friday, though it was Trackhouse rider Ai Ogura who led the way for the brand as Marquez’s nearest challenger. 

Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi was fourth overall after Friday’s running, admitting he wasn’t fully comfortable on his RS-GP. 

But his dominant run in both grands prix so far makes him a big threat during Saturday’s action at COTA, with Bezzecchi looking to reverse his lacklustre sprint fortunes thus far in 2026. 

Friday’s action at COTA was overshadowed by a raft of crashes in Practice, though cooler conditions are expected for Saturday’s qualifying, following blistering temperatures in PR. 

The grid will be without its full compliment of 22 riders, after Tech3 KTM’s Maverick Vinales withdrew ahead of Practice due to the left shoulder he injured in a crash in Germany last year. 

A screw fitted to secure the injury has worked its way loose, with Vinales facing an operation in the coming days to correct this, taking advantage of the long break between COTA and the Spanish Grand Prix due to Qatar being postponed as a result of the Iran war. 

2026 US MotoGP Saturday schedule

Qualifying – 3:50pm GMT

Sprint (10 laps) – 8pm GMT