Source: Supplied.

The drama in the MotoGP field only heightened in qualifying at the Austin grand prix, as an incident between initial pole-setter Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) and Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha), ultimately demoting the reigning champion three positions while Viñales was promoted to the top spot.

The result of penalty would see Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuk Ecstar) start from the front row, while Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) will start from P3.

Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) was close company in the top five, the Italian just 0.019s out of the top four. It was just as tight for sixth and the final spot on row two, as Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) was only another 0.065s in arrears behind the Doctor.

Championship leader Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) took seventh as he aims to keep his points lead on Sunday, and he’s just ahead of the man chasing him in the standings, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) – who’s won off the third row before.

Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) completes that star-studded third row. The three-time World Champion is racing only a week and a bit after surgery on a broken wrist sustained in the Argentina GP, and not only gained direct entry to Q2, but took a third row start in another superhuman effort.

Q1 graduate Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing), Argentina GP podium finisher Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) complete the top 12 – with Espargaro having put in a stunner to come through Q1 and get KTM’s first visit to Q2 this season.

Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was top rookie in P13 and will be looking to strike back in the Rookie of the Year battle, with Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) and Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completing the top 15. Australian Jack Miller suffered his own issues, qualifying in 18th.

Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) was on fine form in Moto2 qualifying at the Grand Prix of the Americas, taking his second pole position of the season on board his Kalex machine, with the former lightweight class world champion over three tenths clear for the majority of the session.

Only second place qualifier Sam Lowes (Swiss Innovative Investors) was able to get ahead of Marquez at any point during the session, however, the number 73 then came out for his final run to beat Lowes’ 2:10.744 by 0.156 seconds.

World championship leader Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) was the only other man to get under the 2:11.000 bracket, his time of 2:10.993 on his final run was enough for him to grab third on the grid. Qatar race winner and SKY Racing Team VR46 rider Francesco Bagnaia will start from fourth on the grid, as Joan Mir claimed fifth place on the grid. Australian Remy Gardner (Tech3 Racing) was 18th fastest.

Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) set his 10th pole position in the Moto3 category, with a drying track seeing late switches to slicks throughout the field and the Spaniard coming out on top by an impressive 0.496s.

He was ahead of championship leader and key rival Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0), with John McPhee (CIP – Green Power) completing the front row as the Brit blasted up the timesheets. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) and the ‘Beast’ Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing) complete the second row.