MotoGP News: Fabio Di Giannantonio speeds to USGP pole

Fabio Di Giannantonio (pictured) delivered a stunning performance on Saturday at the Circuit of the Americas, storming to pole position for the 2026 MotoGP United States Grand Prix with a new all-time lap record of 2:00.136. The Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team rider (Ducati #49) edged out championship leader Marco Bezzecchi by just 0.193 seconds in a high-stakes Q2 that saw lap times tumble repeatedly as riders bolted on fresh soft tires.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

It marks Di Giannantonio’s second consecutive pole of the young 2026 season—following his heroics last weekend in Brazil—and the third of his premier-class career. The Italian’s effort was seven-tenths quicker than the previous COTA benchmark, turning the 3.4-mile Texas rollercoaster into his personal playground. “Full heart” was the vibe from the VR46 garage as “Diggia” celebrated what could be a launchpad for his first win of the year.

Q2 Fireworks: Records Fall, Tempers Flare

The 15-minute Q2 session exploded into life early. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo) was the first to dip below the existing lap record, posting a 2:00.815. Moments later, Joan Mir stunned the paddock by going even quicker on the Honda HRC machine. But the real drama unfolded in the final minutes.

Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) looked set for pole with a 2:00.329, only for Di Giannantonio to rip across the line seconds later and steal it. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM) slotted into third, while Bagnaia recovered to fourth. Mir held onto an impressive fifth—Honda’s best qualifying result in some time—despite the team’s well-documented grip issues.

Reigning champion Marc Marquez, the self-proclaimed “King of COTA,” could only manage sixth (+0.501s). The eight-time world champion was forced to abort a flying lap after catching Bezzecchi on the back straight; the incident is now under investigation. Enea Bastianini (Tech3 KTM) was also left fuming, claiming he was held up by Marquez late in the session—another probe pending.

Q1 Survivors and Notable Struggles

Fermin Aldeguer (Gresini Racing Ducati) and Joan Mir advanced from a competitive Q1, with Aldeguer topping the segment. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia) missed the cut by a razor-thin 0.018s and will line up 13th. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) crashed at Turn 15 on his first Q1 run and could do no better than 16th, highlighting Yamaha’s continued woes.

Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia) qualified a solid 11th despite two crashes in Friday practice, while the rest of the field—including Brad Binder (18th, KTM), Jack Miller (19th, Pramac Ducati), and Franco Morbidelli (20th, VR46)—will have plenty of work to do on Sunday.

What It Means for Sunday

Di Giannantonio arrives at COTA with serious momentum: podium in all three classes here previously, strong form at the track, and now back-to-back poles. Bezzecchi, the current championship leader, starts right alongside and will be hungry to convert front-row pace into points. Acosta’s front-row presence adds another wildcard— the young KTM star has been lightning quick all weekend.

Marquez, who topped Friday practice despite a scary high-side in FP1, will start from sixth on a circuit where he has historically dominated. Expect the #93 to charge forward, but the incidents under investigation could yet shuffle the grid.

With the Texas sun beating down and the hill at Turn 1 packed with fans, Sunday’s race promises fireworks. Di Giannantonio has the pole and the record—but in MotoGP, the real test is always the 20-lap sprint to the checkered flag.

The 2026 Americas Grand Prix is shaping up to be one for the ages. Stay tuned—qualifying just set the stage for an unforgettable showdown at COTA.

USGP Qualifying Results