MotoGP 2013 – Round 11 – Brno
The MotoGP™ pre-race Thursday press conference saw Repsol Honda Team’s championship leading rookie Marc Marquez joined by Yamaha Factory Racing duo Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi, Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden, Cardion AB Motoracing’s Karel Abraham, as well as Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Moto3™ leader Luis Salom, as they get set for the second race in successive weekends.
Marquez, despite his current form, does not believe he is the favourite for this weekend: “It’s an important moment of the season. It looks like Yamaha will be strong here because they have already done a test, especially Jorge looking strong; but we will see and try to do our best here and beat them. Every race will be close, with everybody fighting to be in front. We will see. At the remaining races the championship is quite close with many, many points left – still nearly half a season in front of us.”
Lorenzo on the other hand, despite having tested at this track during the summer with his teammate, is adamant that the Hondas remain the bikes to beat, and that he needs to get back to winning ways as soon as possible: ““It’s not so simple. I don’t think we’re the favourites at any race at the moment, but I do think this track will be good for my riding and the Yamaha…We didn’t crash at Indianapolis and got a podium after some weeks without it. Now, if we want to win this world title, we have to win as soon as possible. At the moment it’s not so simple, but we’re going to try.”
Rossi is hoping to start the weekend significantly better than he did at Indy, and spoke about his memories at the track where he took his first ever win in 1996: “We have to do better by being stronger in practice, starting further in front and being better in the race. On paper this track is good for the M1, but right now Honda – especially Marc – is very strong so we have to do a great job to stay with them.
“It’s a long, long time! But I’m very proud to still be here and to have stayed at the top. It was a moment I will never forget, because in a career of a rider, your first World Championship victory and your first pole is always fantastic. I like this track a lot.”
Hayden, who missed Brno through injury last year, believes that this race could suit them better than Indianapolis, and was not yet able to clarify the rumours surrounding his future: “I didn’t come to Brno last year, so I hope on paper we can be a bit more competitive with less bumps and longer straights – but I’m sure everybody thinks the same! Brno is a track I really love and I think everybody does. Let’s hope we can be more competitive than last week.
“I really can’t (tell you anything). It’s not just me, I really don’t know yet, but it does look exciting because a month ago I didn’t have this many options – some that are really quite exciting that got me looking forward to the future. These next few weeks are a crutch time, I would say, to make some choices, but I’m looking forward to making some decisions and see what is left.”
Abraham is still recovering from his big crash last weekend, and is hoping he can do well in front of his home crowd: “We tried to push at Indy but had some technical problems which basically kicked me off the seat. My left shoulder is almost dislocated and now really hurts. We have already made our decision. I definitely want to race on Sunday. We’re working really hard, physio on shoulder every day. It will probably be necessary to get some anaesthetic on the shoulder – don’t really want to – but it’s necessary.” He also confirmed that the team is in talks about buying Honda’s “production racer” for next year, yet said that nothing had been signed at this time.
Salom, another one to injure himself during Indianapolis, will be gritting his teeth this weekend to keep his lead in the championship: “I had an injection before the race but sometimes couldn’t feel my foot and for that reason kept putting the bike into neutral. Last night I went to hospital again, who did an x-ray and revealed the foot was broken. I don’t have so much pain now, so I’ll try to be back okay again. Yes, they are looking at Monday [to operate] but I really don’t know. We need to try tomorrow and see how it is after, but I hope not to have so much pain, to be able to go really fast, and not think so much about the foot.”
Thursday also saw riders from all three categories, including LCR Honda MotoGP’s Stefan Bradl, Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista, NGM Mobile Forward Racing’s Colin Edwards, Karel Abraham, and Came IodaRacing Project’s Lukas Pesek, as well as Moto2™’s Technomag carXpert’s Dominique Aegerter, Interwetten-Paddock’s Tom Luthi, Dynavolt Intact GP’s Sandro Cortese and Moto3™’s Redox RW Racing GP’s Jakub Kornfeil, visited the Vankovka Mall in Brno to sign autographs and have a Q&A session with local fans.
— Minimal rest as MotoGP excitement continues in Brno
Following a great race in Indianapolis filled with excitement, the MotoGP™ grid packed its bags and is heading straight to Brno in the Czech Republic to contest this weekend’s bwin Grand Prix České republiky.
And seeing the tremendous form Repsol Honda Team’s championship leading rookie Marc Marquez is in after his sensational win in Indianapolis last time out, all eyes will be on the Spanish youngster once more as he takes to the popular Czech circuit for the first time on a MotoGP™ bike. His teammate and main rival in the title race, Dani Pedrosa, also put in a great showing, and will be one week further into the healing process from his broken collarbone sustained in Germany.
Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo, also recuperating well, will hope to get back to winning ways at the fast and flowing track, which might be helped by the mid-summer test he and teammate Valentino Rossi carried out at the Brno track a few weeks ago. Rossi will aim to have a better weekend than last at the circuit where he took his first ever world championship win, whilst Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Cal Crutchlow will be buoyed by the fact that he took his first GP podium there last year.
GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista’s current form sees him heading into the race with optimism, whilst LCR Honda MotoGP’s Stefan Bradl will look to get back to the pace that saw him take his first podium in Laguna Seca last month. Tech 3’s Bradley Smith showed great glimpses of form in Indianapolis, going as high as fourth at one point, giving the British youngster good confidence to once again battle it out with Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso, who had a spectacular coming together at the final corner last time out.
Ignite Pramac Racing will be without the injured Ben Spies, who will be replaced by Ducati Team test rider Michele Pirro, alongside Energy T.I. Pramac Racing’s Andrea Iannone. Heading up the CRTs will once again be Power Electronics Aspar’s Aleix Espargaro, who continues to impress on board the ART, whilst his teammate Randy de Puniet will be looking to make up for the disappointment of having to retire from the last race.
NGM Mobile Forward Racing’s Colin Edwards will be another one to watch closely, whilst Cardion AB Motoracing’s Karel Abraham should be back in action in front of his home fans after missing Indianapolis through injury. The rest of the CRT grid will be joined by wildcard Martin Bauer with the Remus Racing Team on a Suter BMW machine – the first time an Austrian squad will compete in the premier-class.
World Championship Standings MotoGP™
1 Marc Marquez 188 pts SPA HONDA Repsol Honda Team
2 Dani Pedrosa 167 pts SPA HONDA Repsol Honda Team
3 Jorge Lorenzo 153 pts SPA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
4 Valentino Rossi 130 pts ITA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
5 Cal Crutchlow 127 pts GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
6 Stefan Bradl 93 pts GER HONDA LCR Honda MotoGP
7 Andrea Dovizioso 87 pts ITA DUCATI Ducati Team
8 Alvaro Bautista 81 pts SPA HONDA Go & Fun Honda Gresini
9 Nicky Hayden 72 pts USA DUCATI Ducati Team
10 Bradley Smith 59 pts GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
— Moto2
As the Moto2™ grid heads back to Europe for the bwin Grand Prix České republiky in Brno, the attention will be firmly placed on the on-going battle between championship contenders Scott Redding and Pol Espargaro.
Despite Marc VDS Racing Team’s Redding coming third and Tuenti HP 40’s Espargaro fourth last time out, their battles in both qualifying and the race made the headlines and continue to create anticipation. However it is not only that pair that is shaking things up in the intermediate class, as Espargaro’s teammate and last race winner Esteve Rabat is in great form, having taken his second win this season and put himself back into championship contention.
Italtrans Racing Team’s Takaaki Nakagami, who led for big parts of the Indianapolis race and held his nerve to grab another podium, will be aiming to convert some of his outright pace into a first race win, whilst the charging Dominique Aegerter on his carXpert Technomag bike will be looking to get onto the podium once more this season.
Gino Rea lines up once again as a wildcard this year with his Gino Rea Race Team FTR, whilst Spanish rider Dani Rivas comes in as a permanent replacement for Brit Kyle Smith in the Blusens Avintia Team. Frenchman Lucas Mahias is the second wildcard rider with the Prosport Moto outfit.
World Championship Standings Moto2™
1- Scott Redding GBR Kalex 159
2- Pol Espargaro SPA Kalex 133
3- Tito Rabat SPA Kalex 113
4- Dominique Aegerter SWI Suter 94
5- Mika Kallio FIN Kalex 90
— Moto3
The Moto3™ contingent gets right back to work this weekend at the bwin Grand Prix České republiky in Brno, where the young chargers in the lightweight class will get back to the fierce racing that makes it such a popular and competitive class.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s championship leader Luis Salom will be hoping for a quick healing process as he overcomes injuries to his ankle that saw him battle to a brave fifth in Indianapolis last time out. He will need to be on form, as it is Estrella Galicia 0,0’s Alex Rins who is currently the man on song and challenging for the lead, after taking the last two wins in the series.
His teammate Alex Marquez could be one to look out for after starting his world championship podium tally last time out, whilst Team Calvo’s Maverick Viñales remains a continuous threat and a constant podium challenger. Mapfre Aspar Team Moto3’s Jonas Folger is an ever-looming threat to the podium, and will be aiming to find that little extra pace to be back on the rostrum.
Caretta Technology – RTG’s Jack Miller’s will struggle to make the race after suffering a broken right collarbone in Indianapolis, whilst the grid will see one permanent replacement for Ambrogio Racing’s Danny Webb in the form of German Luca Amato. The race has two wildcard riders, with Jules Danilo lining up for the Marc VDS Racing Team, and Italian Andrea Migno for GMT Racing on an FTR.
World Championship Standings Moto3™
1- Luis Salom SPA KTM 183
2- Maverick Viñales SPA KTM 174
3- Alex Rins SPA KTM 167
4- Jonas Folger GER Kalex KTM 94
5- Alex Marquez SPA KTM 90
Arthur Sissis – “I really like this track. It is one of my favourites on the calendar, so I hope to do well. It is a wide, really fast track that I can’t wait to ride at again. After the good weekend that we had at Indianapolis, I hope to be able to continue in the same way and continue improving day-by-day.”
— Red Bull Rookies
The online applications for the 2014 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup will soon be closing while six races still remain in the 2013 season and the first of those is at Brno in the Czech Republic this coming Saturday. The GP stars, including ex Rookies Arthur Sissis, who led the opening laps of the Moto3 Red Bull Indianapolis GP, and Luis Salom, who heads the Moto3 World Championship, come back across the atlantic as most of the current Rookies are shaking off the summer break cobwebs to get back on their KTMs for the rest of the season.
Some of the Rookies have been active in other championships, 15-year-old German Aris Michail was on the podium in the IDM Moto3 round in Schleiz, Tarran Mackenzie, the 17-year-old Scot won his third British Moto3 championship race at Oulton Park and 16-year-old Californian Joe Roberts won his fifth AMA Pro Supersport race at Miller Motorsports Park.
While great success elsewhere is wonderful the ultimate prize is the Rookies Cup and the springboard it provides for a rider’s Grand Prix career. It is 17-year-old Czech Karel Hanika who comes to his home GP with a handsome, 42 point, lead over 15-year-old Spaniard Jorge Martin but both know how quickly that situation can change. When Hanika crashed out of Race 1 at the Sachsenring Martin took victory and 25 points. The lead suddenly looked very small, the next day the positions were reversed in Race 2 and Hanika’s advantage re-established.
Last year in Brno Hanika scored a Race 1 victory and zero in Race 2 thanks to an early fall. This year there is only a single Saturday race thanks to the work required to prepare the bikes and set up across Europe in Silverstone for the two British GP races. Three races in nine days could see the face of the championship change completely.
Hanika knows the track well and has a home advantage but also the added pressure. Martin is in great form and an obvious threat. Similarly Roberts is on top of his game and determined to prove that he can ride the Moto3 bike as well as he can the 600. He won in the wet at Brno on the Saturday in 2013 and set a new lap record in the dry on the Sunday. That record still stands and Roberts was second in Race 2 last year, no wonder it is one of his favourite circuits.
It was Stefano Manzi who was third in that race last year and the 14-year-old Italian has hit top form of late with second places in Assen and the Sachsenring. He lies third in the points table and still has a shot at the title.
The track takes some learning but that is true of all GP circuits and Italian first year Rookies like 15-year-old Enea Bastianini and 17-year-old Manuel Pagliani have not let that slow them down much. They stand fourth and fifth in the title chase just ahead of fellow newcomer Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, the 16-year-old Turk who has kept his skills up in the summer break staring both on a 600 and supermotard at home.
— HRC Preview
MotoGP returns to Europe for the middle race in a gruelling set of three in a row, with Repsol Honda RC213V riders Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa heading the championship charts after a fine one-two finish last weekend at Indianapolis.
It was the third win in a row for 20-year-old class rookie Marc Marquez, who had already broken a series of “youngest-ever” records in a glittering start to his career in the premier class. Second was the reward for a conspicuously brave ride by Pedrosa, who is coming back from injury after losing the title lead to his younger team-mate when he missed German GP before the summer holiday.
The Czech race is number two in a punishing one-two-three schedule that restarts the World Championship series after a three-weekend break. It brings the three-class grand prix circus back across the Atlantic to the eastern edge of Europe, with only four days in which to draw breath.
Immediately after this race, another journey – across the English Channel for the British GP at Silverstone.
The tough schedule plays into the hands of Marquez, the only one of the three main title rivals to be fully fit. Pedrosa and third-overall Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) are both recovering from fractures.
The championship leader arrives at Brno with an advantage of 21 points over his team-mate Pedrosa and 35 points over defending champion Lorenzo. Marquez is flying high after a headline-making debut season. What was expected to be a learning year has instead turned into a strong challenge to become the first maiden-season champion since Kenny Roberts in 1978.
The results tell the story. As well as being the only rider to claim four wins, he has been on the podium at every other race bar one … he crashed out of the Italian GP while lying second. Marquez also has a strong record at the Czech circuit, taking victory last year in the Moto2 class, on his way to collecting the title in 2012.
Pedrosa broke his collarbone on the eve of the German GP, missing that race but returning the next weekend for a heroic fifth at Laguna Seca before the summer break. He chose natural healing rather than surgery, and following medical advice the best treatment was rest. The healing has progressed, but at the cost of some of the 27-year-old’s fitness level. He was stiff and still below top form at Indianapolis, but bravely fought for a valuable second place.
Lorenzo suffered a similar fracture twice-over and missed the same German race, although surgical repair has brought him back closer to full strength. He was third behind Pedrosa at Indianapolis.
The run of GPs between now and the end of the season promises much for Pedrosa as he regains strength. The experienced Honda rider won six out of the last eight races last year, in a purple patch he will be aiming to repeat. He has already scored two wins and four second places this season.
Brno brought him one of the finest of those wins, after an audacious last-corner attack on Lorenzo secured victory by less than two tenths of a second.
German LCR Honda RC213V rider Stefan Bradl lies sixth overall, after a relatively downbeat seventh at Indianapolis, where a pair of crashes cost him confidence, a set-back after pole position and a first MotoGP-class rostrum at the previous round in California. Bradl is anxious to regain momentum at Brno, where he won his first grand prix in 2008, in the 125cc class. He claimed another rostrum in 2011, going on to win the Moto2 World Championship.
Spanish racer Alvaro Bautista (Team GO&FUN Honda Gresini RC213V) by contrast continued a run of strong form at Indianapolis, and added a sixth top-six finish, after claiming his first rostrum of the year at Laguna Seca. He lies eighth overall, steadily closing on seventh as he regains momentum following a costly couple of first-lap crashes earlier in the year. The former 125cc champion, a Brno winner in that class, has an extra role: race-developing Showa suspension and Nissin brakes, the only MotoGP rider to use the Japanese components.
Team-mate Bryan Staring (Team GO&FUN Honda Gresini FTR Honda) is a grand prix rookie, but this time at least has the advantage of prior circuit knowledge. The Australian races in the CRT category on a CBR1000RR-powered prototype, and the task of adapting to the machine is complicated by also having to learn new tracks. Staring gained his first points at round six in Catalunya.
An increasingly tense championship battle also enlivens the all-Honda Moto2 class, where early leader Scott Redding (Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex) was 43 points clear after round five, but had been losing ground to Spaniard Pol Espargaro (Tuenti HP 40 Pons Kalex) before the summer break.
At Indianapolis Redding was third, one place ahead of his rival, and opened the margin again to more than one race win, at 26 points. Espargaro’s team-mate Esteve Rabat (Tuenti HP 40 Pons Kalex) took the win at “The Brickyard” to bring himself back up towards the overall leaders. The Spaniard’s second win of the year put him only 20 points adrift of Espargaro.
Long-time race leader Takaaki Nakagami (Italtrans Racing Team Kalex) claimed a career-best second place at the last race to leap-frog to seventh overall; while Swiss rider Dominique Aegerter (Technomag carXpert Suter), had a strong ride to fifth to further underline his position of fourth, ahead of Mika Kallio (Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex).
Close and reliable racing is guaranteed in Moto2, where a selection of specialised prototype racing chassis are powered by identical race-prepared Honda CBR600 engines supplied by the organisers.
In the entry-level Moto3 class, Honda riders use either factory or independent chassis in a battle against rivals from KTM and Mahindra. A brawling gang of thrusting teenage talent makes for exciting racing and wildly changing fortunes.
Australian Jack Miller (Caretta Technology – RTG FTR Honda) heads the Honda challenge by one point from South African Brad Binder (Ambrogio Racing Suter Honda), but misfortune for both at Indianapolis meant that experienced French rider Alexis Masbou (Ongetta-Rivacold FTR Honda) closed up to be equal on points with Binder. They occupy ninth to 11th places in a close title battle for seventh overall.
Miller is an uncertain starter from Brno, after breaking his collarbone early in the Indianapolis race while again disputing positions with the leading group. The fracture was surgically repaired, and the teenager was hoping for the all-clear from doctors to take part in this weekend’s GP.
Binder retired from the race after suffering a heavy fall in practice, but was confident of being back to full strength at Brno, as he strives to regain supremacy in the close battle to be top Honda.
Brno, the Czech Republic’s second largest city, has hosted motor sport at the Masaryk circuit since the 1930s, while a shorter 8.66-mile public-roads track was used for the motorcycle GPs from the mid-1960s until 1982. The current 3.357-mile circuit, first used in 1987, was constructed while Czechoslovakia was still behind the Iron Curtain. Vast crowds visit the race, enjoying natural grandstands in the hillsides, affording fine views of the fast and sweeping corners.
Honda’s Wayne Gardner won the first GP there in 1987, and again the following year, kick-starting a new history in which Honda has taken more wins than any rivals, claiming 12 in 25 years.
Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez says: “After a great weekend in Indianapolis, there is no rest and we go directly to the Czech Republic. Brno isn’t one of my favourite tracks but I won there last year so I still have a good feeling there! We will see when we get there. Historically Yamaha have been very strong so I’m sure they will be very fast again this year, also considering they tested there a few weeks ago. We will wait to see our level and take the weekend at our own pace, work hard and try to take some more championship points.”
Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa says: “Indianapolis was physically a very tough race for me, so it’s important I can recover in time for Brno just a few days from now. Let’s hope the weather stays nice as it can be very unpredictable in that area. Brno is a fast track, with high speed corners and in the past the Honda has performed well there. Last year we had a strong race, and I hope we can repeat the same this year.”
GO&FUN Honda Gresini rider Alvaro Bautista says: “We go to Brno this week feeling happy after the great job we did at Indianapolis, when we fought for fourth position despite struggling for rear grip at the start of the race. It was a really positive weekend and now we’re confident we can do another good job. We had a few problems last year but we’ve made notable progress since then so I think that we can be competitive again in the Czech Republic. We are working in a really good way at the moment and everything is coming more easily. Brno is more suited to the Yamaha because of the wide, fast corners and changes in direction and elevation but this year our bike has improved so much, and I think we can keep this run of good results going.”
LCR Honda rider Stefan Bradl says: “I left Indianapolis a bit disappointed because I was consistently fast throughout the free sessions but I crashed twice on Saturday and lacked some confidence during the race. After the great second place in Laguna Seca I was expecting a bit more than seventh. Anyway I have shown my pace and it’s nice to be back in Europe. Brno is a nice track for me because I won my first race in 2008, so it is always a special feeling. I think it’s a good circuit, the layout is interesting and I enjoy riding there.”
GO&FUN Honda Gresini rider Bryan Staring says: “Unfortunately at Indianapolis all the positive things we did in practice came to nothing in the race. I didn’t have the same confidence with the bike and it was disappointing. Now we go to Brno, finally a circuit that I already know, and we have an opportunity to put that disappointment behind us. I like the circuit, so hopefully that means we can get started on the bike set-up from the first session.”
Moto2 Rider Quotes
Marc VDS Racing Team rider Scott Redding says: “I had time for dinner, some sleep and a trip to the gym then it was back on a plane for the Czech Republic and Brno, for the second of three races on three consecutive weekends. I quite like the Brno circuit and I was fast there last year, but made a mistake in the race and crashed out at turn two. I had a good weekend in Indianapolis and we need to keep the same rhythm, keep trying to improve and bring home the points. In the last two races there have been some tyre issues for a lot of the riders, which cost me positions and points, so hopefully we won’t have a repeat this weekend.”
Tuenti HP40 Pons Kalex rider Pol Espargaro says: “Brno is a track that I love, with fast corners and big elevation changes. But we are having this problem with tyres that we are not able to overcome. We tried so many different things, but without a real result. And in Brno it will be hot …”
Tuenti HP40 Pons Kalex rider Esteve Rabat says: “Brno is very different from the last two tight circuits at the Sachsenring and Indianapolis. There are more fast corners, and no hard braking. I am very confident at the moment with my team, my bike, the set-up of the bike and with myself. We’ll go to Brno, try to enjoy our best, and make a good job. Then we will see …”
Honda Moto3 Rider Quotes
Caretta Technology – RTG rider Jack Miller says: “I’m so disappointed with what happened at Indy. I flew straight to England and went straight to hospital for surgery. Luckily the plate already in my collarbone was not damaged. The plan is to be back for Brno, and keep on pushing as best possible.”
Ambrogio Racing rider Brad Binder says: “I really like Brno, it’s going to be one of the most difficult for us. We struggle a bit on the straights, so imagine when the straights are uphill! The positive is that my hand is getting better, and my back too. I am excite to try and put a good result together. I have to hang on to my top-ten spot, and I’d like to move back to number one Honda rider. I’m really determined and focused on achieving my goal.”
Ongetta-Rivacold rider Alexis Masbou says: “Brno, I like it. But it is a hard track physically, and I certainly will still suffer because of my wrist problem. I have broken ligaments in my left wrist: it’s an old injury that has come back, and it will take time to recover. I hope it will not be for the whole season.”
— Ducati Preview
With the first round of a tripleheader behind them, the Ducati Team heads straight from Indianapolis to the Czech Republic for the eleventh round of the MotoGP championship, set to take place at the Brno Circuit this Sunday.
Constructed in the mid-’80s, the track presents a formidable challenge for the teams and riders, as it features a diverse collection of corner types and a number of climbs and descents. Fast, flowing, and wide, it is among the most popular circuits on the calendar.
Each of the Ducati Team riders has posted a premier-class podium finish at the Czech Republic GP, Andrea Dovizioso earning a runner-up result in 2011, and his American teammate Nicky Hayden finishing third in 2007. The Italian has also earned three runner-up finishes in the 125 and 250cc divisions.
Andrea Dovizioso – Ducati Team
“Brno is a circuit that’s really nice and quite challenging. The track is very different from Indianapolis, and it will be interesting to see how my Ducati goes there. I like the up-and-down layout, and and I’m happy to go straight there for another race after Indianapolis. Still, although I’ve had some podiums there in the past, it’s not one of my favourite circuits.”
Nicky Hayden – Ducati Team
“I missed Brno last year with an injury, but it’s one of the best tracks in the championship. It’s very open and fast, and I like it a lot. We’re in a busy stretch coming off Indy, but it’s no secret that I like racing, so I enjoy back-to-back races. I expect a challenging weekend in the Czech Republic, but as always, we look forward to doing our best.”
Vittoriano Guareschi – Team Manager
“After Indianapolis, we go straight to Brno, a circuit that has quite a bit of elevation change and is similar to Mugello in some ways. After the race in Indianapolis, we know that our riders are both very motivated! Brno is a track that we know quite well, and it will be important for us to start working well immediately, beginning on Friday morning.”
— Marc VDS Preview
Just hours after wrapping up a successful weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Scott Redding and Mika Kallio were on their way back across the Atlantic, bound for the Czech Republic and the Automotodrom Brno, venue for this weekend’s tenth round of the Moto2 World Championship.
Redding arrives at Brno having gone more than one win clear at the top of the Moto2 World Championship standings, which he now leads by 26 points after a hard fought third place finish last time out in Indianapolis. The 20-year-old Briton heads to the Czech Republic on a wave of confidence looking to extend his championship lead even further this weekend.
Kallio endured a difficult weekend in Indianapolis, but fought back superbly in Sunday’s race to take seventh at the chequered flag. The 30-year-old Finn is currently fifth in the championship standings, but is keen to close the 23-point gap to Tito Rabat in third this weekend, at a track that he counts as one of his favourites and where he’s finished on the podium three times in the past.
Located 200 kilometres southeast of the Czech capitol, Prague, the current Brno circuit was constructed in 1987. Before that, Grand Prix races were held on a public roads circuit, with literally hundreds of thousands of Czech motorcycle racing fans turning out to watch from the roadside.
While the crowd for this weekend is likely to somewhat smaller, the enthusiasm of the present day Czech race fans can be relied upon to easily match that of their predecessors from the 1970s.
Scott Redding #45: “I had time for dinner, some sleep and a trip to the gym then it was back on a plane for the Czech Republic and Brno, for the second of three races on three consecutive weekends. I quite like the Brno circuit and I was fast there last year, but made a mistake in the race and crashed out at turn two. I had a good weekend in Indianapolis and we need to keep the same rhythm, keep trying to improve and bring home the points. In the last two races there have been some tyre issues for a lot of the riders, which cost me positions and points, so hopefully we won’t have a repeat this weekend at Brno.”
Mika Kallio #36: “I like the Brno track a lot. It’s one of my favourite circuits on the Grand Prix calendar and one at which I’ve enjoyed some good results in the past. Indianapolis didn’t quite go according to plan, but I managed to fight back to seventh right at the end and I’m confident that I can be more competitive this weekend at Brno. At Indy the grip was both hard to find and unpredictable, whereas there’s an abundance of very predictable grip at Brno, which better suits my riding style. It will be interesting to see what impact the change in available grip has on the timesheets this weekend.”
— 2009 Yamaha YZR-M1 Brno Telemetry
2009 Yamaha YZR-M1 Brno Telemetry
— Previously…….MotoGP 2013 – Round Ten – Indianapolis
— Marquez extends Championship lead to 21 points
Marc Marquez has completed a dominant weekend by winning the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix, leading home Dani Pedrosa in the third Repsol Honda Team one-two finish of the season. Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo completed the podium as Valentino Rossi beat Cal Crutchlow and Alvaro Bautista to fourth.
Marquez’s victory ensures that the Spaniard has topped every session he has taken part in this weekend – something not done since Casey Stoner dominated the Australian Grand Prix event of last year. The victory marks Marquez’s third consecutive premier class race win and confirms a clean sweep of American successes this season, having also triumphed at Texas and Laguna Seca.
From pole position, another poor start from the 20-year-old rookie saw Marquez fall behind both Lorenzo and teammate Pedrosa. He would overtake the pair on Laps 9 and 13, respectively, and – as his rivals continued to feel the effects of injured collarbones – would cross the finish line almost three and a half seconds ahead.
Pedrosa looked to be finishing the 27-lap race in third position, but sprang a surprise by slipstreaming ahead of Lorenzo at the start of the penultimate lap. For both Pedrosa and Lorenzo, this marked their first podium finishes since the Catalan Grand Prix in Barcelona some two months ago. In fourth place, Lorenzo’s teammate Rossi rose from ninth on the grid and only on the final tour got the better of Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Crutchlow and GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Bautista, who had enjoyed a race-long battle. Stefan Bradl finished seventh for LCR Honda MotoGP.
Rounding out the top ten were Crutchlow’s teammate Bradley Smith and Ducati Team pairing Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso; the English debutant (who had run as high as fourth on Lap 1, thanks to a superb start) leapfrogged both of the red bikes as Hayden pushed Dovizioso wide at the final corner. This was a near repeat of a final-corner incident at Assen from which Smith also benefitted.
Four riders failed to finish the race. Attack Performance Racing wildcard Blake Young crashed on the opening lap, where problems hit Randy de Puniet (Power Electronics Aspar), Lukas Pesek (Came IodaRacing Project) and Yonny Hernandez (PBM). Unable to race were both Ignite Pramac Racing’s Ben Spies, whose comeback was ruined when he separated his left shoulder on Friday, and Cardion AB Motoracing’s Karel Abraham who heavily bruised a foot and shoulder, also on Day 1.
Heading to next weekend’s bwin Grand Prix České republiky at Brno, Marquez (188 points) has extended his championship lead to 21 points from Pedrosa (167). Reigning World Champion Lorenzo (153) now sits 35 points behind the leader.
– Race Result – Round 10
1 Marc Marquez 44’52.463 SPA HONDA Repsol Honda Team
2 Dani Pedrosa +3.495 SPA HONDA Repsol Honda Team
3 Jorge Lorenzo +5.704 SPA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
4 Valentino Rossi +19.895 ITA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
5 Cal Crutchlow +19.955 GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
6 Alvaro Bautista +20.061 SPA HONDA Go & Fun Honda Gresini
7 Stefan Bradl +24.842 GER HONDA LCR Honda MotoGP
8 Bradley Smith +40.690 GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
9 Nicky Hayden +40.701 USA DUCATI Ducati Team
10 Andrea Dovizioso +40.823 ITA DUCATI Ducati Team
11 Andrea Iannone +59.668 ITA DUCATI Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team
12 Aleix Espargaro +1’06.650 SPA ART Power Electronics Aspar
13 Colin Edwards +1’09.462 USA FTR-KAWASAKI NGM Mobile Forward Racing
14 Claudio Corti +1’15.207 ITA FTR-KAWASAKI NGM Mobile Forward Racing
15 Hiroshi Aoyama +1’20.159 JAP FTR Avintia Blusens
16 Hector Barbera +1’25.879 SPA FTR Avintia Blusens
17 Danilo Petrucci +1’29.616 ITA IODA-SUTER Came IodaRacing Project
18 Michael Laverty +1’36.388 GBR PBM Paul Bird Motorsport
19 Bryan Staring +1 lap AUS FTR-HONDA Go & Fun Honda Gresini
20 Yonny Hernandez DNF COL PBM Paul Bird Motorsport
21 Lukas Pesek DNF CZE IODA-SUTER Came IodaRacing Project
22 Randy De Puniet DNF FRA SUZUKI Suzuki Test Team
23 Blake Young DNF USA APR CRT Attack Performance
— Championship standings
1 Marc Marquez 188 pts SPA HONDA Repsol Honda Team
2 Dani Pedrosa 167 pts SPA HONDA Repsol Honda Team
3 Jorge Lorenzo 153 pts SPA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
4 Valentino Rossi 130 pts ITA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
5 Cal Crutchlow 127 pts GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
6 Stefan Bradl 93 pts GER HONDA LCR Honda MotoGP
7 Andrea Dovizioso 87 pts ITA DUCATI Ducati Team
8 Alvaro Bautista 81 pts SPA HONDA Go & Fun Honda Gresini
9 Nicky Hayden 72 pts USA DUCATI Ducati Team
10 Bradley Smith 59 pts GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
11 Aleix Espargaro 56 pts SPA ART Power Electronics Aspar
12 Michele Pirro 36 pts ITA DUCATI Ignite Pramac Racing Team
13 Andrea Iannone 29 pts ITA DUCATI Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team
14 Hector Barbera 24 pts SPA FTR Avintia Blusens
15 Colin Edwards 20 pts USA FTR-KAWASAKI NGM Mobile Forward Racing
16 Randy De Puniet 19 pts FRA SUZUKI Suzuki Test Team
17 Danilo Petrucci 18 pts ITA IODA-SUTER Came IodaRacing Project
18 Ben Spies 9 pts USA DUCATI Ignite Pramac Racing Team
19 Claudio Corti 7 pts ITA FTR-KAWASAKI NGM Mobile Forward Racing
20 Yonny Hernandez 7 pts COL PBM Paul Bird Motorsport
21 Alex De Angelis 5 pts RSM DUCATI Ignite Pramac Racing Team
22 Karel Abraham 5 pts CZE ART Cardion AB Motoracing
23 Michael Laverty 3 pts GBR PBM Paul Bird Motorsport
24 Bryan Staring 2 pts AUS FTR-HONDA Go & Fun Honda Gresini
25 Hiroshi Aoyama 2 pts JAP FTR Avintia Blusens
26 Javier Del Amor 1 pts SPA FTR Avintia Blusens
27 Ivan Silva 0 pts SPA FTR Avintia Blusens
28 Lukas Pesek 0 pts CZE IODA-SUTER Came IodaRacing Project
29 Blake Young 0 pts USA APR CRT Attack Performance
— Moto 2
Tito Rabat has won for the second time in Moto2™, pulling a late pass on Takaaki Nakagami to triumph in Sunday’s Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix. Following another spirited battle, Scott Redding increased his title-leading advantage by beating Pol Espargaro to the final podium position.
Victory for Rabat is the Spaniard’s second after Jerez earlier this year. The Tuenti HP 40 rider – teammate to Espargaro – came from fourth place on the grid, having run fifth in the opening stages of the race. His other teammate, Axel Pons, did not make the start (due to a fever) which left 32 riders on the grid.
A strong getaway for pole-sitter Redding allowed the Englishman (Marc VDS Racing Team) to fend off Espargaro and lead into the first corner. Nakagami (Italtrans Racing Team) was third, but pulled a strong manoeuvre on Espargaro to seize second spot at Turn 10. On the second lap, Nakagami stole the lead from Redding and – pushing for a first win – would not lose the top spot until Lap 23.
Rabat’s charge came very much in the second half of the race, first overhauling Redding on Lap 19 before carrying out a confident pass on teammate Espargaro two laps later. The move for the lead came at Turn 1 on the 23rd lap of 25, denying Nakagami his career-first victory. Behind, Espargaro – who had started second to Redding – fought his major rival, but ran wide at the second corner and was forced to fend off Technomag carXpert’s Dominique Aegerter for the rest of the race.
Positions six to ten were filled by Simone Corsi (NGM Mobile Racing), Mika Kallio (Marc VDS Racing Team), Johann Zarco (Came Iodaracing Project), Xavier Simeon (Maptaq SAG Zelos Team) and Sachsenring race winner Jordi Torres (Aspar Team Moto2). Blusens Avintia’s Kyle Smith was the only faller, crashing out on Lap 12.
Heading to Brno and the Czech round of the World Championship next weekend, Redding’s championship lead over Espargaro has been stretched out to 26 points, with 159 versus 133. Today’s race winner Rabat (113 points) remains third in the standings, now the reduced margin of 46 points in arrears of Redding.
Moto2™ Race Classification
1- Tito Rabat SPA Kalex 43:47.432
2- Takaaki Nakagami JPN Kalex +0.766
3- Scott Redding GBR Kalex +1.471
— Moto 3
Estrella Galicia 0,0 celebrated a one-two finish in the Moto3™ Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix, as pole-sitter Alex Rins beat teammate Alex Marquez in a closely-fought battle. Maverick Viñales completed the podium as championship leader Luis Salom finished fifth from tenth place on the grid.
Following the mid-season break, Indy marked the first Moto3™ race for five weeks. For Rins and Viñales (Team Calvo) in particular, it brought a golden opportunity after championship leader Salom (Red Bull KTM Ajo) suffered a crash in qualifying and languished on the fourth row of the grid.
The 23-lap race would prove to be one of high attrition, as no less than 12 riders – over a third of the field – failed to make the finish. The first would be RW Racing GP’s Jasper Iwema who retired on the first lap, as pole winner Rins ran wide and lost the lead. A strong start from Salom saw the Mallorcan reach as high as third, but the eventual trio of Rins, Viñales and Marquez would soon pull ahead.
On Lap 11, Rins relinquished the lead to first Viñales and then Marquez, before re-taking it two laps later. Both Estrella Galicia 0,0 riders were assisted by a mistake from Viñales on Lap 14, losing the Team Calvo rider eight tenths of a second and allowing some breathing space for the pair in front of him. Rins took the chequered flag by just under two tenths of a second as Marquez – younger brother of MotoGP World Championship leader Marc – celebrated a career-first podium finish.
Following his superb start, Salom caught and passed teammate Arthur Sissis for fifth place and then overhauled Mapfre Aspar Team Moto3’s Jonas Folger for fourth, only to drop back behind both on Lap 18. He retook fifth from his teammate and would remain there at the chequered flag, ensuring the championship lead remains in his hands albeit with a smaller advantage. Ajo riders occupied places five to seven, with Malaysia’s Zulfahmi Khairuddin being the third of them.
Heading to the tenth round of the season in the Czech Republic next weekend, Salom continues to head the title race (183 points) but by the reduced margin of nine points over Viñales (174). Race winner Rins (167) remains third and now 16 points in arrears of the championship leader.
Moto3™ Race Classification
1- Alex Rins SPA KTM 41:37.200
2- Alex Marquez SPA KTM +0.177
3- Maverick Viñales SPA KTM +1.076
— HRC Report
Repsol Honda RC213V riders Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa finished first and second at today’s Indianapolis Grand Prix at the iconic “Brickyard”, resuming the interrupted racing season in the best possible form as both increase their world championship points lead over closest rival Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha), third today.
It was a third win in succession for 20-year-old class rookie Marc Marquez, who had won the last two Moto2 races here in 2011 and 2012, en route to the 2012 Championship. It gave him a three-out-of-three hat-trick in the USA. He won round two in Austin, Texas in April, then the US GP at Laguna Seca before the summer break.
He now leads the Word Championship by 21 points, the youngest rider ever to do so – just one of many records the Spanish rider has smashed in his maiden MotoGP season. With two more races in the next two weekends, the contest is reaching a crescendo. Marquez now has 188 points to Pedrosa’s 167, with Lorenzo losing ground on 153.
Marquez was in top form from the start, dominating free practice and qualifying on pole for the fourth time this year. But it was Lorenzo
who led away in perfect conditions, closely pursued by Pedrosa and the rookie.
Marquez took second after eight of the 28 laps, and moved into the lead before half distance. The three stayed close, then Marquez stretched his lead to win by 3.495 seconds.
Pedrosa’s second place was hardly any less of an achievement. The 27-year-old Spaniard, who ceded the points lead to his team-mate three races ago when forced out of the German GP with a broken collarbone, is still recovering from the injury and racing in damage-control mode.
He had dropped to third behind Lorenzo, also injured at the same race … but a superhuman effort in the closing stages saw him close a gap of a second and then get back ahead with three laps remaining. Pedrosa finished the race in obvious pain, and is looking forward to continued physical improvement to help him regain further momentum, after winning two races earlier in the season to take the points lead.
Fans at the 4.216 km (2.62-mile) infield circuit, which shares part of the front straight and the famous “yard of bricks” with the historic and world-famous Indianapolis Oval, enjoyed warm and dry weather, with exciting racing for the remaining championship points. The warmer conditions made tyre choice important, with all factory riders opting for the same hard front / soft rear combination.
Sixth-placed Team GO&FUN Honda Gresini RC213V rider Alvaro Bautista played a leading role in what was eventually a three-bike battle for fourth. He had been to and fro with Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha), when the similarly mounted multi-champion Valentino Rossi caught up in the last laps. Former 125cc World Champion Bautista came off worst in a fairing-bashing brawl in the final corner. Rossi led the trio across the line almost side by side, all within two tenths of a second. Bautista uniquely uses Showa suspension and Nissin brakes, race-developing the Japanese equipment made by Honda associates.
German LCR Honda RC213V rider Stefan Bradl was ninth, after tailing Bautista until the closing stages, then losing pace after Rossi caught and passed him. Bradl was fresh off a career-best pole and second place at the last round at Laguna Seca, and was second fastest in free practice – but a tumble in qualifying dropped him to eighth on the grid, spoiling his confidence and his chances of a repeat performance.
Australian grand prix first-timer Bryan Staring (Team GO&FUN Honda Gresini FTR Honda) was 19th on the Honda CBR1000RR-powered CRT machine, on his first visit to the circuit.
An exciting race in the all-Honda-powered Moto2 class saw Tito Rabat (Tuenti HP Pons Kalex) take his second win of the year, after breaking free from the group disputing second to hunt down and pass long-time leader Takaaki Nakagami (Italtrans Racing Team Kalex), for whom second was still a career best.
Crucially for the championship, points leader Scott Redding (Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex) secured third place over his nearest rival Pol Espargaro (Tuenti HP 40 Pons Kalex), who had been closing up on the Englishman over the past three races. Redding passed Espargaro with a fierce move with three of 25 laps remaining; leaving the Spaniard with his hands full fending off Switzerland’s Dominique Aegerter (Technomag carXpert Suter).
Simone Corsi (NGM Mobile Racing Speed Up) won a four-rider battle for sixth, from Mika Kallio (Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex), Johann Zarco (Came Iodaracing Project Suter) and Xavier Simeon (Maptaq SAG Zelos Team Kalex).
Redding regained a championship cushion of more than one race win, on 159 points to Espargaro’s 133. Rabat’s 25-point win moved him closer in third, on 113.
Moto2 machines use identical race-tuned Honda CBR600 engines supplied by the organisers to guarantee close and reliable racing. Variety comes in the different prototype chassis used.
In the Moto3 class, where Honda faces rival manufacturers KTM and Mahindra, Australian Jack Miller (Caretta Technology-RTG FTR Honda) has been the most successful Honda rider. The same was expected at Indianapolis, where he again qualified on the second row of the grid. Miller made a flying start and was with the leading group when he crashed out after four of the 23 laps, suffering a suspected broken collarbone.
With his nearest championship rival Brad Binder (Ambrogio Racing Suter Honda) retiring from the race, this left the Honda action to Romano Fenati (San Carlo Team Italia FTR Honda), Ongetta-Rivacold FTR Honda rider Alexis Masbou, Alan Techer (CIP Moto3 TSR Honda), Niccolo Antonelli (GO&FUN Gresini Moto3 FTR Honda) and Isaac Vinales (Ongetta-Centro Seta FTR Honda), all locked together mid-race in a fierce seven-rider fight.
Vinales crashed out and Antonelli dropped back out of the points, but Fenati was a close ninth at the finish, Masbou and Techer still battling in 12th and 13th.
The next race is the Czech Republic GP at Brno in one week.
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda: 1st – “I am very happy to have taken another 25 points! I knew before we came here that this would be a good opportunity and I was able to take advantage of it. I felt very good throughout the weekend, and I think this has been my best GP overall since coming into the premier class. I was first in every session, so I couldn’t ask for more. In the race I decided to follow Lorenzo and Pedrosa, trying to save my tyres at the start. When I saw that I was feeling good and had less fuel in the tank, I tried to attack. In the end I was able to break away and have some fun sliding the bike around and enjoying how good the ride was! Now we head back to Europe, where we will try to continue working in the same way and see how many points we can pick up.”
Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda: 2nd – “Today I gave all I had. I struggled to keep my energy up and I was forced to ride in a different way because of the pain I was suffering. It was a difficult race, because I was fighting a lot against the bike but in the end I was able to keep up my pace and take a good second place. In other conditions I’m sure we would have done better, but we did all that we could under the circumstances today and should draw that positive from the day.”
Alvaro Bautista, GO&FUN Honda Gresini, 6th – “I am really happy and I think we had a great race today. Obviously I would have preferred to finish fourth, but sixth place and the way we got it is not a bad result. Unfortunately I had to push the front harder than I would have liked in the first part of the race and we paid the price at the end, when I was unable to defend my position from Crutchlow. It’s a shame but I am happy anyway, we have a fantastic feeling with the bike right now and we are doing a good job so I want to say a special thanks to the team and the guys at Showa, Nissin and of course at Honda. Now we can look to the future with even more confidence.”
Stefan Bradl, LCR Honda MotoGP: 7th – “Honestly I am a bit disappointed about this result and I had mixed feelings this weekend. At the beginning we were very strong but after three crashes in the practices I lost a bit of confidence. We have tried to adjust the bike but, during the race those changes made it too heavy to ride. I could not keep the same speed for the whole race because I was too tired, so I lost the guys in front of me. Now I just want to move on to Brno and try to be back in the pack.”
Bryan Staring, GO&FUN Honda Gresini, 19th – “I am not happy because unfortunately compared to yesterday we didn’t have the same feeling with the bike. We tried every possible way to improve our confidence but didn’t manage it, and I say sorry to the team.”
Honda Moto2 rider quotes
Esteve Rabat, Tuenti HP40 Pons, 1st – “I made a good start and tried to hold my fourth position, because it is so difficult to pass, then Terol and Aegerter passed me. It took me two tries to get past Aegerter, but then I moved forward one by one until I was second. When the tyres started to slide I feel more confidence – I can brake later. Little by little I started to catch Nakagami. When I ride alone I can go a little faster. So I pushed and I passed him, and in the end we made a very good job.”
Takaaki Nakagami, Italtrans Racing Team, 2nd – “I’m a little disappointed for sure. From the first lap I tried 100 percent. With a full tank I had good grip, and I could pass Espargaro and Redding on the first lap. I pushed to the end, but after 15 laps I started to suffer from chatter. After that it was impossible to keep my lap time. I knew Rabat was catching me, but I could do nothing. When he passed I tried to follow, but almost crashed. Second is still my best result, so after some frustration then the summer break, it is a good way to start again.”
Scott Redding, Marc VDS Racing Team, 3rd – “I felt good at the start but I didn’t want to lead because I knew I needed to save the tyres. I could see Nakagami was using a lot of his rear tyre but after about seven laps I suddenly starting having a vibration from the rear and I was losing time in the first and last corners. After that it was all about surviving to the finish and not trying to stress the tyres too much. But when Rabat came by he was gone in a few corners, so it was obvious I had some more tyre issues and that’s a bit disappointing. The battle at the end with Pol was exciting. It was pretty tight in those first couple of corners on lap 23 but I never touched him and sometimes you have to be aggressive like that. I’m just happy to have beaten him because it is vitally important for the Championship.”
Honda Moto3 rider quotes
Romano Fenati, San Carlo Team Italia, 9th – “A better race for me, I would say. I had a good pace, but midway through the GP the tyre grip dropped away dramatically. Otherwise I could have had a better result. We had a few problems, but we were able to overcome them with a smile.
Alexis Masbou, Ongetta-Rivacold, 12th – “A difficult weekend – I have broken ligaments in my left wrist, due to an old injury that came out again one month ago. Doctors did their best, and I’m satisfied because, though not at 100 percent I still managed a good race. In qualifying I made a mistake that left me with little time to try a fast lap with new tyres, which spoiled my grid position. Anyway, my best race lap is better than last year’s Honda best.”
Alan Techer, CIP Moto3, 13th – “For me it has been a good race. My chassis is good, I have confidence in it and my feeling is excellent. We should have some more power because in the straights the KTMs are impossible to follow.”
— Yamaha Report
Reigning World Champion Jorge Lorenzo marked his return to fitness today with third in the Indianapolis Grand Prix, his fifth premier class podium finish at the US track. He impressed with a stunning start from second on the grid, out dragging both Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa to take the hole-shot into turn one. Lorenzo immediately built a half second gap and managed to hold the lead on a track not best suited to the Yamaha until Marquez squeezed past with 15 laps to go. Marquez was not allowed to break away and Lorenzo kept with him until fatigue set in as the race wound down and he was forced to relinquish second to Pedrosa with three laps remaining.
This important podium whilst still recovering from surgery allows Lorenzo to now return to European tracks favoured by the YZR-M1 in full fitness and just 15 points behind Pedrosa in third on 153 points.
Teammate Valentino Rossi’s race proved to be the opposite of Lorenzo’s. The Italian nine-time world champion spent the early part of the race fighting with a less than perfect set up as he made up ground from his ninth position start on the grid. Nicky Hayden was dispatched on the second lap for eighth and fellow Yamaha rider Bradley Smith would follow. With just six laps remaining it was clear Rossi had saved the best for last, hunting down Alvaro Bautista and Cal Crutchlow who were fighting for fourth. Rossi joined the battle, swapping positions repeatedly until a stunning pass on the second to last corner of the last lap saw him steal fourth from Crutchlow and hold it to the line.
The result keeps Rossi in fourth in the overall standings with 130 points, three clear of Crutchlow in fourth. Rossi and the team will now head directly to Brno for the second of three consecutive back-to-back races.
Jorge Lorenzo – 3rd / +5.704 / 27 laps
“I made a very good start and I had half a second advantage in the beginning of the race. I had a lot of hope because I knew I had a good pace but suddenly in the middle of the race Marc started to go faster and faster so it was impossible to win. I’m disappointed to not finish second, because in normal conditions without the drop in rear tyre this would have been possible. I’m happy to be back on the podium at a track that’s not normally a good one for us. I don’t feel perfect, I feel more tired than normal because I haven’t trained so much in the last two months because of the injuries. I felt tired at the end of the race and had some pain in the braking areas but I feel much better and in Brno and Silverstone I will be ok. I think from this moment we can only be better and better.”
Valentino Rossi – 4th / +19.895 / 27 laps
“At the end the race was not so bad, especially compared with yesterday and especially the second half. I could ride the bike in a good way and I could enjoy it. I did a very good lap time in the second half and had great battles with Bradl and Bautista, but especially with Cal on the last lap, that was very funny. Fourth place here is good considering this track is one of the worst for me and considering I started from ninth I am quite happy. We still have to work and understand why in the first laps I can’t ride the bike and use the extra grip of the tyre. In the second part when the tyre slides I can enter the corner faster, I can go faster and I can make good lap times so we have to improve because the first three riders are very strong.”
Yamaha Factory Racing Wilco Zeelenberg – Team Manager – “The Indianapolis race is finished and we have to be pleased with third. We hoped for second place because I think that was our pace but finally the tyre dropped a lot on the end so we have to investigate what happened exactly. Anyway, to be back after injuries and be fighting again with Marc and Dani for victory is great, the first 20 laps especially looked very good. Jorge was riding well and the bike behaved quite good. I think the guys all did a good job so we just have to investigate the tyre drop. We had the same last year when we lost ten seconds on Dani and this year five or six seconds in total on the race winner. We are improving at Indy, maybe next year we can win here.”
Yamaha Factory Racing Massimo Meregalli – Team Director – “Even if we knew since the beginning that Indianapolis was going to be a tough race for us I have to congratulate the team as they have done a fantastic job. We led for part of the race, Jorge had a really good rhythm and he was able to get an important podium for the Championship, that was the target and the main goal. Also Valentino, even if he couldn’t find the right set up, got the right balance of the bike and when the tyre dropped he made an impressive come back. Third and fourth is a good result here and now we go back to some circuits in Europe where we can change the direction of the Championship in our favour.”
Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider Cal Crutchlow ended an intriguing Indianapolis MotoGP race in fifth position this afternoon, the British rider playing a leading role in one of the most intense battles in the 27-lap clash.
Engaged in a frenetic fight for the majority of the race with Spaniard Alvaro Bautista, the tussle for fourth position became a three-way battle, with nine-times World Champion Valentino Rossi riding into contention with a brilliant late attack. All three treated a crowd of just over 60,000 fans to some breathless action, with the trio constantly exchanging overtakes before the exciting battle came right down to the final corner. Crutchlow had produced an outstanding final lap to keep Rossi and Bautista at bay and fourth position seemed to have been secured behind dominant Spanish trio Marc Marquez, Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo. After 44 minutes of nail-biting action though there was still time for one final dramatic twist, with Rossi executing a last ditch overtake at the final corner to push Crutchlow back into fifth. Less than 0.2s split Rossi, Crutchlow and Bautista at the finish line and the crowd were on their feet to show their appreciation at witnessing such a fierce but fair fight.
Bradley Smith secured his seventh top 10 finish of the season, the British rider’s race starting and finishing in tremendously exciting fashion. Smith got a stunning launch off the line and on the first lap he held fourth place before he slipped back into a fight with Andrea Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden for eighth. The 22-year-old exerted constant pressure on his more experienced counterparts and his determination and hard work was rewarded when Hayden and Dovizioso ran off track at the final corner. Smith pounced on the opportunity to win a drag race to the finish line and he claimed a hard fought eighth spot by the narrowest of margins over home crowd favourite Hayden. Smith’s excellent performance also elevated him into the top 10 in the World Championship standings for the first time in his rookie campaign.
Cal Crutchlow 5th – “I’m really pleased to finish the race in the top five and it means I am still the leading satellite bike in the Championship, which is an achievement to be proud of. It was a really good battle out there and I enjoyed it a lot. All of us were pushing at our absolute maximum and Alvaro rode fantastic. Credit to Valentino as well because he recovered quite a lot of time and it is not easy to do that towards the end of the race. I knew it was going to come down to the last lap and probably the last corner and I did my best to keep fourth. But unfortunately Valentino made a good move up the inside of the right before the last corner and I couldn’t get him back. I had a lot of fun though I think the three of us gave the American fans something to cheer. I’ve only lost two points to Valentino in the Championship on a track I don’t like at all. I was strong all weekend, so that gives me a lot of confidence for the next races in Brno and Silverstone where I was very competitive at last season.”
Bradley Smith 8th – “I think eighth position was more or less what we had predicted for the race, but we did not expect to be so far behind the winner. The race was very exciting and I got an amazing start but pretty much right from the first lap I felt we had an issue with the rear end of the bike. I tried to maintain my pace but unfortunately I ran off in at Turn 6 and a few guys passed me. I tried to recover again but the rear problem was getting worse and at the end of the race I could only try to pass the Ducatis. I was a bit lucky that they ran wide in the last corner, so I could pass both on the final straight. Eighth is not a bad result but I’m a little bit disappointed because we did a really good job during the whole weekend and I was very confident for the race. Now I just hope I can carry the good performances from practice and qualifying into Brno.”
— Ducati Report
At the last of three MotoGP rounds to be held on American soil this season, Ducati Team riders Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso finished today’s race in ninth and tenth positions, respectively, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
As has been the case on many occasions this year, the evenly matched teammates found themselves dicing with one another for the entire race aboard their Desmosedici GP13 machines. Positions were traded on several occasions, and on the final lap, the American tried a last-corner pass on Dovizioso for eighth place. The two made contact and ran off the track, which allowed Bradley Smith to pass them both on the run to the finish line.
Tomorrow, the Ducati Team heads to the Czech Republic, where the second of three races on consecutive weekends will take place at the Brno circuit.
Nicky Hayden – Ducati Team, 9th
“We’d hoped for more. We found a direction in qualifying yesterday, but when the tyre got a few laps on it in the race, we lost rear grip. Early, I was trying to hang with Rossi, but as soon as the tyre went away, I made a little mistake and he was gone. From there, I was just racing with Dovi, and he really pushes and doesn’t make many mistakes. We went back and forth a lot, and then in the last corner on the last lap, we had contact, which was my fault. When the door started to close, I was already committed and didn’t want him to take out my front wheel. Unfortunately, Smith still beat us to the line. It’s a shame, but we still need to improve the bike over race distance. The race went better than last year, and the fans were great to me, but I would’ve liked to put up a better fight than that.”
Andrea Dovizioso – Ducati Team, 10th
“The race went more or less as I expected. The goal was to finish with a 1’40” pace, but unfortunately, the rear tyre started to lose grip on both sides in the last ten laps, so the race became a strategic battle between Nicky and me. I’m fairly pleased with how I managed my race because I was able to pass him back on the final lap, but in the last corner, he wanted to get by me at any cost, using a really aggressive manoeuvre. I didn’t expect it because I hadn’t left the door open. Nicky came beside me and we touched, and it certainly wasn’t a safe move, but we can say it was a racing incident. We were called to Race Direction because of course it’s important to talk about these things and immediately clear them up. Honestly, I’m quite annoyed to have lost two positions, and I also wanted to keep Smith behind me. Still, there’s no sense in creating controversy in a situation like this, so for me it’s over.”
Paolo Ciabatti – Ducati MotoGP Project Director
“It was a difficult race for our team. In the early going, Nicky and Andrea stayed in contact with the rest of the group, but in the final ten laps, the drop in performance of the rear tyres slowed our riders’ pace, and they found themselves trading positions a couple times and fighting with each other for eighth place. Unfortunately, Nicky tried to pass Dovizioso in the final corner, even though there was limited space. The two riders touched and went over the curb, and Smith was able to pass them both at the finish line. Nicky and Andrea talked afterward to clear things up, and there was no controversy. The fact remains that we can’t be satisfied with a result like today’s, so we must grit our teeth and try even harder to improve the performance of our bikes.”
— Bridgestone Report
Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft & Hard. Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric)
Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Soft (Main), Hard (Alternative)
Weather: Dry. Ambient 29-30°C; Track 47-53°C (Bridgestone measurement)
There was no stopping Marc Marquez at Indianapolis MotorSpeedway this weekend, the Repsol Honda rounding out a relentless performance by taking the chequered flag today for his third consecutive MotoGP™ victory to sweep all races held in the United States of America this season.
Starting from pole position, Marquez lost out to teammate Dani Pedrosa and Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo at the start of the race to trail his two rivals for the opening laps. Marquez overtook Pedrosa on lap nine and seized the race lead from Lorenzo on lap thirteen, before streaking away to win by 3.495 seconds. Pedrosa fended off the challenge of Lorenzo to finish in second place, with the reigning MotoGP™ champion Lorenzo placing third. Power Electronics Aspar’s Aleix Espargaro rode valiantly with an injured hand to finish as the top CRT entry in twelfth place.
Track temperatures for the race peaked at 53°C, however the temperature at the start of the race was in the mid-forty degree mark and all works riders, and all except four CRT riders, selected their softer rear slick option for the race. Front tyre choice was identical across the field, with all riders using the harder front slick. Although track temperatures increased throughout the race, the softer rear tyre options exhibited consistent degradation with a new race lap record of 1’39.044 set by Marquez on the eighteenth lap of the race.
Marquez’s third straight victory extends his lead in the championship standings over teammate Pedrosa to twenty-one points, with Lorenzo third in the standings and a further fourteen points behind.
Hiroshi Yamada – Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department
“That was certainly a very eventful end to what was a fantastic race! Congratulations to Marc for his dominant display this weekend and to Repsol Honda on securing their third 1-2 finish this season. With the good news that MotoGP will return to Indianapolis next year, I am sure the fans appreciated seeing such great action here this weekend, and I hope to see an even larger crowd here next year. We now return to Europe and I am very much looking forward to seeing the next chapter of this brilliant championship fight unfold at Brno.”
Masao Azuma – Chief Engineer, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department
“With track temperatures today no higher than experienced in qualifying yesterday, all works riders and most of the CRT riders decided to use their softer rear slick option for the race. Front tyre choice was the same for all riders, with the hard compound front slick being selected and this combination resulted in very quick lap times in the race. The medium compound slick, which was the softer choice for the works riders performed very well in the conditions with a fast race pace and new Circuit Record Lap being set in the second half of the race. The performance of our tyres this weekend makes me very happy as new qualifying and race lap records were set and we enjoyed good tyre durability at this very demanding circuit.”
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda – Race Winner
“I didn’t get a good start but I knew before the race that the most important part was the end of the race. For the first few laps I just focused on following Dani and Jorge and conserving the tyres and once I got past them I felt so good with the bike and managed to build a gap. I really enjoyed the race and the twenty-five points are important for the championship.”
— MARC VDS Report
A sixth podium in nine races extended Marc VDS Racing rider Scott Redding’s lead in the Moto2 World Championship to 26-points after a tough Brickyard battle at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this afternoon.
In a 25-lap race where excessive rear tyre wear once again hampered Redding’s victory challenge, the 20-year-old managed to crucially overhaul main title rival Pol Espargaro for the final podium position after a fascinating battle between the two main Moto2 protagonists.
Having finished behind Espargaro in the previous three races, Redding was determined not to beaten again, despite grip issues costing him valuable time exiting the final corner and entering the fast approach to the first turn.
Demonstrating controlled aggression to preserve his tyres for the crucial final phase of the race in gruelling heat that hit almost 30 degrees, Redding’s ruthless and brave move on Espargaro to secure third at the start of lap 23 typified his desire and commitment to capture the Moto2 title.
Tyre preservation was a key strength of Mika Kallio, the Finnish rider brilliantly maintaining his pace on worn rubber in the final laps. He ended lap 15 down in 13th position but a stunning late charge saw him climb up from 10th to seventh in the last two laps to keep himself firmly in the hunt for third position in the Championship.
Livio Loi’s excellent debut at the famous Brickyard track ended in fine style, the Belgian rider securing a career best 14th place finish in the 23-lap Moto3 race.
Loi took full advantage of a career best qualifying performance yesterday and after starting 11th he was locked a big battle for the top 10 in the early laps.
A mistake while downshifting at Turn 10 on lap six cost him three seconds and dropped him out of the top 15. But he was able to launch a terrific recovery and by lap 16 he’d moved back inside the points-scoring places.
His consistently fast lap times in the 1.49 bracket impressively matched the pace of several of his rivals in the top 10, and at the chequered flag Loi collected two World Championship points, which moves him within touching distance of the top 20 in the overall rankings.
The Marc VDS Racing Team now heads back to Europe for next weekend’s Brno race in the Czech Republic, which is immediately followed by Redding’s vital home round at Silverstone on 1 September.
Scott Redding #45: 3rd
“I felt good at the start but I didn’t want to lead because I knew I needed to save the tyres. I could see Nakagami was using a lot of his rear tyre but after about seven laps I suddenly starting having a vibration from the rear and I was losing time in the first and last corner. After that it was all about surviving to the finish and not trying to stress the tyres too much. But when Rabat came by he was gone in a few corners, so it was obvious I had some more tyre issues and that’s a bit disappointing. The battle at the end with Pol was exciting. It was pretty tight in those first couple of corners on lap 23 but I never touched him and sometimes you have to be aggressive like that. I’m just happy to have beaten him because it is vitally important for the Championship.”
Mika Kallio #36: 7th
“I am happy to have recovered so many places in the final laps but it was a very tough race. I knew that I could keep a good pace right until the end but unfortunately I am not as fast as the rest on new tyres. I just had to hang in there as best I could because I knew I’d be faster when the rest started to have grip problems. I just kept pushing even though I started to lose front and rear grip and I am reasonably satisfied to have fought back to seventh. It is not a fantastic position but not too bad considering I started 15th. I lost some points on Rabat and Aegerter in the Championship but there are many races to go and I am sure I will be more competitive in Brno.”
Livio Loi #11: 14th
“It has been a very positive first visit to Indianapolis for me and I’m really happy to have followed up my best ever qualifying result yesterday with my career best finish in the race. I am sure I could have been higher than 14th but on lap six I made a mistake downshifting. I went from third into first gear at Turn 10 and the rear came round on me. It was a big moment and it cost me a lot of time and positions. I just kept pushing as hard as I could to get back into the points and I am pleased I managed to do that and I am very happy with the consistency of my lap times. It is a good way to start the second half of the season but part of me obviously thinks it a top 10 was possible without the mistake, but that can happen when you are pushing at this level.”
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“That was an incredible race and I am really happy that Scott has increased his lead in the Championship. It was very important to finish in front of Espargaro for the first time in four races and I think he showed just how much he wants to win this title with some really hard moves. Unfortunately, once again, he was handicapped by the tyres and this is not the first time, so I am hoping to see some improvements coming quickly. It is a shame Scott just couldn’t quite get by Nakagami at the end because those extra points could be crucial. But to lead by 26 points means we are more than one race clear again and this is very positive. Mika did an amazing job in the last 10 laps. He was one of the fastest on track at the end and to pass so many riders late on was very important for his position in the Championship. Livio did a very good job on his first visit here and to get his best ever qualifying and race result gives him and his team a good platform to build on for the second half of the season. It is a shame about the downshifting mistake because I think he showed he had the speed to fight for the top 10. He still showed his potential this weekend and I am sure it is only a matter of time before he is getting a first top 10 result under his belt.”
