Riders arrive at updated Indianapolis track as Lorenzo renews for two more years
A seven-strong ride line-up of premier class stars were all in attendance at a packed pre-event press conference to mark the return from the mid-point break for MotoGP™ and the start of the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix weekend.
The track has undergone an update to the MotoGP layout since last year and that was one of Thursday’s key talking points as was Jorge Lorenzo’s new two-year deal with Movistar Yamaha MotoGP for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Lorenzo was joined by World Champion Marc Marquez, Valentino Rossi, Andrea Dovizioso, Aleix Espargaro, Nicky Hayden and Cal Crutchlow to face the media.
With the announcement coming earlier in the day that Lorenzo will stay with the same team for the forthcoming two seasons, he commented, “I am very proud to have reached this agreement with Yamaha because it was always my priority and I want to end my career with them.”
“I had a lot of problems in the first half of the year but I think that we can learn from this and come back stronger. I’m really fit and I’ve been training a lot over the summer, I’m fit, slim and motivated.”
Repsol Honda rider Marquez was of course undefeated in the first half of the season and he commented, “We’ve had some rest over the holidays, one week more or less but now we are ready to go again. We are excited to ride again, to look at the new layout and the new surface here at Indy.”
Inaugural Indianapolis race winner Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) provided his contribution, explaining, “For me the start of the season was very good. We had some good races, but unfortunately I was not able to win though our results were very consistent. We’ll keep working to improve the results.”
On the updates to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Rossi added, “I think that the improvements are quite big, a lot of the bumps seem to be gone and the new surface looks a lot better.”
Also with a new deal announced over summer Ducati Team’s Dovizioso stated, “We made a new contract for two more years, next year is looking very promising. Indy is quite a strange track, but the changes they’ve made will hopefully make the track more fun and I can’t wait to race it. We have a new engine that should help with the main straight.”
NGM Forward Racing’s Espargaro explained his negotiations for a 2015 ride are ongoing and outlined his targets for the remainder of this season, saying, “We are looking at 2015, my priority is to join Suzuki, but we’re still working on that. Our main goal this season is to finish in the top six and maybe overtake Dovizioso in the championship.”
Not taking part this weekend due to his recovery from surgery on an injured wrist Drive M7 Aspar’s American star Hayden is able to commute to Indianapolis by car and he admitted, “You hate to miss your home race, but this is the situation. The surgery went well according to the doctor and we’re hopeful that the wrist will be much better. I’m already in less pain. I’m not sure about when I’ll be riding again, but I will be back this season for sure.”
Ducati Team rider Crutchlow spoke of his decision to move to the LCR Honda MotoGP team for next season saying, “Of course I’m going to give 100% for the rest of this season to Ducati. The deal with LCR Honda happened very quickly but this is racing. I’m happy with the decision I have made.”
On his own recent surgery he added, “I don’t do things by halves, so I got the operation on both my arms. It was hard for a few days, but it healed very quickly. There was some fluid and scar tissue to clean up.”
Later in the afternoon Lorenzo and Hayden were joined by the likes of Dani Pedrosa, Colin Edwards, Finnish Moto2™ rider Mika Kallio and Spanish Moto2 competitor Luis Salom, as a group of World Championship riders had the privilege of visiting the Indiana Pacers NBA team on the eve of round ten at IMS.
Yamaha Preview
After a four-week summer break Movistar Yamaha MotoGP returns to the USA to kick off the second half of the MotoGP season with the Indianapolis Grand Prix this weekend.
Valentino Rossi enjoyed a successful first half of the season, including some exhilarating battles. The Doctor fought hard with rivals in Qatar, Jerez, Le Mans, Mugello and Catalunya, securing five podiums. Rossi returns recharged from his holiday and intends to maintain his competitive edge for the rest of the year.
Teammate Jorge Lorenzo had a challenging start to the season but kept his head down and gradually returned to form. His season’s highlights have included the thrilling battle in Mugello and his strong races in Argentina and Germany. The summer break has given Lorenzo time to recover both physically and mentally, leaving him ready to give his all the coming nine races.
Thanks to a solid start of the season Rossi has 141 championship points, putting him in third place in the standings, just seven points behind Dani Pedrosa in second. Lorenzo is motivated to continue moving up the leaderboard. He is currently fifth in the championship standings, with a gap of a mere two points to Andrea Dovizioso in fourth.
The recently repaved Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the second American track on the MotoGP calendar. Though the previous surface of this circuit has often been called challenging, both Movistar Yamaha MotoGP riders have enjoyed their share of successes at the 4.170 m long track. Few will have forgotten how Rossi withstood high winds and heavy rain brought on by the remnants of Hurricane Ike to take victory at the first Indianapolis GP in 2008. One year later it was Lorenzo’s turn to claim the win. Over the last six years the Spaniard has been on Indianapolis Motor Speedway podium five times.
Valentino Rossi – Championship Standings: 3rd / 141 points – “This break was very important, I was able to rest and recharge to start this second part of the season in the best way. The upcoming races will not be easy because we will now arrive at tracks that are difficult for me. Indianapolis is not my favourite track, but they changed the layout and the asphalt a little bit, so we have to see. We hope to be competitive there and to be competitive for all the second part of the season.”
Jorge Lorenzo – Championship Standings: 5th / 97 points – “Back to work! After a very good time relaxing while on holiday I’m now keen to get back on the bike. It’s always important to get some days off to recover physically and mentally, but I’m looking forward to ride in Indy. During this summer break I could rest and keep focused for the second half of the season. There are still nine races left and I want to give my best. I want to fight and ride in my best way to try to win. During the last race in Germany I felt quite comfortable with the bike and I think I can come back in good shape during this part of the year. I’m looking forward to racing in Indy, especially with the new asphalt, to check if it is better for us than in the previous years.”
Massimo Meregalli – Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team Director – “Now we have all had an opportunity to rest and recharge our batteries and we are ready to challenge for the second half of the season. We are all looking forward to getting to Indianapolis and getting back on track on Friday morning. I know that both Vale and Jorge had a good break so they are full of energy and impatient to ride!”
Tech3 duo ready to kick start second half of season at the Brickyard
Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team riders Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith will recommence their 2014 MotoGP World Championship campaigns at the Indianapolis Grand Prix this weekend after the mid point break for the 10thrace of the season.
Rookie Pol Espargaro will intend to build on his noticeable start to the first half of the season, which saw him finish in 7th in the world championship standings before the break and continue to bridge the gap to the leading MotoGP bikes. On the other side of the garage, Britain’s Bradley Smith will confidently aim to turn a somewhat tricky opening half of the season around and battle for a competitive and confidence boosting result this weekend.
Pol Espargaro – Championship Standings: 7th / 67 points – “With the first half of the season completed, there was time to analyse how I had performed so far this year, but now after the summer break I already can’t wait to get back on track to continue to climb higher. My performance in the opening 9 rounds was generally positive even if luck wasn’t on our side especially during the last couple of races and I hope we can show our real potential here in Indianapolis, which will see us closer to the front as I know I have more to offer. As for the Indy track itself, it is a really famous one that I am really proud to ride along with the other riders due to its rich, amazing history. There have been some revisions to the circuit which will be positive for everyone but especially for me as I have ridden well here in the past. I won my first race in the 125cc class in 2009 as well as claiming my first podium in Moto2 in 2011, so this track will always have a special place in my heart which inspires me to really go for it this weekend as well as for the rest of the year.”
Bradley Smith – Championship Standings: 11th / 48 points – “After an enjoyable summer break where I was able to fully recharge my batteries, I am ready for action this weekend at Indy and am determined to get a really strong result for myself as well as the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team to get us back on target in the championship. It’s easy to see that it has been tricky for me so far this year. Yet, my finger injury has cleared plus I am highly motivated to try my hardest to clinch a position inside the top 5 this weekend, which is where I know I need to be every race. It will be interesting to see how the modifications of the circuit affect the pace and the overtaking opportunities but for sure the changes will be positive. Now, it’s up to me. I just can’t wait to get back on the Yamaha YZR-M1, bounce back and go hard for the second half of the season.”
NGM Forward Racing returns to the USA for the Indianapolis GP
The NGM Forward Racing Team heads back across the Atlantic to the USA for the second American round on the calendar, the Indianapolis Grand Prix.
Relaxed after a nice summer break, the NGM Forward Racing riders are ready to tackle the second part of the season, starting from the US track that hosts a GP since 2008.
Aleix Espargaro – Championship Standings: 6th / 77 points – “We are heading to the USA after the summer break. I was able to rest after Sachsenring, spending a week at the seaside before returning on my usual training schedule. It will be interesting to understand the grip of the new asphalt. I’m very excited for this US round, we arrive after three very positive races in a row and I’m determined to keep this good momentum. The atmosphere is always special in America and I look forward to the race.”
Colin Edwards – Championship Standings: 18th / 8 points – “Indianapolis is a very special place with a lot of history behind. My family and friends will be there and I’m sure it will be an emotional weekend. I’m curious to see how the new surface is, as there used to be 4 different kinds of tarmacs. Also the layout has changed, so it will be very interesting. I really look forward to Indy.”
Repsol HRC Preview
After a two-week Summer holiday since the Brno Test, the Repsol Honda Team are en route to the famous Brickyard for the Red Bull Indianapolis GP.
The famous circuit – Home of the Indy 500 – is one of the most famous circuits in motorsport, ‘The Brickyard’ became an official MotoGP venue for the first time in 2008 following some modifications and homologation by the FIM. The layout of the track, which is 4.170km in length and has 16 turns (ten left turns and six rights), incorporates the main straight of the famous oval circuit including the Brickyard and an area between turns 1 and 2 of the oval, before meandering through the vast interior of the IMS.
Since last year’s race, the infield section of the Indianapolis circuit has been resurfaced and there have also been slight changes to the layout. The initial sequence of turns 1 through 4, which previously featured a tight hairpin, has now been redesigned to introduce a more flowing first few turns into a less dramatic turn 4 hairpin. Also the final sector of left-right-left turns (14, 15 and 16) has been changed to soften the extreme changes of direction.
Both Marc and Dani have enjoyed fantastic success here in the past few years, with Marc winning on three occasions – 2011 and 2012 in Moto2, 2013 in MotoGP – and Dani on two occasions – 2010, 2012 – and taking second in 2011 and 2012.
Marc Marquez – 1st – Championship Standing: 1st – 225 points – “It’s been a great Summer break, which has combined some important time off to recharge the batteries, and also training to ensure I’m ready for the second half of the season. I’ve had time to reflect on what an amazing first nine races we’ve had and now I’m really eager to get back on the bike in Indianapolis! I’ve always liked the track and it will be interesting to see the changes that they’ve made, so we’ll need to pay attention from the first practice session and get back into our rhythm as quickly as possible!”
Dani Pedrosa – 2nd – Championship Standing: 2nd – 148 points – “I’m feeling relaxed and ready for this second half of the season. The strong race in Germany and confirming my contract before the Summer break was the perfect way to end the first half of the season. Indy is a track I’ve had good results at in the past few years so my aim is to arrive there and fight again for the victory. Obviously we have new track layout to look at so it will be important to take some time with my team to examine these changes and be prepared for the race”
Gresini Honda Preview
Team GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista and Scott Redding head this weekend to the United States to take part in the Indianapolis Grand Prix: the second round of the season on American soil marks the beginning of the second half of the Championship after three weeks of summer break and it will be hosted on a revised track. Some of the tighter corners – turns 2-4, turns 7-9 and turns 15-16 – has in fact been opened up with the aim of improving rider safety, as well as the quality of racing at this famous venue; in addition, the track has been resurfaced.
Engaged last year in a good battle with Valentino Rossi and Cal Crutchlow, Bautista arrives at a venue where he has always collected good results since his MotoGP debut, back in 2010. The historic Speedway is therefore a good opportunity for the Spaniard, looking for a better consistency after the good things shown at the beginning of the season and the beautiful podium finish obtained at Le Mans.
Seven consecutive points scoring finishes allowed his teammate, Scott Redding, to close the first half of the season in the first position among the riders aboard the Open Class Honda RCV1000R, with 34 points: the goal of the English rookie in Indianapolis is to confirm himself as the fastest rider among the others with the same technical package, in order to strengthen his position in the standings.
ALVARO BAUTISTA “Indianapolis is a very strange track, but this year we are going to race on a revised layout: the design of some corners which actually were not very suitable for bike racing has been modified and the track has been re-surfaced. So I think that first of all it will be important to verify how the tyres work on the new surface. Anyway, I’ve always had good results in Indy, so our goal is to try to find immediately a good set-up in order to achieve a good feeling with the bike and be able to give our best. Finally we resume action after the summer break and I hope to show a better consistency in this second part of the championship”.
SCOTT REDDING “This year they changed a little bit the track so it will be interesting to see how it goes, but anyway with that long straight going into the first fast corner it should be exciting to race there aboard a MotoGP bike! I also like going to the United States because the fans really like to show their support and they are an inspiration for us. Starting the second half of the season with an advantage over the rest of the other production Honda riders in the championship standings is good, but now we need to continue like this. The summer break has been helpful to take a bit of rest and to get even stronger for the second half of the season. We expect high temperatures for this race so I did a lot of training and now I feel I’m prepared”.
FAUSTO GRESINI “It’s nice to be back on track, and it’s nice to do it in a fascinating venue like Indianapolis; last year Alvaro had a good race, fighting with determination. We have good memories there, so we hope to live a nice weekend. We also hope that the second half of the season can give us some more satisfactory results, because at the beginning of the championship we have already proved that we can get it; above all, I am confident that the team can find the right path to allow Alvaro to maintain a more consistent performance. The first part of Redding’s debut season in the top class has been positive: at this moment, Scott is the best placed production Honda rider in the standings, therefore so far we reached our goal; now we have to continue like this”.
Ducati Preview
After the short summer break, the MotoGP World Championship is back in action in early August for Round 10 at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The second and final appointment on US soil, following the Austin race in April, will mark the start of a tough sequence of events for the MotoGP teams and riders, with three rounds scheduled in four weeks. The race in America will in fact be followed one week later by the Czech Republic GP at Brno, and the British Round at Silverstone at the end of the month.
The Indiana state capital is famous in the world of motorsport for its International Speedway – nicknamed ‘The Brickyard’ – where the Indianapolis 500 Miles race for IndyCars is held every year at the end of May. Since 2008 the massive grandstands have also been the venue for the MotoGP race, which uses some of the banked track combined with a series of slow, twisty corners in the infield section. This year the infield has been resurfaced and some minor modifications have been made to Turns 3, 4, 7, 15 and 16, reducing lap distance to 4.170 km.
Andrea Dovizioso has stepped onto the Indianapolis podium once, with a third place in 2012, while in his three races at Indy, Crutchlow’s best result was fifth place last year.
After the last round in Germany, there has been some important news on the Ducati rider front: Andrea Dovizioso has renewed his contract with the Ducati Team for two more years, while Cal Crutchlow will leave the Italian squad at the end of the season.
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – “Indianapolis is a bit of a strange track, but this year it has been resurfaced so it will be interesting to see how the bikes go now. It’s a complicated circuit for all riders: I haven’t had much luck here, and I only managed to get onto the podium in 2012. This year it’s difficult to think that we can fight for the podium, but in any case I’m fourth overall in the standings and I’ll continue to fight hard to keep that position.”
Cal Crutchlow (Ducati Team #35) – “Indy is a circuit I’m quite looking forward to, and my approach will be the same as always: give my everything to get a good result. Last year I scored a good fifth place after battling with Rossi and Bautista, but this year I think it’s going to be a difficult circuit for the Ducati, with the last four corners cutting back on themselves. We suffered a lot with understeer in Germany so we will have to work hard to improve at Indianapolis.”
Bridgestone Preview
Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft, Medium & Hard; Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric)
Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Soft (Main), Hard (Alternative)
Round ten of the 2014 season sees MotoGP™ return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway although this year, the home of American motorsport unveils a new layout to kick-off the second half of the championship.
The revised Indianapolis MotoGP course is 4.170 kilometres in length and features a re-surfaced infield section which should yield more consistent grip levels for the riders. Three sections of the track has had modifications made to the layout; turns 2-4, turns 7-9 and turns 15-16. The overall effect is that some of the tighter corners have been opened up with the aim of improving rider safety, as well as the quality of racing at this famous venue. Indianapolis is one of the few circuits on the calendar that is run in a counter-clockwise direction, and features ten left-hand turns compared to six right-hand turns so asymmetric rear slicks with harder rubber on the left shoulder are supplied here.
The Indianapolis circuit is quite severe on rear tyres and in particular, the section of left-handers through turns twelve to fourteen generates very high rear tyre temperatures. The circuit features a ‘stop-and-go’ layout with slow corners separated by short straight sections which place an emphasis on good rear traction and braking stability.
Rear slick options for the Factory Honda and Yamaha riders are the medium and hard compound, while the Ducati and Open-class riders are allocated the soft and medium compound rear slicks. Front slick compounds for all riders at Indianapolis are the soft, medium and hard compounds. The main wet tyre for Indianapolis is the soft compound, although every rider will be able to also select up to two front and rear wet tyres in the alternative, hard compound option.
Hiroshi Yamada – Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department – “After a four week break from racing, there is no better place to get the second half of the MotoGP season started than Indianapolis; a venue steeped in history, in a city that holds motorsport very close to its heart. There is always a great atmosphere throughout the whole of Indianapolis when MotoGP comes to town and it’s always a pleasure visiting here. The circuit has been re-surfaced and the layout has changed slightly and this will hopefully make things easier for riders at what is a tight, but technical circuit. Indianapolis is also the venue for our annual Bridgestone Golf Performance Challenge and I once again look forward to welcoming the riders and media attending this event, which is an enjoyable way to get back into the swing of the Grand Prix season.”
Shinji Aoki – Manager, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyre Development Department – “A recent re-surfacing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway means that there’s only a single type of tarmac on the infield section, whereas in previous years there were a few different types of tarmac which caused variable grip levels for riders. The circuit has also had some corners modified for this year, but overall the circuit still retains its usual character with many low-speed corners. The layout of the circuit puts greater stress on the left shoulder of the tyres and the run from turns twelve to fourteen generates very high temperatures on the left shoulder of the rear tyre. To ensure adequate temperature resistance and durability, we supply asymmetric rear slicks with harder rubber on the left shoulder at this circuit. The front slick compounds for Indianapolis are from the harder end of our compound range for maximum durability and braking stability at what is a ‘stop-and-go’ circuit.”
