The 2026 Moto2 United States Grand Prix left Alex Escrig with mixed feelings, but ultimately a positive outcome, as he managed to overcome a very difficult start to the weekend at the Circuit of the Americas. The rider from Puçol started Friday far from the front-runners, recording a modest 21st place in FP1. In the practice session, the Samurai failed to secure direct entry to Q2, finishing the day in 16th place and confirming the initial difficulties on a track that didn’t quite suit his riding style.
Saturday didn’t get off to the best start either, with Escrig dropping down to 27th place in FP2. However, the Valencian rider showed real grit in Q1, where he set the third-fastest time to secure a place in Q2. In the final qualifying session, Alex brought out his best form to secure a creditable sixth place on the grid, a crucial result that completely changed the script for the weekend and put him in a position to fight for the top spots.
Sunday’s race was tense from the start. The rider from Puçol got off to a good start, gaining a couple of places in the opening metres. However, before the first lap was complete, a red flag brought the race to a halt and it was restarted with just ten laps remaining. At the second start, Escrig held his position and showed a solid, consistent pace, managing the distance well to cross the finish line in a valuable eighth place, thus adding another top-10 finish to his season.
At the end of the Grand Prix, Alex reflected on his performance in a more thoughtful speech: “It’s been a very difficult weekend from the start, as we realised on Friday that this track was going to be a real struggle for us due to a lack of feel with the bike. It wasn’t responding as we’d hoped. Even so, the most positive thing is that we managed to turn the situation around, which is very important because it shows that we can be competitive and fight for the front positions in different circumstances. We felt more confident in qualifying, which allowed us to start from a good position. From there, after a good start, we managed to maintain a solid pace and hold our positions to secure another top 10 finish, with eighth place being a positive result. I’m very happy with the points we’ve scored, which put us in a good position in the championship. Now we need to keep this up and tackle circuits that, on paper, suit us better.”