Miller sets blistering COTA FP3 lap, six tenths clear of Nakagami

A stunning final lap from Jack Miller during MotoGP FP3 at COTA puts him fastest by over six tenths from Honda rider Takaaki Nakagami.

Robert Jones

02 Oct 2021

Jack Miller, MotoGP, Grand Prix of the Americas, 1 October 2021
© Gold and Goose

After finishing second to Marc Marquez on day one, Jack Miller utterly dominated MotoGP FP3 at COTA.

Before the action got underway there was a slight chance of rain impacting FP3, but MotoGP riders were instead greeted by a dry COTA circuit to begin qualifying day in Austin, Texas.

During the early part of FP3, lap times were some eight tenths away from the fastest combined time of FP2 set by Marc Marquez.

Marquez was again the early pace setter just as he was during both Friday sessions, while fellow Honda rider Takaaki Nakagami was under a tenth down in P2.

With just under 15 minutes gone, Nakagami managed to reduce that gap as he went to the top with a 2:04.616s - six tenths off of Marquez’s leading time.

Joan Mir then split the two Honda riders to go second which was enough to move him into tenth overall.

With half the session gone Nakagami once again went quickest, but this time it was enough to lead the way on combined times courtesy of a 2:03.739s.

Team-mate Alex Marquez was someway off Nakagami’s pace and instead suffered a slow crash at turn one a few moments later.

Miguel Oliveira soon followed Nakagami in starting his first time attack run, a run that saw him move inside the top six with P6. The Portuguese rider was eventually bumped out of the top ten by team-mate Brad Binder.

Jack Miller, a firm favourite heading into qualifying, became the third different rider to go fastest in this session with 13 minutes left.

Improvements also came from Monster Energy Yamaha team-mates Fabio Quarararo and Franco Morbidelli, while Alex Rins, winner the last time MotoGP race at COTA also jumped up the order for Suzuki.

Yellow flags were brought out with five minutes remaining as Aleix Espargaro suffered a second crash this weekend - turn 12.

At the front, Marquez threatened to displace Miller late on, before the Australian set the first and only sub 2m 03s time so far this weekend, a lap that was a stunning six tenths quicker than Nakagami in second. Luca Marini became the third faller late on at turn two.