Finishing the session with a bang, Zarco dominated the second session, with 247/1000th ahead of Miller and 295 over Quartararo, reigning world champion.

"It feels good, a great time, happy because it's a very difficult track", reacted Zarco at the microphone of Canal +, "this morning it was hard to chain the laps (in the first test session) (...) and in the afternoon there was a good course, it freed me up on the bike, I was able to start riding better with better lap times".

"After the fall of Argentina I really had the balls, (...) but it's the chance of MotoGP, the week after we have a new chance", he appreciated.

Enea Bastianini (Ducati-Gresini) and Alex Rins (Suzuki), were also successful with the 4th and 5th times.

Rins, winner here in 2019 of his first GP in the elite (three victories in total), led the session for a long time before being overtaken.

The Spaniard Marc Marquez (Honda), back after an impressive fall on March 20 during the warm-up in Indonesia and two missed Grands Prix (Indonesia and Argentina), took 6th position.

Six-time MotoGP champion, Marquez has won seven of the eight editions of the GP on this circuit since 2013, the last of which was in 2021.

Current championship leader Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia), winner of his very first GP in Argentina, took the 11th time.

The 5.5 kilometer long circuit, whose asphalt was redone after complaints from drivers last year about dangerous bumps, remains difficult to tame according to the spectacular images of fight with recalcitrant machines, worthy of rodeos texans.

The third practice session will take place on Saturday at 9:55 a.m. local (4:55 p.m. French) before qualifying from 2:10 p.m. (9:10 p.m.) and the race on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m.).

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Combined classification of the two MotoGP free practice sessions of the Grand Prix of the Americas at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas (5.513km):

1. Johann Zarco (FRA/Ducati-Pramac) 2:02.542

2. Jack Miller (AUS/Ducati) at 0.247

3. Fabio Quartararo (FRA/Yamaha) 0.295

4. Enea Bastianini (ITA/Ducati-Gresini) 0.342

5. Alex Rins (ESP/Suzuki) 0.488

6. Marc Marquez (ESP/Honda) 0.499

7. Maverick Vinales (ESP/Aprilia) 0.543

8. Joan Mir (ESP/Suzuki) 0.601

9. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA/Ducati) 0.645

10. Jorge Martin (ESP/Ducati-Pramac) 0.813

...

Editor's note: the drivers who have achieved the ten best times in the three free practice sessions take part directly in the second qualifying session (Q2), which determines the first twelve places on the starting grid.

The others must participate in a preliminary qualifying session (Q1) of which the two fastest are drafted for Q2.

© 2022 AFP