Seven things we learned from MotoGP's sketchy COTA Friday
Even though the MotoGP field didn't get great track conditions at any point at Austin on Friday, many of them feel they know exactly where they stand
The MotoGP field ran virtually the full range of conditions on Friday at the Circuit of the Americas - except for, really, the optimal track conditions.
Despite this, many riders felt they had a better idea of where they stack up after the wet-and-dry running, not just at COTA but through the start of 2025 as a whole.
Here's what we learned in the first act of the Grand Prix of the Americas.
Honda's progress really does look legit
Johann Zarco's brilliant Termas de Rio Hondo performance was tentative evidence that Honda really is regaining ground on its rivals. But that evidence had the caveat Zarco being a bit of a specialist at the Argentinian circuit.
One bike in the top 10 at the end of Friday, and only in ninth too, was pretty muted from Honda's first Austin day in comparison.
But it was the tone of that ninth-fastest rider Joan Mir's assessment that really seemed to bode well, especially given Mir has often been the most visibly frustrated of the Honda contingent.
"Today is a good day for us. These conditions are very, very challenging, conditions that you cannot miss anything because you have to be always fast in every condition," he said when asked by The Race if his encouraging times suggested Honda had fixed its problems - after he'd suggested the day before that a good performance at COTA would be the final bit of evidence needed to prove Honda's made a real step.
"And we've been always fast," he added of Friday.
"We've been always competitive in every condition that we make. We started with the wet tyres in the beginning, with the asphalt more wet, then more dry with the wet tyres, then with the slick tyres more wet and then dry... and we've been quite strong in every condition. That's it.
"So I'm happy. This means that the confidence that I have actually with the bike is a good one. Because if not, you don't go fast in these conditions."
While Honda has an engine upgrade, Mir said the gains was more because "everything works more together" than any individual area of the bike taking a step.
His works team-mate Luca Marini felt that engine still needs optimising, but reckons Honda now has the best electronics on the grid - replying with multiple 'yeahs' when asked if it was even better on that front than his previous employer Ducati.
Termas hero Zarco crashed while on course to go straight into Q2 but was as bullish as Mir - saying he expects to progress out of Q1 and that he might even be glad of the extra running as sprint preparation.
First big 2025 shunt doesn't slow Marquez at all
If the sight of dominant championship leader and overwhelming pre-weekend victory favourite Marc Marquez crashing heavily just 10 minutes into the wet first practice session gave his rivals hope, that hope wouldn't have lasted very long.
THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY!
