For the first time since the Grand Prix of Doha, Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) will start from pole position thanks to a 2:15.986 in Moto3™ Q2 at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas. Second in the title race Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) will launch from P2, job done for the Italian who has Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) for company on the front row, but it was a disappointing session for World Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo)…

After the opening laps were set, Foggia was top with a 2:16.276 with Izan Guevara – the sole Solunion GASGAS Aspar Team rider on track – a close second. However, on the next lap, Alcoba went P1 by 0.094s to demote Foggia to second while Acosta sat P12, half a second shy of provisional pole.

Foggia returned the favour on Alcoba to return to P1, just 0.003s was in it with five minutes to go as Acosta now found himself in P14. On his final lap Acosta was laying down personal best sector times, but it wasn’t going to trouble the front row. Meanwhile, teammate Masia shot from last to first with a brilliant final sector, but Acosta didn’t improve in the end – P15 for the title chase leader.

Guevara will lead Row 2 in P4 and is joined by fellow rookie Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing) in P5, with Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) sixth. Filip Salac (CarXpert PrüstelGP) has enjoyed his weekend at the Circuit of The Americas and a P7 in Q2 shows just that, the Czech rider’s early lap time was good enough to see him front a third row that consists of Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) in P8 and P9 respectively. P10 went the way of Q1 graduate John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing).

42 points splits Acosta and Foggia with four races to contest, but the former has work to do in Austin from 15th on the grid. Foggia is chasing a hat-trick of wins from P2, and the Italian has only failed to score a podium twice in the last nine races. With Garcia unfortunately side-lined, it looks like it’s a straight fight between Acosta and Foggia in the 2021 Moto3™ World Championship – is there a twist in the tale coming in Texas? Find out at 11:00 local time (GMT-5) on Sunday morning!

Top 10:
1. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – 2:15.986
2. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) + 0.193
3. Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) + 0.196
4. Izan Guevara (Solunion GASGAS Aspar Team) + 0.325
5. Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing) + 0.348
6. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) + 0.370
7. Filip Salac (Car Xpert Pruestel GP) + 0.459
8. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) + 0.520
9. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) + 0.524
10. John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) + 0.606