Viñales: "We are quite confident..."

For the first time in 2017, the Friday headlines didn't lead with Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) in Texas - although the Championship leader is far from worried as he slotted into P3 on combined Friday times and topped FP1.

One small run off for the rider from Roses was the only brief blip on an otherwise ominous day's work at COTA, as Viñales showed his good form at the venue is set to continue - and unlike his contemporaries in the top three, he didn't set a flier at the end of FP2 on fresh rubber.

Maverick Viñales, P3: "I'm really happy, we were working really hard for the race. We are quite confident, I know we can do a very good job. I'm working good, I'm working hard on the bike, I feel that I'm on a good level. We still have to work on the electronics in many places. I'm feeling great, that is something important. We were focusing on ourselves. We're doing a good job all the time, we are trying to improve step by step. Important for us is working for the race, preparing for the last ten laps, because that's where we can improve.”