Friday at COTA was impressive for Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) as he seemed in a league of his own – and the Spaniard stunned the field again on Saturday as he smashed the lap record in qualifying by seven tenths, taking his second career pole by almost a second. Championship leader Joan Mir (Leopard Racing) left it late but made it count, shooting up into second in the last few minutes of the session and ready to start the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas from the middle of the front row – with last year’s winner at COTA Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers) another big hitter in P3. Sky Racing Team VR46 rider Nicolo Bulega heads the second row as he aims to score some big points in the US of A after leaving Argentina empty handed, with Del Conca Gresini Moto3 duo Jorge Martin and Fabio Di Giannantonio in fifth and sixth. Seventh is Canet’s teammate Enea Bastianini, who has shown much improved pace in Texas so far, with the 2016 Championship just ahead of countryman Niccolo Antonelli (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and British Talent Team rider John McPhee. Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completes the top ten despite a crash, with Darryn Binder (Platinum Bay Real Estate) just missing out in eleventh. The top rookie on the grid is Tony Arbolino (SIC58 Squadra Corse) in twelfth after a stunning session for the Italian, with RBA BOE Racing Team duo Juanfran Guevara and Gabriel Rodrigo in tight formation behind. Philipp Oettl (Südmetall Schedl GP Racing) locks out the top fifteen.
Results QP
| POS | Rider | TEAM | Fastest lap |
| 1 | Aron CANET | Estrella Galicia 0,0 | 2’14.644 |
| 2 | Joan MIR | Leopard Racing | 2’15.631 |
| 3 | Romano FENATI | Marinelli Rivacold Snipers | 2’15.641 |
| 4 | Nicolo BULEGA | SKY Racing Team VR46 | 2’15.815 |
| 5 | Jorge MARTIN | Del Conca Gresini Moto3 | 2’15.921 |
| 6 | Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO | Del Conca Gresini Moto3 | 2’15.962 |
| 7 | Enea BASTIANINI | Estrella Galicia 0,0 | 2’16.032 |
| 8 | Niccolò ANTONELLI | Red Bull KTM Ajo | 2’16.060 |
| 9 | John MCPHEE | British Talent Team | 2’16.199 |
| 10 | Bo BENDSNEYDER | Red Bull KTM Ajo | 2’16.284 |
| 11 | Darryn BINDER | Platinum Bay Real Estate | 2’16.340 |
| 12 | Tony ARBOLINO | SIC58 Squadra Corse | 2’16.343 |
| 13 | Juanfran GUEVARA | RBA BOE Racing Team | 2’16.503 |
| 14 | Gabriel RODRIGO | RBA BOE Racing Team | 2’16.557 |
| 15 | Philipp OETTL | Südmetall Schedl GP Racing | 2’16.647 |
| 16 | Livio LOI | Leopard Racing | 2’16.753 |
| 17 | Ayumu SASAKI | SIC Racing Team | 2’16.808 |
| 18 | Tatsuki SUZUKI | SIC58 Squadra Corse | 2’16.862 |
| 19 | Andrea MIGNO | SKY Racing Team VR46 | 2’16.938 |
| 20 | Marcos RAMIREZ | Platinum Bay Real Estate | 2’17.007 |
| 21 | Jules DANILO | Marinelli Rivacold Snipers | 2’17.113 |
| 22 | Albert ARENAS | Mahindra Gaviota Aspar | 2’17.141 |
| 23 | Jakub KORNFEIL | Peugeot MC Saxoprint | 2’17.198 |
| 24 | Maria HERRERA | AGR Team | 2’17.272 |
| 25 | Adam NORRODIN | SIC Racing Team | 2’17.410 |
| 26 | Marco BEZZECCHI | CIP | 2’17.734 |
| 27 | Kaito TOBA | Honda Team Asia | 2’17.957 |
| 28 | Lorenzo DALLA PORTA | Mahindra Gaviota Aspar | 2’17.998 |
| 29 | Manuel PAGLIANI | CIP | 2’18.206 |
| 30 | Patrik PULKKINEN | Peugeot MC Saxoprint | 2’18.606 |
| 31 | Gabriel MARTINEZ-ABREGO | Motomex Team Moto3 | 2’19.074 |
| 32 | Nakarin ATIRATPHUVAPAT | Honda Team Asia | 2’19.544 |
Source: motogp.com, ajo,fi
