MotoGP: Rins Wins American GP as Bezzecchi Extends Lead

Spanish racer Alex Rins claimed victory again this Sunday at the American Grand Prix, the third round of the World Championship, marking his first win with Honda and the fourth of his career in Austin. It was a day that offered sunshine but delivered surprises and drops, underscoring a dramatic weekend for the premier class.

Rins added to Honda’s history by delivering the only GP result that mattered for the brand in 2019, a season filled with challenges. Honda had not secured a top step since 2021, with Misano being the last major highlight in a run of tough races. Rins, riding as a satellite rider, demonstrated a strong performance that kept Honda in the hunt as the championship unfolded. The standings remained led by Marco Bezzecchi on Ducati with 64 points, followed by Bagnaia with 53 and Rins with 47 as the action moved forward on the track.

See the overall MotoGP standings for more details and context [Citation: MotoGP official standings].

Catalan rider set the tone by pushing world champion Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati after winning the Saturday sprint. Yet the fight faced a setback with 13 laps remaining when the Italian rider went down, a familiar scene that echoed recent rounds in Argentina. Rins endured the moment with poise, trimming the gap as he pursued his sixth race win and his eighteenth podium finish in MotoGP history.

As the field pressed on, COTA saw a cascade of incidents with nine riders failing to finish. Three Spaniards were eliminated in the opening exchanges: Alex Marquez and Jorge Martin, both aboard Ducati, followed by Alex Espargaro on a Aprilia machine. Repsol Hondas struggled to recover from crashes involving Stefan Bradl, standing in for Joan Mir and Marc Márquez. The crashes underscored the high risk and intense pace that defined the race day.

For a complete look at the calendar, see the MotoGP schedule [Citation: MotoGP official calendar].

Just before Bagnaia’s misfortune and Jack Miller’s late crash from KTM, victory had seemed destined for Rins. Fabio Quartararo of Yamaha managed to secure third place, marking his first podium of the season amid ongoing surprises, while Luca Marini made hisMotoGP debut on a Ducati in a notable moment for the championship.

MotoGP classification after the American GP

1. Marco Bezzecchi 64 points.

2. Francesco Bagnaia 53 points.

3. Alex Rins 47 points.

4. Maverick Viñales 45 points.

5. Johann Zarco 44 points.

6. Luca Marin 38 points.

7. Fabio Quartararo 34 points.

8. Alex Marquez 33 points.

9. Brad Binder 30 points.

10. Jorge Martín 29 points.