Márquez Rebounds from Crash to Top COTA Practice; Viñales Out

Aprilia's Ogura second as Viñales withdraws due to shoulder injury

Mar. 28, 2026 at 1:48am

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Marc Márquez bounced back from an early crash to finish fastest in Friday Practice at the Circuit of the Americas, edging out Ai Ogura as Maverick Viñales withdrew from the entire race weekend due to a lingering shoulder injury.

Why it matters

Márquez has dominated at COTA over the years, making his return to the top of the timesheets significant. Ogura's strong performance continues his breakout season, while Viñales' injury is a major blow to Aprilia's hopes at the Texas circuit.

The details

Márquez crashed in the first practice session but recovered to post the fastest time in the combined practice, beating Ogura by just 0.053 seconds. Viñales announced he would withdraw from the entire race weekend after revealing a shoulder injury has worsened, requiring surgery.

  • Márquez crashed in FP1 on Friday morning.
  • Márquez set the fastest time in the combined Friday practice session.

The players

Marc Márquez

A Spanish professional motorcycle racer who competes in the MotoGP World Championship, where he has won eight world championships.

Ai Ogura

A Japanese professional motorcycle racer who competes in the MotoGP World Championship, currently in his first full season in the premier class.

Maverick Viñales

A Spanish professional motorcycle racer who competes in the MotoGP World Championship, currently riding for the Aprilia factory team.

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What they’re saying

“I made a big mistake, but I bounced back.”

— Marc Márquez

“They told me a screw is out of place, so it's better to stop and get surgery.”

— Maverick Viñales

What’s next

Sprint racing begins on Saturday at the Circuit of the Americas.

The takeaway

Márquez's comeback from a crash to top the timesheets underscores his dominance at COTA, while Ogura's strong performance continues his breakout season. However, Viñales' withdrawal due to a lingering shoulder injury is a significant setback for Aprilia's hopes at the Texas circuit.