Austin first welcomed the world’s best riders in 2013 and the teams, competitors, and fans are back for the 12th edition this weekend. MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas pre-event odds heavily favor Marc Marquez. The series leader has dominated this event, winning seven of the previous 11 races. Maverick Viñales returns to defend his crown but will battle against the in-form older Marquez.
After reading our analysis, check out ourpartner sportsbooks to get valuable promotions and place bets.
In addition to traditional sports betting on MotoGP, the Grand Prix of the Americas has Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) Real Money Gaming available in a Pick’Em style on Underdog. Although “fantasy games” might seem misleading, DFS is a significant and growing category within legal sports wagering. MotoGP fans are allowed to legally make better/worse picks with real money gaming in 30 states, including California, Texas & Wisconsin, where traditional sports betting is currently illegal.
Schedule and How to Watch the Grand Prix of the Americas
A festival of MotoGP racing pulls out of the pit lane at 11:45 AM ET on Friday for FP1. Qualifying hits the track late on Saturday morning with the first session on the cards for 11:50 AM, followed directly by the second round.
Riders will line up on the grid for the customary Saturday sprint at 4 PM Eastern, before returning to the track on Sunday for a 3 PM Grand Prix start. Fox Sports, your dedicated motorsports broadcaster, is standing by from the track in Austin to bring you live coverage of all the practice, qualifying, sprint, and the main event.
Weather Forecast For Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas
Warm temperatures are forecast for the GP weekend, fluctuating between the low to high 70s. Rain is on the cards for all three days, but practice on Friday will receive the brunt of it. Windy predicts 0.083 inches of precipitation on Friday afternoon during practice, with light rain set to fall on Saturday and Sunday.
Best Bets and Picks for the 2025 MotoGP of the Americas
Top Picks and Bets
Driver
Event Winner
$20 Payout
Marc Marquez
-400
$25.00
Alex Marquez
+400
$100.00
Francesco Bagnaia
+700
$160.00
Marc Marquez (-400):
Series leader Marc Marquez returns to a track where he has accumulated a 63.64% winning record. Seven wins at this track make the oldest Marquez brother the most winningest MotoGP rider at this venue, and he is well positioned to win an eighth here. The Cerveri has taken the checkered flag in every race in 2025, claiming the sprint and Grand Prix in Thailand and Argentina.
Alex Marquez (+400):
Alex Marquez looked calm in Argentina, leading for the majority of Sunday’s race, before yielding to his older brother. Alex settled for second, a position he has grown accustomed to this season, finishing runner-up in every GP and sprint race so far in 2025.
Francesco Bagnaia (+700):
Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia tasted success at the Austin track in 2023, when he crossed the line first in the sprint. The Italian is yet to lift a trophy in the Grand Prix at this track, despite qualifying fastest twice in his COTA history. Besides historical results here, Bagnaia starts with one GP and two sprint podiums to his name this season.
Outsider Bets
Driver
Event Winner
$20 Payout
Franco Morbidelli
+2000
$420.00
Marco Bezzecchi
+2800
$580.00
Brad Binder
+4000
$820.00
Franco Morbidelli (+2000):
Prima Pramac rider Franco Morbidelli is a consistent character this season, finishing inside the top five in both Sunday races. He clung to fourth place in Thailand, before bettering it in Termas de Rio Hondo with a podium place. The Italian struggled in the United States last season, crossing the line 10th in the sprint and crashing out in the Grand Prix.
Marco Bezzecchi (+2800):
Marco Bezzecchi walked away from Texas last year with 13th in the sprint and an eighth-place return in the Grand Prix. His campaign started on a promising note in Thailand when he crossed the line in sixth on the Sunday, but he struggled in Argentina, crashing out on the first lap. Bezzecchi hit the brakes too late, hitting Quartararo’s rear tire.
Brad Binder (+4000):
Two-time Moto GP winner Brad Binder finds himself in 7th on the standings after finishing inside the top 10 in Thailand and Argentina. The South African crashed out of the sprint early at Termas de Rio Hondo, after Morbidelli made contact with him. Binder’s last trip to Texas yielded a ninth-place finish in the Grand Prix, and he finished outside the top 10 in the sprint.
Expert Pick for MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas
His odds are short, but Marc Marquez’s record, coupled with his current form makes him our expert pick. The veteran is in-form after back-to-back victories to open the season and he is a seven-time winner in Austin. Sportsbooks have the Championship leader at -400, paying $25 for the win.
Where to Bet on MotoGP
Visit our partner sportsbooksto access special deals that will elevate your betting experience as you anticipate the upcoming GP of the Americas. If you’re a newbie in the world of MotoGP betting, our comprehensive MotoGP Betting Guide is a must-read. Remember to enjoy the race and make your betting choices wisely. Betting responsibly ensures the fun lasts all season long.
MotoGP is back at the Circuit of the Americas for the 12th edition of the event. Maverick Viñales begins his title defence on Friday, but a woeful start to 2025, places him among the longshots for the event. Marc Marquez holds a dominant record at this track with seven wins in 11 attempts. Can the older Marquez win again in Austin and extend his series lead?
Marco Bezzecchi set the early benchmark in Friday’s opening Free Practice (FP1) at the Thai Grand Prix at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, topping the MotoGP timesheets with a 1:29.346 on a medium rear tire and holding the fastest lap for the entire 45-minute session. His FP1 time was slower than the 1:28.668 he set on a soft tire during last weekend’s test.
Fabio Di Giannantonio was the quickest Ducati in second with a 1:29.456, while Jorge Martin recovered from a crash at the final corner to record third with a 1:29.551; Martin reportedly kept his engine running by grabbing the clutch to avoid a service-road restart penalty. The timesheet was tight, with less than a second covering the top 13 and all five manufacturers represented inside that group. Pedro Acosta was the top KTM in fifth, reigning champion Marc Marquez was sixth as he continued to recover from last weekend’s illness, and Francesco Bagnaia was seventh, just 0.019 seconds adrift of Marquez; Franco Morbidelli, Alex Marquez and Luca Marini completed the top 10.
FP1 action in the support classes set early benchmarks as well: in Moto2, David Alonso topped the session with a 1:35.148 on his Pirelli-shod CFMOTO Inde Aspar Kalex, edging Izan Guevara by 0.012 seconds, with Filip Salac third and Collin Veijer, Manuel Gonzalez and Dani Holgado fourth to sixth and Tony Arbolino tenth. In Moto3, Adrian Fernandez led FP1 with a 1:41.302 for Leopard Racing, ahead of Joel Kelso and David Almansa, establishing the early order ahead of later practice that will help decide direct Q2 access.
FIM stewards disqualified Adrian Fernandez from multiple Moto3 GPs after finding security seals had been breached on Leopard Racing Honda engines, costing him the points from the affected rounds and dropping him down the championship standings. Different outlets reported varying effects on his placing — he was recorded as falling from third to as low as 11th, 19th or 20th, with reported season point totals varying between 13 and 41 depending on which results were struck.
The irregularities were identified after a routine engine seizure and post‑race inspection at the French GP. Honda’s checks found anomalies on engine units #810 and #811. The stewards concluded that wire seals and sealing stickers did not conform to the approved system and that at least one engine had been opened without authorization, citing breaches of Articles 2.6.3.3 and 3.3.2.2 of the FIM regulations.
The stewards treated the tampered engines as rebuilt under Article 2.6.3.3.13(c), meaning each counted as two units against Fernandez’s six‑engine allocation. Unit #811 was also withdrawn as unfit for competition on safety grounds.
Sources differed on the full scope of results annulled. Several notices and rulings disqualified Fernandez from the Thai, Brazilian, United States and Spanish GPs in relation to one engine and from the French and Catalan GPs in relation to the other (opening six races), while one report focused on four rounds tied to engine #810. Because outlets reported different sets of excluded rounds, the published impacts on Fernandez’s points and standings vary.
Leopard Racing’s appeals against the disqualification were rejected by the FIM stewards after a hearing; the team has five days to escalate the case to the International Court of Appeal. The stewards’ report did not specify whether further team sanctions will follow, and Leopard had not issued a public comment in the immediate aftermath.
Pedro Acosta’s rise in MotoGP has been driven as much by a change in mentality as by upgrades to KTM’s RC16, and KTM motorsport director Pit Beirer credited Acosta’s increased maturity, the RC16 improvements and a new “get what you can” mindset that abandoned an all-or-nothing style. Acosta summed up the shift: “I make fewer mistakes and use my brain more.” The revised approach produced more consistent fourth- to sixth-place finishes rather than risky attempts at wins.
That change translated into results on track. After three rounds Acosta produced his strongest start in the premier class and became the first KTM rider to lead the championship after winning a Sprint and finishing second at the Thailand Grand Prix. He secured his debut Sprint victory this season, has two Grand Prix podiums so far, has scored points in all six races alongside Jorge Martín, and turned an eighth-place Sprint at the USA Grand Prix into a Sunday podium. After six races he sits third in the standings, 21 points behind leader Marco Bezzecchi as he heads to his home round at Jerez on April 24-26.
Observers still point to limitations in KTM machinery that make a title unlikely this season, but the combination of results, mentality and the prospect of an Acosta and Marc Márquez pairing at Ducati has raised talk of a possible master-versus-apprentice rivalry should Acosta get a competitive bike. Acosta called teaming with the nine-time world champion Marc Márquez a “dream come true,” and Oscar Piastri echoed the sentiment, saying he wants to see Acosta “on a bike that can compete” and calling a title fight between Acosta and Márquez “really cool” to watch. The reported Ducati move was said to have been agreed before the season but remains unannounced while a commercial agreement for 2027 between manufacturers and MotoGP is unresolved.
Jorge Martín attended the Sepang test but did not ride as he continues to recover from surgery following the Valencia round. He said the pain after Valencia had been so severe he “couldn’t even hold a glass in my hand,” and that a second operation using bone grafts was needed to stabilise his collarbone. That procedure required four weeks of immobilisation rather than the two days after an earlier operation. Martín said he had six surgeries in 2025, including interventions on his hand and collarbone, and that he rejected doctors’ recommendations to postpone some procedures into the following year. He added that the experience taught him not to rush returns to the bike after a difficult campaign.
Martín reported he is “much better” than he was in Valencia, with improved strength in his collarbone and hand, though mobility still needs work. He said he can “see the light” toward full fitness and aims to get back on the bike for the season-opening Buriram tests if he passes a medical check scheduled for Monday. Aprilia confirmed he would not ride at Sepang because of late-year procedures.
He said part of his team is working on his future while he concentrates on rehabilitation, and he praised teammate Marco Bezzecchi’s contract renewal as a positive for the team environment.
Responding to reports linking him to Yamaha for 2027, Martín denied he had already signed and reiterated he wants to focus on Aprilia and this season, the final year of his deal. He acknowledged the rider market is moving quickly, and there is no fixed deadline on negotiations. Overall, his message at Sepang combined a medical update, a firm focus on the upcoming season with Aprilia, and a measured denial of transfer rumours, while allowing the behind‑the‑scenes planning for his next contract to continue.
Best Bets: 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas Pre-Event Odds Analysis
Austin first welcomed the world’s best riders in 2013 and the teams, competitors, and fans are back for the 12th edition this weekend. MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas pre-event odds heavily favor Marc Marquez. The series leader has dominated this event, winning seven of the previous 11 races. Maverick Viñales returns to defend his crown but will battle against the in-form older Marquez.
After reading our analysis, check out our partner sportsbooks to get valuable promotions and place bets.
In addition to traditional sports betting on MotoGP, the Grand Prix of the Americas has Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) Real Money Gaming available in a Pick’Em style on Underdog. Although “fantasy games” might seem misleading, DFS is a significant and growing category within legal sports wagering. MotoGP fans are allowed to legally make better/worse picks with real money gaming in 30 states, including California, Texas & Wisconsin, where traditional sports betting is currently illegal.
Schedule and How to Watch the Grand Prix of the Americas
A festival of MotoGP racing pulls out of the pit lane at 11:45 AM ET on Friday for FP1. Qualifying hits the track late on Saturday morning with the first session on the cards for 11:50 AM, followed directly by the second round.
Riders will line up on the grid for the customary Saturday sprint at 4 PM Eastern, before returning to the track on Sunday for a 3 PM Grand Prix start. Fox Sports, your dedicated motorsports broadcaster, is standing by from the track in Austin to bring you live coverage of all the practice, qualifying, sprint, and the main event.
Weather Forecast For Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas
Warm temperatures are forecast for the GP weekend, fluctuating between the low to high 70s. Rain is on the cards for all three days, but practice on Friday will receive the brunt of it. Windy predicts 0.083 inches of precipitation on Friday afternoon during practice, with light rain set to fall on Saturday and Sunday.
Best Bets and Picks for the 2025 MotoGP of the Americas
Top Picks and Bets
Driver
Event Winner
$20 Payout
Marc Marquez
-400
$25.00
Alex Marquez
+400
$100.00
Francesco Bagnaia
+700
$160.00
Marc Marquez (-400):
Series leader Marc Marquez returns to a track where he has accumulated a 63.64% winning record. Seven wins at this track make the oldest Marquez brother the most winningest MotoGP rider at this venue, and he is well positioned to win an eighth here. The Cerveri has taken the checkered flag in every race in 2025, claiming the sprint and Grand Prix in Thailand and Argentina.
Alex Marquez (+400):
Alex Marquez looked calm in Argentina, leading for the majority of Sunday’s race, before yielding to his older brother. Alex settled for second, a position he has grown accustomed to this season, finishing runner-up in every GP and sprint race so far in 2025.
Francesco Bagnaia (+700):
Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia tasted success at the Austin track in 2023, when he crossed the line first in the sprint. The Italian is yet to lift a trophy in the Grand Prix at this track, despite qualifying fastest twice in his COTA history. Besides historical results here, Bagnaia starts with one GP and two sprint podiums to his name this season.
Outsider Bets
Driver
Event Winner
$20 Payout
Franco Morbidelli
+2000
$420.00
Marco Bezzecchi
+2800
$580.00
Brad Binder
+4000
$820.00
Franco Morbidelli (+2000):
Prima Pramac rider Franco Morbidelli is a consistent character this season, finishing inside the top five in both Sunday races. He clung to fourth place in Thailand, before bettering it in Termas de Rio Hondo with a podium place. The Italian struggled in the United States last season, crossing the line 10th in the sprint and crashing out in the Grand Prix.
Marco Bezzecchi (+2800):
Marco Bezzecchi walked away from Texas last year with 13th in the sprint and an eighth-place return in the Grand Prix. His campaign started on a promising note in Thailand when he crossed the line in sixth on the Sunday, but he struggled in Argentina, crashing out on the first lap. Bezzecchi hit the brakes too late, hitting Quartararo’s rear tire.
Brad Binder (+4000):
Two-time Moto GP winner Brad Binder finds himself in 7th on the standings after finishing inside the top 10 in Thailand and Argentina. The South African crashed out of the sprint early at Termas de Rio Hondo, after Morbidelli made contact with him. Binder’s last trip to Texas yielded a ninth-place finish in the Grand Prix, and he finished outside the top 10 in the sprint.
Expert Pick for MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas
His odds are short, but Marc Marquez’s record, coupled with his current form makes him our expert pick. The veteran is in-form after back-to-back victories to open the season and he is a seven-time winner in Austin. Sportsbooks have the Championship leader at -400, paying $25 for the win.
Where to Bet on MotoGP
Visit our partner sportsbooks to access special deals that will elevate your betting experience as you anticipate the upcoming GP of the Americas. If you’re a newbie in the world of MotoGP betting, our comprehensive MotoGP Betting Guide is a must-read. Remember to enjoy the race and make your betting choices wisely. Betting responsibly ensures the fun lasts all season long.
MotoGP is back at the Circuit of the Americas for the 12th edition of the event. Maverick Viñales begins his title defence on Friday, but a woeful start to 2025, places him among the longshots for the event. Marc Marquez holds a dominant record at this track with seven wins in 11 attempts. Can the older Marquez win again in Austin and extend his series lead?
Related Posts
Bezzecchi posts 1:29.346 FP1 best at Buriram
Marco Bezzecchi set the early benchmark in Friday’s opening Free Practice (FP1) at the Thai Grand Prix at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, topping the MotoGP timesheets with a 1:29.346 on a medium rear tire and holding the fastest lap for the entire 45-minute session. His FP1 time was slower than the 1:28.668 he set on a soft tire during last weekend’s test.
Fabio Di Giannantonio was the quickest Ducati in second with a 1:29.456, while Jorge Martin recovered from a crash at the final corner to record third with a 1:29.551; Martin reportedly kept his engine running by grabbing the clutch to avoid a service-road restart penalty. The timesheet was tight, with less than a second covering the top 13 and all five manufacturers represented inside that group. Pedro Acosta was the top KTM in fifth, reigning champion Marc Marquez was sixth as he continued to recover from last weekend’s illness, and Francesco Bagnaia was seventh, just 0.019 seconds adrift of Marquez; Franco Morbidelli, Alex Marquez and Luca Marini completed the top 10.
FP1 action in the support classes set early benchmarks as well: in Moto2, David Alonso topped the session with a 1:35.148 on his Pirelli-shod CFMOTO Inde Aspar Kalex, edging Izan Guevara by 0.012 seconds, with Filip Salac third and Collin Veijer, Manuel Gonzalez and Dani Holgado fourth to sixth and Tony Arbolino tenth. In Moto3, Adrian Fernandez led FP1 with a 1:41.302 for Leopard Racing, ahead of Joel Kelso and David Almansa, establishing the early order ahead of later practice that will help decide direct Q2 access.
FIM disqualifies Adrian Fernandez over tampered Leopard Honda engines
FIM stewards disqualified Adrian Fernandez from multiple Moto3 GPs after finding security seals had been breached on Leopard Racing Honda engines, costing him the points from the affected rounds and dropping him down the championship standings. Different outlets reported varying effects on his placing — he was recorded as falling from third to as low as 11th, 19th or 20th, with reported season point totals varying between 13 and 41 depending on which results were struck.
The irregularities were identified after a routine engine seizure and post‑race inspection at the French GP. Honda’s checks found anomalies on engine units #810 and #811. The stewards concluded that wire seals and sealing stickers did not conform to the approved system and that at least one engine had been opened without authorization, citing breaches of Articles 2.6.3.3 and 3.3.2.2 of the FIM regulations.
The stewards treated the tampered engines as rebuilt under Article 2.6.3.3.13(c), meaning each counted as two units against Fernandez’s six‑engine allocation. Unit #811 was also withdrawn as unfit for competition on safety grounds.
Sources differed on the full scope of results annulled. Several notices and rulings disqualified Fernandez from the Thai, Brazilian, United States and Spanish GPs in relation to one engine and from the French and Catalan GPs in relation to the other (opening six races), while one report focused on four rounds tied to engine #810. Because outlets reported different sets of excluded rounds, the published impacts on Fernandez’s points and standings vary.
Leopard Racing’s appeals against the disqualification were rejected by the FIM stewards after a hearing; the team has five days to escalate the case to the International Court of Appeal. The stewards’ report did not specify whether further team sanctions will follow, and Leopard had not issued a public comment in the immediate aftermath.
Acosta’s consistency moves him to third before Jerez
Pedro Acosta’s rise in MotoGP has been driven as much by a change in mentality as by upgrades to KTM’s RC16, and KTM motorsport director Pit Beirer credited Acosta’s increased maturity, the RC16 improvements and a new “get what you can” mindset that abandoned an all-or-nothing style. Acosta summed up the shift: “I make fewer mistakes and use my brain more.” The revised approach produced more consistent fourth- to sixth-place finishes rather than risky attempts at wins.
That change translated into results on track. After three rounds Acosta produced his strongest start in the premier class and became the first KTM rider to lead the championship after winning a Sprint and finishing second at the Thailand Grand Prix. He secured his debut Sprint victory this season, has two Grand Prix podiums so far, has scored points in all six races alongside Jorge Martín, and turned an eighth-place Sprint at the USA Grand Prix into a Sunday podium. After six races he sits third in the standings, 21 points behind leader Marco Bezzecchi as he heads to his home round at Jerez on April 24-26.
Observers still point to limitations in KTM machinery that make a title unlikely this season, but the combination of results, mentality and the prospect of an Acosta and Marc Márquez pairing at Ducati has raised talk of a possible master-versus-apprentice rivalry should Acosta get a competitive bike. Acosta called teaming with the nine-time world champion Marc Márquez a “dream come true,” and Oscar Piastri echoed the sentiment, saying he wants to see Acosta “on a bike that can compete” and calling a title fight between Acosta and Márquez “really cool” to watch. The reported Ducati move was said to have been agreed before the season but remains unannounced while a commercial agreement for 2027 between manufacturers and MotoGP is unresolved.
Martín Targets Buriram Return Pending Monday Medical Check
Jorge Martín attended the Sepang test but did not ride as he continues to recover from surgery following the Valencia round. He said the pain after Valencia had been so severe he “couldn’t even hold a glass in my hand,” and that a second operation using bone grafts was needed to stabilise his collarbone. That procedure required four weeks of immobilisation rather than the two days after an earlier operation. Martín said he had six surgeries in 2025, including interventions on his hand and collarbone, and that he rejected doctors’ recommendations to postpone some procedures into the following year. He added that the experience taught him not to rush returns to the bike after a difficult campaign.
Martín reported he is “much better” than he was in Valencia, with improved strength in his collarbone and hand, though mobility still needs work. He said he can “see the light” toward full fitness and aims to get back on the bike for the season-opening Buriram tests if he passes a medical check scheduled for Monday. Aprilia confirmed he would not ride at Sepang because of late-year procedures.
He said part of his team is working on his future while he concentrates on rehabilitation, and he praised teammate Marco Bezzecchi’s contract renewal as a positive for the team environment.
Responding to reports linking him to Yamaha for 2027, Martín denied he had already signed and reiterated he wants to focus on Aprilia and this season, the final year of his deal. He acknowledged the rider market is moving quickly, and there is no fixed deadline on negotiations. Overall, his message at Sepang combined a medical update, a firm focus on the upcoming season with Aprilia, and a measured denial of transfer rumours, while allowing the behind‑the‑scenes planning for his next contract to continue.