Casey O'Gorman may only be 18 years of age but already he has a wealth of racing experience behind him, and, all going well, the Laois teenager has a career at the very pinnacle of motorbike racing ahead of him.
His speed and natural ability have been apparent for many years now.
The young Irishman is used to winning and running at the sharp end of the field.
Now he’s on the first rung of the elite Grand Prix ladder, surrounded by the world’s best young riders - and O’Gorman is there on merit.
In the junior classes, he has beaten the best on the current Moto3 grid, including the immensely talented Max Quiles, the current championship leader and favourite for the title.
The learning curve continues, however, and that was evident at the US GP at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin on Sunday.
O’Gorman achieved the best qualifying position of his Moto3 career so far, starting second on the grid at a circuit he had never raced at before.
He lost a couple of places as they raced up to Turn 1, which is no major issue in the fast-changing world of a Moto3 GP leaderboard.
During the race, he ran wide on occasion while battling for position, and as four riders pulled away at the front, he became embroiled in a pace-sapping midfield battle, which he led on and off for over half the race.
O'Gorman (above) pulled off several audacious overtakes before unfortunately crashing with four laps to go.
That happens, even to the best.
To illustrate, Marc Marquez, one of the greatest riders of all time, has crashed 250 times over his 288 Grand Prix weekends.
Racing at - and sometimes beyond - the limit carries risks, but improvements in circuits and airbag-equipped leathers have helped reduce injuries.
No points in Texas for O’Gorman will hurt after his strong showings in Thailand and Brazil, but the lessons learned should serve him well at the Spanish GP in Jerez on 26 April.
The Moto3 race was won by Guido Pini, with Max Quiles second and Alvaro Carpe third.
MotoGP Highlights
Aprilia continued to impress in the premier class.
Jorge Martin (above) won the MotoGP Sprint race, while Marco Bezzecchi claimed victory in Sunday’s feature race.
Bezzecchi’s fifth consecutive win, leading from start to finish in each race, set a new record for consecutive laps led in the premier class.
While he may not yet be the finished article, his demeanour increasingly reflects that of a future world champion.
Moto2: Agius Triumphs, Piqueras Injured
In Moto2, Australian Senna Agius confirmed his championship credentials with his first win of the season. Celestino Vietti was second and Izan Guevara third.
The race was, however, marred by a collision involving seven riders on the first lap at Turn 11.
SENNA AGIUS TAKES THE VICTORY IN #MOTO2!! 🏆🇦🇺#USGP 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/aq3phiocWJ
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 29, 2026
Ángel Piqueras suffered the most serious injuries, including a fractured femur and ankle damage, and will be sidelined for a spell.
Other riders involved were assessed by medical staff, with some continuing the race and others unable to restart.
