Two down, 20 to go and we land in the United States for the Grand Prix of the Americas, touching down in Austin and the Circuit of the Americas. COTA welcomes its very own king on the top of the Championship standings after a flawless start to 2025, with Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) hitting the ground running and laying down the gauntlet for his rivals. Like before, he’s certainly ‘WANTED’ in the USA – can someone disrupt the #93's incredible run?

THE MARQUEZ CARNIVAL CONTINUES: Marc and Alex lead the charge

If one Marquez out front wasn’t enough for the opposition to handle, now there are two. With Marc leading the way in the standings after two Grands Prix and with masterclass after masterclass, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) enjoys his best start to a season too. Leading in Thailand and pushing the #93 in Argentina, he’s led more laps than Marc has on Sundays. Now though, we’re heading to a track where he’s historically had it a little tougher, so it’ll be an interesting watch.

As for Marc Marquez, his form at COTA and indeed the USA is relentless, winning every Grand Prix on American soil from 2013 to 2018 and also in 2021. Crashing out of the lead in 2024, redemption in red will be the aim for the Championship leader. There are few tougher challenges in MotoGP than beating Marc Marquez at COTA.

THE SPECIALISTS: winners from the past look to the future

Whilst Marc may have made his mark at COTA, there’s plenty of reason for optimism for others too. Teammate Francesco Bagnaia took pole and a Sprint win in 2023 and after four straight podiums to start 2025, he wants to notch up a first win on his teammate’s territory. It’s one of his best starts to a season ever, despite not yet having taken the winning spoils, and it was always going to be a tough ask to take down the #93 at these venues. His time will come, but an upset to the apple cart would be pretty sweet for the two-time MotoGP Champion.

Maverick Viñales, now with Red Bull KTM Tech 3, won there last year with Aprilia, something that will encourage the Noale factory’s 2025 new recruit Marco Bezzecchi. It will be interesting to see that switch up, and the flip side of how Viñales does on the KTM. His now-teammate, Enea Bastianini, is also a COTA winner from 2022. Meanwhile, Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) took 2023 and 2019 honours and made a step in Argentina two weeks ago. And then there’s Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who aims for a repeat showing after lighting up COTA in only his second MotoGP weekend in 2024.

BATTLES IN THE PACK: Zarco headlines the dark horses

Following an Argentina to remember, Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) is on fire and arrives to a track where the team were winners two years ago as well as the 34-year-old Frenchman harnessing solid results in the past. Historically, the Circuit of the Americas has been a challenge for Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) but after a more positive Round 2, the #33 chases a return to the top six. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) enjoyed his best qualifying of the year in Termas but luck wasn’t to come on Sunday, whilst Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) endured a tougher weekend than expected but still bagged points. Will COTA help them into the top ten consistently? They'll also have test rider Augusto Fernandez saddling up at Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP to replace the recovering Miguel Oliveira.

Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team duo Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio have made sure the team enjoyed a top five result in each Sprint or GP so far. They go into the weekend as dark horses, especially Morbidelli after returning to the GP podium for the first time in nearly 1500 days. Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) is one to watch too – the 2020 World Champion got back into the top ten for the first time in a year last time out and Honda’s step forward has been clear; teammate Luca Marini will hope that the circuit where he took a maiden premier class podium at two years ago will help him match that step too.

ROOKIE WATCH: a new challenge in Austin

A tougher Argentina after a giant-killing Thailand, Ai Ogura goes to COTA seeking a return to the top six whilst also continuing to learn and adapt to MotoGP. His DSQ from Argentina for running non homologated software at least doesn’t change the fact he physically brought the bike home in the top ten again – something he'll likely hold on to – as he continues to impress. That Viñales masterclass last year is also relevant for the Japanese rookie on the RS-GP.

Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) wasn’t able to notch a point up at Termas but will be more optimistic after a Moto2™ podium in the USA last year, whereas fellow rookie Somkiat Chantra’s (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) continues his pursuit of first points in the premier class.
Austin may well be the Live Music Capital of the World – their words, although we’re a partisan crowd when we arrive in town – but horsepower takes over once MotoGP touches down. Will the Marquez brothers force the rest to dance to their own tune or will a new headline act take over the centre stage on Sunday? It’s set to be a belter whatever happens so don’t miss a lap of the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas!