How 'gloves were off' Sprint race hinted at Sunday drama at Grand Prix Americas - 'Massive race on our hands' for podium

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Racing at the Circuit of the Americas got off to a stunning start as Marc Marquez held on to claim victory in the Sprint race despite a near-crash and some fierce competition from team-mate Pecco Bagnaia and brother Alex. TNT Sports experts Michael Laverty and Sylvain Guintoli said the "gloves were off" in an astonishing race and looked forward to a "massive race for the podium" on Sunday.

Breaking down a chaotic opening lap at the Grand Prix Americas Sprint race - 'The gloves were off'

Video credit: TNT Sports

The "gloves were off" in a stunning start to Saturday’s Sprint race at the Grand Prix Americas, according to TNT Sports analyst Michael Laverty.

There was barely time to breathe between incidents during an action-packed opening lap where the lead changed hands several times and race favourite Marc Marquez came close to crashing out.

Marquez’s brother Alex and Ducati team-mate Francesco Bagnaia provided the sternest opposition, the latter storming from sixth on the starting grid to grab an early lead.

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But the Spaniard eventually overcame an error that almost saw him lose control of his bike to claim victory and continue his dominant start to the 2025 MotoGP season.

Reflecting on a chaotic opening lap, Laverty said: "The gloves were off."

"Pecco [Bagnaia] was fighting from the outset. He wanted to ruffle Marc because he knew he had so much pace.

‘This wasn’t in the script!’ – Bagnaia and Marquez joust for lead in astonishing opening lap

Video credit: TNT Sports

"The scrap was on. They knew they had to hit Marc on the opening lap or else he would stretch a comfortable margin.

"But I was impressed with Pecco; his run into Turn 1, then his aggression through the snake."

Earlier on Saturday, Marquez took his third consecutive pole, and on Sunday he is aiming to win a third Grand Prix on the trot.

However, the six-time world champion almost came undone when he nearly lost control of his bike during the opening lap.

"That was so close," said TNT Sports expert Sylvain Guintoli.

"That corner is a super-long corner, there is loads of lean angle there, 60 degrees.

"It looked like Marc in the first lap struggled a little to activate that rear tyre and lost it there on the maximum lean, a little bit like he lost it in the wet yesterday.

"It just came round him and when that happens you roll off the front and wait until it comes back, it feels like ages. That was close."

Marquez recovers from ‘huge rear slide’ to retake lead in jaw-dropping start to Sprint race

Video credit: TNT Sports

'Massive race on our hands' - Guintoli

The podium was a familiar one, with a Marquez one-two of brothers Marc and Alex followed by Bagnaia – the same top three from the Thailand and Argentina Sprints.

However, the TNT Sports team believe that the rest of the field did enough to suggest that Sunday’s Grand Prix could be less predictable – not least the performances of Enduro VR46 duo Franco Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli, who finished fourth and fifth respectively.

"[Morbidelli] was on it today, he was so aggressive," said Laverty.

"Any time there was an opportunity, he was straight in there. I think the Yamaha was stronger than we all expected here in Texas, but it was Fabio making the difference."

Quartararo's 'incredible' start to Sprint race analysed - 'So difficult to get through'

Video credit: TNT Sports

Guintoli was impressed with Di Giannantonio, who qualified in second, saying: "Great race. He got a little bit caught out in some fights to start with, but his race rhythm was good.

"It was a good race for them. They would have wanted to fight for the podium though, those two. They were fighting hard but not quite there.

"I think for the GP tomorrow though, we’ve got a massive race on our hands for the podium, because all these guys have got very similar pace."

Watch and stream the 2025 MotoGP season live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

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