MotoGP-Austin

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Yamaha Factory Racing Arrives in Texas for COTA Debut

The Yamaha Factory racing team touches down in the USA this week and heads to Texas for round two of the 2013 MotoGP Championship at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin on 21st April. Riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi arrive in perfect form, World Champion Lorenzo leading the 2013 standings and teammate Rossi right behind in second after a dazzling performance by both riders at the season opener in Qatar two weeks ago.

This will be the debut COTA MotoGP race with only a very few riders having ever visited the track before. Lorenzo and Rossi are among those few having enjoyed a private test at the circuit in pre-season. Created by leading circuit designer Hermann Tilke, the track will challenge the MotoGP grid over 21 laps with an incredible 41 metre elevation change as it winds through an impressive 20 separate turns over its 5.513km length. The track enjoys a variety of styles including fast sweeping sections and stop-and-go hairpin turns.
Jorge Lorenzo

Qatar was stunning for us. A great start of a really competitive season. It?s always crucial to make a good beginning but Losail was just the first race of a long season. Now we have to change our mindset, we go to the USA and we visit a completely different track, not just the layout but also for the asphalt, the climate and some different circumstances.
 The Austin track has a very long straight and several corners in first gear where you are need good acceleration and traction. There we will have to work really hard from the first session to cut away the distance to our competitors. Anyway, I keep my confidence that we can also make a good result there. I want to win at Austin and that?s my mentality although I know in the USA it will be much more complicated.
Valentino Rossi

Austin will not be an easy race but for sure the podium in Qatar is giving us extra motivation. We have done a great job there and we can go to Austin with some more certainty. Our competitors will be very strong but our goal will be to bring home points. I am confident, I really like the track and my first impression, when we tested there, was that the circuit is beautiful. The track lay-out is very special: there is some downhill and uphill and the first braking zone is very technical. For me turn two is the best though and after when you enter into the chicane. The straight is very long, which is good for overtaking. I really look forward to racing at COTA.

Wilco Zeelenberg - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager
?I couldn?t go a few weeks ago to the test at COTA but what I hear about the track is that the feelings are much more different to the other circuits. Maybe it is because it?s new, with a special layout. We won at Qatar, this was a fantastic start for us and also for Yamaha but we have to think ahead and the season is long and hard. In theory, Austin is not really a circuit that will benefit us. Anyway, we will see how much we can improve our performance compared with the test and see about our pace over there. Finally, this is racing and you never know until Sunday!?


Massimo Meregalli - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director
We are going to Austin now in a different shape to one month ago. The data we collected there will help us to prepare the base set up with which we will start the practices and also for sure the results in Qatar will be helpful too. The latest modifications we?ve made to our bikes are going to help. Austin for us is not going to be an easy race but for sure it's going to be better than the test. The place is very nice and the temperature was perfect one month ago. We are looking forward to this next race, especially after the good spirit we got from the last one!

Jorge Lorenzo
Age 25
Lives Barcelona, Spain
Bike Yamaha
GP victories 45 (24 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First GP victory Brazil, 2003 (125cc)
First GP Jerez, Spain, 2002 (125cc)
GP starts 180 (86 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
Pole position 52 (26 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
World Championships 4 (MotoGP 2010/12, 250cc, 2006/7)

Valentino Rossi
Age 34
Lives Tavullia (Italy)
Bike Yamaha
GP victories 105 (79 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc)
First GP victory Czec Republic, 1996 (125cc)
First GP Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
GP starts 277
Pole position 59 (49 x MotoGP/500cc, 5 x 250cc, 5 x 125cc)
World Championships 9 (MotoGP 2009/08/05/04/03/02, 500cc 2001, 250cc 1999, 125cc 1997)

 

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Texas welcomes Colin Edwards and NGM Mobile Forward Racing teammates

The second race of the season takes NGM Mobile Forward Racing Team to the Circuit Of The Americas (COTA) in Texas. The inaugural GP race in Texas will have a very special connotation for our MotoGP rider Colin Edwards. The American rider, also known as the ?Texas Tornado? will be attending his very first home race.

The Moto2 riders look forward to improving their results with their SpeedUp bike from the first season race in Qatar; Simone Corsi is aiming to fight for the podium positions, Alex De Angelis is hoping for a quick adaptation process to be competitive, Mattia Pasini will aim to place better in qualifying to have a good race in Texas and Ricky Card?s is very enthusiastic about this first race at the COTA and show what he is made of.

The Texas Tornado and teammate Claudio Corti are in turn, eager to arrive at the Texan circuit. Both Edwards and Corti will be experiencing the track for the first time with their FTR-Kawasaki as of Friday. Both riders look forward to this second race of the season.

Colin Edwards ? 5

?I?m really excited about the Austin GP, it will be the first GP I?ve ever driven to which is awesome. As far as expanding the audience we?ve had one out west side, one on the east side and now we get to have one south. I?ve got a lot of friends, a lot of family coming and I am looking forward to it. It should be good!?

Claudio Corti -71

?I always look forward to going to a new circuit, its like entering into a brand new playground when you are a little kid. I expect it to be s tought weekend since we have no data on this new track but will the experience adquired in Qatar I go into this race cold headed and confident about the team?s potential and my own.?

Simone Corsi - 3

?After the positive start in Qatar I am optimistic for the race in Austin! Its a new circuit for everyone and it will be key to find the best possible setting right away and memorize the track and the best line to follow. I had a good feeling with the bike on the first race and I hope to make a bigger step this weekend to be able to fight for the podium.?

Alex De Angelis - 15

?Its hard to make any assesments on how the race will go at Austin, Its a new circuit for all of us but in the past I have always been able to adapt to new tracks rapidly. I will do my best to improve the results from the first race in Qatar.?

Mattia Pasini - 54

?After an unlucky weekend in Doha I go very motivated into this second race of the season at Austin. We have to fix a few little problems in order to be as fast as we would want this weekend. With the work plan we have set with the team I believe we can be very competitive."

Ricky Card?s - 88

?I am happy to be riding for the first time at this circuit. Its a race track that I have only seen photos of and so far has impressed me. Its a shame that I am not completely recovered from the Qatar crash but I hope that this last few days before the race will do the trick. It will be a fun race, I?m lookign forward to racing in America, a country that I really enjoy visiting and where I hope to improve my race results from Qatar.?

 

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The Ducati Team heads to Texas

With the 2013 MotoGP world championship having recently kicked off in the Middle East, the Ducati Team is now headed for round two, which will mark the first motorcycle Grand Prix to be held in Texas.

Situated near the state capital of Austin, the new Circuit of the Americas raises many question marks for the MotoGP riders, although Ducati Team racer Nicky Hayden had the opportunity to experience the Hermann Tilke-designed circuit last month on a road bike, when he and Ignite Pramac Racing rider Ben Spies, a fellow American, took part in the press launch of the 1199 Panigale R. For Hayden?s teammate Andrea Dovizioso, on the other hand, this will mark his first visit to the facility.

Adding to the trial will be the fact that COTA is quite challenging to learn, being 5.513 kilometres long (3.426 miles), with a full 20 corners, including the track?s signature uphill Turn 1 lefthander. Much of the circuit is 15 metres wide (50 feet), making for multiple line options in many of the corners.

Austin will mark the first of three rounds this season to be held in the United States, Ducati?s number-one market.

Andrea Dovizioso ? Ducati Team
?I haven?t been to the Circuit of the Americas, but from the video it looks like a really big and nice track, and it also looks really difficult. Unfortunately, we didn?t test there like some of the other guys, so it will be a problem for us in the beginning. Anyway, I?m really excited for us to be riding on a new track.?

Nicky Hayden ? Ducati Team
?Right after Qatar I had to fly to Asia for some promotional events, so I hope to be at my best for Austin! Having three GPs in my home country almost seems like a dream to me, and the Circuit of the Americas is really a great track that?s nice, safe and new, with great facilities. I?ve been around it on a street bike, so I know the layout, although it will obviously be much different on a MotoGP bike. The track has a little bit of everything, and it?s definitely not easy. It?s really long, quite wide, and very technical, with some very particular corners that have open entries?often blind?and tight exits. I like a good challenge, and this track definitely offers one. Hopefully the American fans will come out and support the race and set up a nice trend for the next two American rounds.?

Vittoriano Guareschi ? Team Manager
?The track will be completely new for us. Nicky did a sort of shakedown with a Panigale R street bike, and from the way he describes it, it will be quite difficult. There are fast straightaways with hard braking zones and very tight hairpins, but there are also sections with fast corners. Unfortunately, since the Ducati Team didn?t test at COTA, we?re at a bit of a disadvantage to our competitors; we?ll have dual assignments during the early sessions?we have to find a general setup and the correct settings for the electronics?so we hope to have good weather in all of the sessions. The weekend is a bit of an unknown for us, but we?re optimistic.?


Ducati Team ? Rider Info

Andrea Dovizioso
Bike: Ducati Team Desmosedici GP13
Race Number: 04
Age: 27 (born in Forlimpopoli, Italy, 23 March 1986)
Residence: Forl?, Italy
Number of GPs: 187 (89 x MotoGP, 49 x 250cc, 49 x 125cc)
First GP: 2001 Italian GP (125cc)
Number of Wins: 10 (1 x MotoGP, 4 x 250cc, 5 x 125cc)
First GP Win: 2004 South African GP (125cc)
Poles: 14 (1 x MotoGP, 4 x 250cc, 9 x 125cc)
First Pole: 2003 French GP (125cc)
World Championships: 1 (1 x 125cc)

Nicky Hayden
Bike: Ducati Team Desmosedici GP13
Race Number: 69
Age: 31 (born in Owensboro, Kentucky, USA, 30 July 1981)
Residence: Owensboro (Kentucky, USA)
Number of GPs: 168 (168 x MotoGP)
First GP: 2003 Japanese GP (MotoGP)
Number of Wins: 3 (3 x MotoGP)
First GP Win: 2005 USA GP (MotoGP)
Poles: 5 (5 x MotoGP)
First Pole: 2005 USA GP (MotoGP)
World Championships: 1 (6 x MotoGP, 2006)

 

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Fabulous COTA welcomes MotoGP for fist time

The MotoGP World Championship heads for new territory this weekend ? the fabulous new Circuit of the Americas (COTA) racetrack outside Austin, Texas. The Grand Prix of the Americas is the first of MotoGP?s three visits to the USA this year, with Laguna Seca and Indianapolis following in July and August.



This is the first time in 65 years of motorcycle Grand Prix racing that the sport has visited the Lone Star state, so the event is eagerly anticipated. The circuit ? which was greatly acclaimed when Formula 1 cars visited for the first time last November ? has already proved a hit with the handful of MotoGP stars who visited the venue for a three-day test session last month.



The riders praised the new layout which includes a huge variety of challenges in its 3.426 miles (5.513km), from ultra-tight hairpin turns to fast, flowing sweepers and a 210mph (338km/h) back straight.

During that test session it was dazzling MotoGP rookie Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda RC213V) who led the way, proving that lack of experience on a 250-plus horsepower motorcycle need be no barrier to serious speed if you have the requisite talent. His fastest lap during those three days was a 1m 03.281s.

Two weeks ago Marquez lit up the thrilling Qatar Grand Prix season-opener, scoring a brilliant podium result in his debut race in the premier class. Marquez?s high-speed entry into bike racing?s toughest category has been one of the biggest talking points of the new season and the reigning Moto2 World Champion will be aiming to, at the very least, repeat his third-place finish this Sunday.

Marquez spent much of the Qatar race duelling with team-mate Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC213V) who struggled with rear-grip issues. The Spaniard, who dominated the second half of last year?s MotoGP series on his way to second overall, finished fourth in that race and will be aiming to put himself back where he?s used to being in Texas ? challenging for victory. His pace during preseason testing at the track was impressive ? he ended the three days second overall, just a few tenths behind Marquez.

Honda?s other two prototype riders will also be aiming for strong performances in Texas after enjoying mixed fortunes at the season opener. Former 125 World Champion Alvaro Bautista (Team GO&FUN Honda Gresini RC213V) was satisfied with his sixth-place finish, believing it to be a good starting point for his fourth season in MotoGP. The Spaniard had a challenging time in Qatar, partly due to the finger injury he had sustained just two weeks earlier during the final preseason tests at Jerez, Spain. He will have a lot to learn this weekend because he didn?t take part in the preseason tests at COTA.

Former Moto2 World Champion Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda RC213V) is in the hunt for a good finish in Texas after a strong start to his second season in MotoGP went awry in Qatar. The German was battling for fifth-place with nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) when he slid off without injury. Bradl has the advantage of having tested at COTA alongside the Repsol Honda team. He went very well in the tests, ending up third overall, ahead of Rossi and reigning World Champion Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha).

MotoGP rookie Bryan Staring (GO&FUN Honda Gresini FTR Honda) will also be aiming to put things right after sliding off at Qatar, his debut Grand Prix. The Australian, who rides a CBR1000RR-powered CRT machine, knows that he needs time on the bike more than anything else, so he will be working hard to make sure he goes the distance at COTA.

The Circuit of the Americas has 20 corners and looks likely to become one of the most challenging circuits on the MotoGP calendar. Designed with both Formula 1 and MotoGP in mind, the track takes a lot of learning and has a bit of everything, including a dramatic 134ft (40.2m) climb from the start to the first corner. The circuit was designed by Hermann Tilke, the world?s most famous racetrack architect, who is also responsible for other much-admired tracks like Sepang in Malaysia and Istanbul in Turkey. Former 500 World Champion Kevin Schwantz had some input into the design which features several hairpins that will put some emphasis on braking and acceleration. The track also features multiple directions changes, which require excellent manageability from machines. In other words, COTA will demand everything from both rider and machine.

After racing finishes on Sunday afternoon the MotoGP circus crosses the Atlantic to commence the first European section of the season at Jerez on May 5.



Honda MotoGP Rider Quotes



Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa says:

?Qatar was not the start we expected, but I know what the issue was so it?s clear for the next race. We were in Austin just over a month ago and I?m sure this will be useful for us as we have a base setting. There are a lot of tight corners at this track and the pace changes from section to section. However, the track will be quite different with so many more bikes there and much more rubber laid down, so I hope the bike will still work well.?



Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez says:

?To arrive on the podium in my first race was a dream come true, but now we must face the reality and focus on the job at hand. I am looking forward to going to Austin ? It will be interesting as we have already been there testing and we found a good base set-up. But we will see because it will be a different scenario with more rubber on the track and the conditions will change. We will concentrate on our work and our own agenda to prepare ourselves in the best possible way for the race.?



LCR Honda rider Stefan Bradl says:

?In the first race in Qatar we demonstrated that we have the pace for a top-five result. We are not far away from the front group but unfortunately the first GP finished badly for us. After the bad experience in Qatar I am really looking forward to Austin and I presume the things will be much better there. I know the track already because I was there for the private test some weeks ago and I strongly want to repeat our speed and consistency. This race will be fun for us and for the fans.?



GO&FUN Honda Gresini rider Alvaro Bautista says:

?The season has started really well. I am happy even though we had a few problems with the front in Qatar. It forced us to use the soft tyre because I had more confidence with it but we lost stability under braking. I made a good start and tried my best to stay with the guys at the front but it got to the point where I was taking too many risks and it was better to make sure of a solid position. It was an important sixth place, my best result in MotoGP in Qatar and that gives us optimism for the future. The next round in Austin will be a new experience for almost all of us. They say it is a technical and demanding circuit and I am looking forward to getting on with the job of learning it and finding a setting that will allow me to fully exploit the potential of the RC213V. The level of competition is very high but I am confident that if we do our job right then we can be even more competitive than we were in Qatar. Myself and the team are determined to keep working until we show our best form.?



GO&FUN Honda Gresini rider Bryan Staring says:

?I am still disappointed with the way my debut went in Qatar but I also know that it is all part of the process of picking up experience in a completely new category. We will learn from it and try to make up for our disappointment this weekend in Austin. It is a new track for all the CRT guys so we will start out on a more level playing field. I have seen some footage of the track and it looks awesome. I am looking forward to seeing it for myself and I am sure that the Circuit of The Americas will be fun to ride. This will also be my first-ever trip to the USA so overall there is a lot to look forward to as we try to put Qatar behind us and focus on producing a positive performance in Austin.?

 

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COTA ready for its debut

Following a few days of rest after a positive season-opening race at Losail, Qatar, where the Pramac Racing Team finished ninth and tenth, the squad has arrived at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA).

The track, which opened last year in Austin, Texas, is 5.513 kilometers long (3.426 miles) and has 20 corners (11 lefthanders and nine righthanders), along with an uphill of 41 meters (135 feet). Although the facility is making its MotoGP debut, it has already earned a reputation for being among the nicest on the calendar.

Home rider Ben Spies (Ignite Pramac Racing Team) already had an opportunity to get a first impression of the Texas circuit while riding a Ducati 1199 Panigale R during that bike?s official press launch in March, shortly after a private test that was attended by Honda and Yamaha.

Both riders now look forward to COTA?s first MotoGP free-practice sessions, which are scheduled to get started Friday at 9:55 local time.

Ben Spies ? Ignite Pramac Racing Team

?I?m really happy to race at home; even just a few years ago, I never would?ve imagined that it was possible. The track is very challenging, but because I was able to do some laps here last month, I know something about what to expect, and I?ll try to take advantage of what I learned.?

 

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The Action Begins in Austin for Grand Prix of The Americas

Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi kicked off the inaugural Grand Prix of the Americas weekend today with the first practice sessions at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. The morning?s first session delivered far slower times than had been recorded at the private test a few weeks ago with cold temperatures and little rubber on the track adding several seconds to the previous times. The afternoon saw the temperature double from the morning and lap times tumbled for all riders.

Reigning World Champion Lorenzo completed the first of the two sessions in second place and the second in fourth, improving by over two seconds. Teammate Rossi improved a place from sixth to fifth over the two sessions and also took a large chunk out of his morning time, shaving an impressive four seconds off by the end of the second practice.
Jorge Lorenzo, 4th, Time - 2'06.637

?In the morning we were competitive compared to our rivals but this afternoon when the track improved they had a better feeling and a better confidence to improve much more than us. We were unable to make profit from the improved track conditions. We need to improve the bike to gain some seconds. The track was better for everyone but for the moment it gives our rivals more confidence to go faster. We are better but still not enough.?
Valentino Rossi, 5th, Time - 2'6.868

?The practices are not so bad because we improved a lot compared to this morning and we could stay close to Jorge. Unfortunately the Hondas are very fast which we already knew from the test. We hope to make it better this weekend but especially Marquez is very fast and also Pedrosa and Bradl are faster than us so we have to work and try to improve for tomorrow.?

Wilco Zeelenberg - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager
?That?s the first day in Austin done. We?re position four so of course we?re not so happy; we?re struggling a bit to find the correct grip. The morning session wasn?t great, it was cold and everybody struggled and in the afternoon we struggled a bit more. We are trying to find some extra grip, to drop the lap times we need more on the back. Hopefully tomorrow we can find the right way to improve and close the gap. It?s important to be on the front row and close to the fast lap times.?


Massimo Meregalli - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director
?We know that the characteristics of this track are not the best for us. We still have one and a half days to work on our set up so we will focus on closing the gap to the front. Unfortunately this morning the track conditions were not good, we couldn't work properly so we lost one session. We have identified the area we need to improve so I am optimistic that tomorrow we can make a big step.?

Crutchlow stars on Texas debut

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team?s Cal Crutchlow demonstrated what a fast learner he is today, the British rider immediately setting a fast and competitive pace on his debut at the spectacular new Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Texas. Faced with the difficult challenge of learning the long and technical track, which features 20 corners, the longest straight on the 18-round MotoGP calendar and a 134ft climb from the start line to the first corner, the 27-year-old excelled in both 45-minute practice sessions to challenge for the top six throughout. He impressively dropped his pace in this afternoon?s FP2 by well over four seconds compared to the opening 45-minute session to move up from eighth to sixth in the rankings. Crutchlow ended with a personal best time of 2.06.899 to finish just 0.031s behind Valentino Rossi. And all five riders that finished in front of the former World Supersport Champion have previous experience of COTA having attended a private test session at the state-of-the-art facility near Austin last month.

A slippery surface provided the biggest challenge for British rider Bradley Smith, who only felt confident enough to push anywhere close to his limit towards the end of FP2. Smith finished 13th fastest in FP1 and although he was able to shave close to four seconds off his pace this afternoon, he remained in the same position on the combined leaderboard. He finished the day with a quickest pace of 2.09.424 and the 22-year-old is confident that with more track knowledge to call upon tomorrow he will be challenging for a place inside the top 10.
Cal Crutchlow - 6th, Time - 2'06.899

?Firstly I want to say a huge thanks to my Monster Yamaha Tech 3 crew, management and staff at Yamaha and Dorna and COTA officials for helping us get out on track today. The fire in the garage on Wednesday night wasn?t the ideal start to the weekend but my crew have worked non-stop to get everything ready for today and I am proud to work with them. Today was always going to be difficult because this track is really technical, difficult to learn, and you need time to be able to learn all the secrets to go fast. So to be sixth fastest and make such big progress is pleasing. We expected the gap to the front to be quite big and honestly I thought I?d be a little bit further away. I got held up a few times on my good laps too so I?m sure I could have gone a bit faster. This track is amazing with so many different challenges from hard braking, fast straights and lots of changes of direction. We still have a lot of work to do and it will be difficult to be near the front in the race. I need to improve in the braking area. We need to calm the bike down but to be the best of those that didn?t test here is all I can really ask for.?
Bradley Smith - 13th, Time - 2'09.424

?It was great to finally be on track today and get a first taste of what is an amazing track but incredibly difficult to learn. After the fire in the garage on Wednesday night my crew and even my old team from Moto2 have been working flat-out to make sure we were ready. So just being on track felt like a big achievement today. This morning was very difficult because I have never ridden with such little grip, and that doesn?t help you learn the track. Going into this afternoon where we did have grip, it took me a while to actually adapt to the track. We improved the bike and I felt much more comfortable at the end and we have a direction to follow for tomorrow morning. What is critical is being able to put the bike where you want and at the moment I am struggling in that area. You have to be so specific here but I am happy to be four seconds faster this afternoon. That?s good progress but I need to make the next step. I know my weak points and I will be ready to make the improvements.?

2013 MotoGP United States
Circuit of The Americas 19/04/2013
1 Marc Marquez Honda ESP 2'05.031
2 Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 2'05.585
3 Stefan Bradl Honda GER 2'06.173
4 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 2'06.637
5 Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 2'06.868
6 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 2'06.899
7 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati ITA 2'07.236
8 Alvaro Bautista Honda ESP 2'07.256
9 Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 2'07.699
10 Ben Spies Ducati USA 2'08.034
11 Aleix Espargaro ART ESP 2'08.299
12 Yonny Hernandez ART COL 2'09.374
13 Bradley Smith Yamaha GBR 2'09.424
14 Randy De Puniet ART FRA 2'09.739
15 Andrea Iannone Ducati ITA 2'09.860

 

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Bittersweet day for Pramac Racing Team

The Circuit of the Americas?the first of three American tracks on the 2013 MotoGP calendar?today added its first page to the championship?s history book.

Like most of the riders, the Pramac Racing Team racers approached this challenging day, which featured the traditional first two free-practice sessions, by endeavoring to learn the correct lines and to get up to pace on the unfamiliar circuit.

The windy conditions and the slippery asphalt made the task more difficult, but the team was prepared.
Unfortunately, Andrea Iannone suffered significantly from the lack of grip, which prevented him from confidently riding this new circuit and made it more difficult for him to learn the proper lines. Tomorrow will be an important opportunity to accumulate as much data as possible in order to be as prepared as possible for the race on Sunday.

Andrea Iannone ? Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team
?Today was quite difficult. I had trouble finding the right feeling with the bike, and I don?t have the confidence to push hard. I feel the bike sliding, and I feel hesitant. Anyway, I?m optimistic for tomorrow, which will be very important for us. Despite everything, I like the entire track and I hope to get closer to the other Ducati riders, as I?ve always managed to do before.?

 

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Edwards and Corti take it one step at a time at COTA

NGM Mobile Forward Racing Team riders Colin Edwards and Claudio Corti get to ride for the first time at COTA with their FTR-Kawasaki bike.

The low track temperature caused the riders to lack grip during the morning practice and made the team reconsider the setting that they used during the Qatar race two weeks ago. The temperature increase for the second session made the morning work irrelevant but allowed both the Texan and Italian rider to get more laps in at COTA.

The electronics fine-tuning and the data from this first day of practice will be key in order to make the necessary adjustments for tomorrow?s third practice and qualifying sessions.

Colin Edwards ? (2?12.50)
?Its obviously new track. The first session was a little sketchy; I think we had 20 degree centigrade on the ground. This morning just getting along the track we got some ideas and in the second practice, instead of holding station with the setting we knew kind of works we decided to soften the rear, make some changes for the problems we were having with cold temperature while obviously it was 40 when we went back out there for the second session. We just started off wrong and tried to use the rest of the session to go back to where we were. The good news is we got more laps in and got to know the track a better. We need to go over the data and make it better for tomorrow.?

Claudio Corti - (2?10.72)
?This first day when ok, we have improved a lot during the second practice session but we still have to keep working on the electronics, specially in terms of the acceleration. All an all, we are working really well, would still like to be a bit faster but I took some time during the session because we needed to test the front tires and ended up not being the right choice. We need to work on keeping a good pace and make the bike a little easier to ride but for being on a new track for first time I think we are doing good so far.?

Sergio Verbena ? MotoGP Technical Director
?Today was the first day on this new track and we didn?t have any references for this circuit so we started the first session with the Qatar setting. This morning the track temperature was very cold so we didn?t have much grip, we struggled to find the grip to manage the situation. This afternoon the situation was completely opposite, the temperature rose from 20 degrees to 40 degrees Celsius so the grip was good and the job we did during the morning was lost. Claudio had a good session, had good lap times and showed consistency. Colin struggled with the setting of the bike so we need to work to make him more comfortable to be faster tomorrow, we know he can be faster. We will look over the data and see what needs to be improved for tomorrow.?

 

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Busy first day for Ducati Team in Austin

Andrea Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden had a full work schedule during MotoGP?s first two free-practice sessions to be held at the Circuit of the Americas. Along with their crews, the Ducati Team riders, who didn?t take part in a private test at the circuit last month and were therefore making their Texas debut on MotoGP bikes, gathered as much data as possible in the windy but sunny conditions. Temperatures were lower than expected for the morning practice, affecting traction.

In addition, the Italian had to deal with a minor electronics issue in the afternoon session, but he switched to his second bike and set his best time of the day, which was good enough for seventh place. Hayden was ninth.

Andrea Dovizioso - Ducati Team, 7th (2:07.236)
?Today went pretty well, both in the morning and the afternoon. I?m happy because although the conditions and the track were both difficult, we?re not so far from the top guys, and I feel good on the bike. The conditions changed a lot in the second session and will probably change again tomorrow, so we?ll continue working and see what times we can do. Grip is really important on this circuit, because it?s quite strange?different from the tracks where we usually race. I thought it would be fast, but it?s not; there?s a long straightaway, but almost all of the corners are taken in second or third gear. Still, they?ve really done a great job here.?

Nicky Hayden - Ducati Team, 9th (2:07.699)
?It was great to get out and try the track on a MotoGP bike, as it?s really a first-class circuit and facility. This morning the biggest challenge was the lack of grip; on a new track with not much temperature, the tyres were simply too hard, though the conditions were better in the afternoon. We had a few problems with the rear, and when we made that better, that put too much load on the front. We knew it was going to be tough, since the other manufacturers tested here and have a lot of data. We?ve got some catching up to do, but I certainly hope to get closer tomorrow.?

 

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Marquez leads the way in FP1

Repsol Honda's Marc Marquez set the fastest time of 2'08.756 in this morning's first free practice session for the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas and teammate Dani Pedrosa in third position with 2'10.356.

The times are around five seconds slower than those set during the test a month ago, where Marc set the fastest time of 2'03.281. Both riders spoke about lack of grip due to the track conditions, which will gradually improve as more rubber gets laid down.


Marc Marquez - 1st - 2'08.756

"It feels like the first day when we were here for testing, the track has very little grip, so this morning I was just finding my rhythm and learning the lines again! There's not much more to say! The times were slow but I think this afternoon's free practice will be better"


Dani Pedrosa - 3rd - 2'10.356

"It was very difficult to try any settings on the bike as the track conditions were not very good, there is no grip. Also, it's quite windy so on the straights the wind is cooling the tyres quite a lot. I hope that the conditions will improve this afternoon with some more sun and bikes on track"



Practice Results

1 - Marc Marquez - 2?08.756 - SPA - HONDA - Repsol Honda Team

2 - Jorge Lorenzo - 2?09.009 - SPA - YAMAHA - Yamaha Factory Racing

3 - Dani Pedrosa - 2?10.356 - SPA - HONDA - Repsol Honda Team

4 - Andrea Dovizioso - 2?10.665 - ITA - DUCATI - Ducati Team

5 - Nicky Hayden - 2?10.801 - USA - DUCATI - Ducati Team

6 - Valentino Rossi - 2?10.828 - ITA - YAMAHA - Yamaha Factory Racing

7 - Alvaro Bautista - 2?10.910 - SPA - HONDA & FTR - Go & Fun Honda Gresini

8 - Cal Crutchlow - 2?11.232 - GBR - YAMAHA - Monster Yamaha Tech 3

9 - Stefan Bradl - 2?11.929 - GER - HONDA - LCR Honda MotoGP

10 - Ben Spies - 2?12.813 - USA - DUCATI - Ignite Pramac Racing Team

11 - Yonny Hernandez - 2?13.058 - COL - PBM - Paul Bird Motorsport

12 - Claudio Corti - 2?13.321 - ITA - FTR-KAWASAKI - NGM Mobile Forward Racing

13 - Bradley Smith - 2?13.339 - GBR - YAMAHA - Monster Yamaha Tech 3

14 - Colin Edwards - 2?13.694 - USA - FTR-KAWASAKI - NGM Mobile Forward Racing

15 - Aleix Espargaro - 2?13.970 - SPA - ART - Power Electronics Aspar

16 - Randy De Puniet - 2?14.530 - FRA - ART - Power Electronics Aspar

17 - Karel Abraham - 2?14.828 - CZE - ART - Cardion AB Motoracing

18 - Andrea Iannone - 2?14.859 - ITA - DUCATI - Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team

19 - Danilo Petrucci - 2?16.465 - ITA - IODA-SUTER - Came IodaRacing Project

20 - Hiroshi Aoyama - 2?16.481 - JAP - FTR - Avintia Blusens

21 - Bryan Staring - 2?17.441 - AUS - HONDA & FTR - Go & Fun Honda Gresini

22 - Hector Barbera - 2?17.685 - SPA - FTR - Avintia Blusens

23 - Michael Laverty - 2?18.338 - GBR - PBM - Paul Bird Motorsport

24 - Lukas Pesek - 2?18.684 - CZE - IODA-SUTER - Came IodaRacing Project

25 - Blake Young - 2?19.440 - USA - APR CRT - Attack Performance

26 - Mike Barnes - 2?21.530 - USA - N/A - GP Tech

 

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Exploring the new racing track:
16th place for Karel Abraham at Austin

Karel Abraham reached reached 16th time at the opening day of the Grand Prix of The Americas at the new circuit at Austin, finished fourth between CRT bikes. Abraham lost 5,380 seconds to the fastest rider Marc M?rquez and 0,551 second to the closest rider Andrea Iannone on Ducati.

Karel Abraham:
?The track is really interesting but not so easy. Some sections are really hard. All of us had troubles with the track slippery surface in the morning session. It got better in the afternoon and finally we could really ride. That?s seen in the times which are ? all riders are much faster compared to the morning. We have few problems to deal with. Our goal for Saturday is to accelerate at least for one more second. Bike is still sliding and we had the lowest top speed of all. We don?t know why yet, but we have to find it out. There?s one long straight at this circuit and because of low top speed I am getting important loss.?

Marco Grana, chief-mechanic Cardion AB Motoracing
?We did a pretty good job today. The track was dirty and slippery in the morning, but it got better in the afternoon and Karel could repeatedly improve his best lap times. We?ve got still problem with acceleration and compared to the Espargaro we?re loosing the most of the time on it. I hope the track will be cleaner on Saturday and I hope we can speed up further two seconds.?

 

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The Pramac Racing Team looks forward to tomorrow?s race

A beautiful, sunny day greeted the MotoGP riders for the second, important day of the championship?s second round, raising the air temperature to 24˚ C and the asphalt temperature to 43˚ C.

Both Pramac Racing Team riders took to the technical, challenging Austin circuit, determined to improve their times, along with the bikes? settings ahead of the race.

Despite a good improvement in FP3, giving him a time of 2:07.749 (two seconds faster than yesterday), the Italian had to take part in Q1. He?ll start tomorrow?s race from the 13th position on the grid.

Andrea Iannone ? Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team
?It was a busy day, and although we improved steadily during the sessions, it wasn?t enough to make it into Q2. Unfortunately, when I went into Q1, I went slower than my best time, so I didn?t get a good qualifying position. Anyway, the situation isn?t bad. I have a hard time on this track, so we have to try to solve our problems in order to improve. I?m satisfied with the team and with the work that we?re doing. I?ll give myself some more races to improve, but I hope that soon I?ll manage to take a step forward and go faster.?

 

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Lorenzo Secures Front Row in Challenging Austin Qualifying

Yamaha Factory Racing rider Jorge Lorenzo took third position in the first ever qualifying session for the Grand Prix of The Americas today at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin Texas. The MotoGP World Champion was quick to find pace on his first time attack in the new format 15 minute qualifying heat, taking provisional pole briefly with ten minutes left on the clock. Unfortunately a mistimed trip through pit lane as the last minutes died away left him unable to mount another hot lap. The result sees Lorenzo take the third position on the front row of the grid next to rival Dani Pedrosa.

Team mate Valentino Rossi continued to struggle under braking today and was unable to find a set up for his YZR-M1 that would enable a challenge for the front row. The Italian pushed hard through the final practice and subsequent qualifying session, eventually settling for eighth position on the third row of the grid for tomorrow?s race.
Jorge Lorenzo, 3rd, Time - 2'04.100

?What happened in qualifying is more or less what happened in all the sessions, the Hondas, Marc and Dani in particular, are much more fast than us in pace and on a fast lap. Our best position we could do today was third. Tomorrow in the race anything could happen. If something strange happens we can fight for the win but in normal conditions third is a really good position for tomorrow. We hope that the race is going to be better than qualifying and we can be closer to Marc and Dani.?
Valentino Rossi, 8th, Time - 2'05.380

?We expected to go better today but we were unable to fix the problem in braking especially in the first part and I lose too much time. We still have tomorrow, we know that this weekend on this track it can be difficult and in fact it is. We have to make a good race and try to achieve some positions and take some points.?
Wilco Zeelenberg - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager

?The front row is very good so we are satisfied with that, I think it was the maximum for today. The last tyre didn't go well in qualifying, Jorge ended up in a group so he went in to the pit lane and didn't realise we didn't have enough time for another time attack. At the moment we are just one metre from pole position. The race is tomorrow and the bike is behaving ok so lets see what we can do as It?s quite clear we don't have the advantage we had in Qatar. Anything can happen, the fast guys can make mistakes and the race is a long one, you have to stay focused and Jorge is very good at doing that.?
Massimo Meregalli - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director

?We are continuing to work hard to close the gap to the front. We will make some changes tonight and we will hopefully see the result in warm up. We know this is not the best circuit for us but we will continue to give 100%. Jorge made a good qualifying session but unfortunately he missed the opportunity to improve his lap time due to the mistake. To start this race from the front row is important. As a result of qualifying Vale will need a very aggressive start to the race. If we can make another step with the set up then he can definitely catch the riders in front of him.?
Crutchlow close to front row in Texas

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider Cal Crutchlow will start the inaugural Grand Prix of the Americas from fourth place on the grid after the British rider just missed out on a front row spot for the second race in succession in 2013. In a breathless 15-minute QP2 to decide the top 12 grid positions, Crutchlow produced another fantastic qualifying performance in gloriously sunny conditions at the new Circuit of the Americas (COTA) to set a best time of 2.04.267. That put him in fourth position and just 0.167s from claiming a ninth front row start in his MotoGP career. Crutchlow?s phenomenal progress throughout his first visit to COTA was confirmed in FP3 and FP4 when he secured the fourth best time, the 27-year-old improving his pace set yesterday by two seconds to move up from sixth. He knocked another big chunk of time off his pace again in QP2 and is confident that he can fight for a place in the top five in tomorrow?s 21-lap race.

Bradley Smith?s second appearance for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team will start from 11th on the grid. The British rider ended the opening three practice sessions in 12th position, a result that meant he just missed being seeded straight through to QP2 by two places. Smith knew that a top two placing in the 15-minute QP1 session would secure him a spot in QP2 where grid positions for the first four rows are decided. A best lap of 2.06.591, which was over 1.2s faster than his previous best all weekend, brilliantly put him into QP2 and continued his climb up the order to qualify in 11th by overhauling Ben Spies.
Cal Crutchlow - 4th, Time - 2'04.267

?I am really happy to qualify in fourth, even though it would have been nice to be back on the front row again. But coming here with no previous track experience meant it was always going to be an uphill battle, so to finish so close to Lorenzo and be ahead of Bradl and Valentino, who both tested here last month, is a great achievement for myself and the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team. This is a long and technical track but fortunately I have been able to learn it very quickly and my crew have also got their heads around what I need to go fast and together we have done a great job to be so far up the grid. I?m obviously quite a long way off Marquez and Dani but so is everybody else. It will be a really tough race and very physical for 21-laps but having come here without any prior track knowledge, I always said a top six finish will be mission accomplished for me and that remains my goal.?
Bradley Smith - 11th, Time - 2'06.740

?It has been a really hard two days but in the end it turned out very well and I'm happy with my performance. Trying to understand the bike and the Bridgestone tyres around this incredibly technical circuit has not been an easy task but it is nice that I made it into QP2 and then pick up another place on the grid as well to start from 11th. At one stage it didn?t even look like I?d make it through to the final qualifying so I?m happy. I improve each time I go out and to be honest going into QP1 was a benefit for me because it meant I got a few more laps under my belt to understand the track more. My only goal for the race is to make it to the finish after the crash in Qatar. I need to gain experience over a race distance and while 21-laps here is going to be really tough, I am really looking forward to it.?

2013 MotoGP United States
Circuit of The Americas 20/04/2013
1 Marc Marquez Honda ESP 2'03.021
2 Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 2'03.275
3 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 2'04.100
4 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 2'04.267
5 Stefan Bradl Honda GER 2'04.445
6 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati ITA 2'04.873
7 Alvaro Bautista Honda ESP 2'04.942
8 Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 2'05.380
9 Aleix Espargaro ART ESP 2'05.389
10 Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 2'05.568
11 Bradley Smith Yamaha GBR 2'06.740
12 Ben Spies Ducati USA 2'07.044
13 Andrea Iannone Ducati ITA 2'06.872
14 Randy De Puniet ART FRA 2'07.129
15 Hector Barbera FTR ESP 2'07.717

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Edwards and Corti looking forward to Austin race

The second day at COTA has ended with NGM Mobile Forward Racing riders Colin Edwards and Claudio Corti qualifying in 18th and 19th position with their FTR-Kawasaki bike.

After yesterday?s inconsistent weather conditions and today?s troubles with the gearbox, both the American and Italian riders have improved their times by four seconds since their arrival at the Texan racetrack. Both show good race pace, making the team hopeful at the Texas Tornado?s home GP for a good result and getting the first points of the season at COTA.

Colin Edwards ? 18th ? (2?08.47)
? The field is so small, everybody sits around and waits and waits to get behind somebody and I vow to myself that I wouldn?t let anyone follow me this year. Normally I wouldn?t care but the way that the situation is you just can?t let anybody follow you. I did all I could do. We had some gearbox trouble today, kept missing a few gears in that free practice time I missed a gear and a big crunch and I think we did damage he chassis. We have some ideas for tomorrow, so we?ll take advantage of the warm-up and see what we can do.?

Claudio Corti ? 19th (2?08.79)
?At the end of the day things are looking ok, we have been able to get laps under 2?09.00, managing to get in laps on 2?08.79 and our goal was to get there today. I was hoping to do better, would have wanted to use bike 1 during qualifying but we set a drastic modification on it and ended up using bike 2. I was hoping to get my lap times on the lower 2?08s range to be honest but I have seen that I have a consistent race pace, the race is long and the tires seem to be holding us well so we will have to see tomorrow how the race goes.?

Sergio Verbena ? MotoGP Technical Director
?Yesterday we had many problems finding the right setting for Colin, today it looks like we finally found it and we have improved a lot, we are four seconds faster than yesterday. Even though we have improved it, its still not enough because we will start the race form the eighteenth position for Colin and the nineteenth for Claudio on the grid tomorrow. The race pace is not bad, its very similar the pace of the other FTR-Kawasaki bikes but we still have work ahead of us in order to get closer to the top CRTs. At the moment the Aprilias are one step ahead of us, we need to close this gap. We are focused on getting our first points of the season for both riders.?

 

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Abraham injured after collision in qualifying practice, undergo surgery in Austin

Karel Abraham will not be ready to MotoGP race at the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin. Czech MotoGP broke his collarbone after collision with Bryan Staring during MotoGP Qualifying Practice 1.
Abraham underwent examination in MotoGP Mobile Clinic which showed dislocation of the broken left collarbone. He was driven to the University Hospital in Austin to undergo surgery. Recovery will take few weeks.

 

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Second and fourth rows for Dovizioso, Hayden in Austin

The first MotoGP qualifying sessions to be held at the Circuit of the Americas took place today in beautiful weather conditions, and Ducati Team riders Andrea Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden put their Desmosedici GP13 machines directly into Q2, reserved for the top ten riders from the free-practice sessions.

In the action-packed, 15-minute Q2 session, Andrea Dovizioso continued his positive weekend trend, and his penultimate lap put him sixth on the time sheets. As happened two weeks ago at round one, his teammate, Nicky Hayden, experienced vibration on his first exit in qualifying, but after pitting, he posted his best time on his final lap. The American will start tomorrow?s race from the tenth spot on the grid.

Andrea Dovizioso - Ducati Team, 6th (2:04.873)
?We?ve been going well the whole weekend, so I?m pleased. The track is really nice, especially because the grip is nearly normal now, which makes riding more fun as well. The gap to the front is pretty big, but it?s sort of like that for many of the riders. The race will be strange because the circuit is new for everyone. The tyres aren?t wearing because they don?t have to 'work' hard here, so I doubt that the performance will fall off much. I managed to adapt pretty quickly to this new track, and I?m pushing hard because in some respects I feel good with the Ducati. We know we have limits, but we?re working well. I see optimism on the team, because we want to return to the top.?

Nicky Hayden - Ducati Team, 10th (2:05.568)
?We made some progress this morning, and I thought we could be a little bit more competitive in Q2 than I was. When I first went out, I had a vibration issue with the rear tyre that was similar to what I had in qualifying in Qatar. I came in and changed tyres, and it went away immediately. Starting tenth here isn?t good. We?ll see how things go tomorrow, especially at turn one, where it will be interesting to see if everyone can get through cleanly on the start. We still have some problems with the front, which hurts your confidence. We also need to improve in the esses, so we?ll try something in the warm-up. Regardless, I?m looking forward to the race."

 

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Lorenzo Takes 100th MotoGP Podium in Texas

Yamaha Factory Racing rider Jorge Lorenzo took third position on the podium today in the Grand Prix of The Americas, his 100th career podium finish. A less than perfect start from third on the front row saw the current World Champion lose position approaching turn one but he was quick to come back as the race settled in. Lorenzo was able to maintain third position to the finish line, holding distance to fellow Yamaha Cal Crutchlow behind in fourth and close down the gap to the front to just over three seconds at the flag. The result delivers an incredible 100th podium finish for the four-time World Champion ten years after he scored his first with victory in Brazil in 2003. The sixteen points brings his 2013 season total to 41 after two races, joint with Championship leader Marc Marquez and places him in second in the standings.

Having started form eighth on the grid, Valentino Rossi got involved in an early fight with the mid pack, including riders Crutchlow and Stefan Bradl, eventually bettering the German rider to move up and hold on to sixth place to the finish line. Rossi had to contend with a vibration from his front brakes during the race and had battled all weekend to find the best setup for the demanding circuit. The result places him in fourth place in the overall standings with 30 points, 3 behind Dani Pedrosa in third.
Jorge Lorenzo, 3rd

?Yesterday we were so far from Marc and Dani but this morning in the warm up we found something. The hairpin corners we normally take in first gear we made in second so it improved a lot the feeling and the acceleration, but it was not enough. Just a little bit more, maybe two tenths quicker and I could have fought with Dani and Marc. Today third position was the best we could do. I want to congratulate Cal who didn't give up until the end and also Marc, he?s the youngest rider in history to win a Grand Prix; he is a phenomenon. It?s an important day for me; I never thought to get this unbelievable number of podiums so today is a magic day. Time flies very quickly, it seems like it was just yesterday that I got my first victory, which was my first podium in Brazil in 2003 ten years ago and now today my 100th.?
Valentino Rossi, 6th

?This is a difficult track for us. We expected to do better, but I had a lot of problems in the race because I had a problem with the brakes. I had a vibration in braking because I lost one part of a disc so this didn't help. We knew that we had to defend here; we know that when we cannot attack we need to try and arrive in the top five but today it was sixth. The balance of the first two races is positive and we arrive in Jerez optimistic for the next few races as the tracks are better for us.?
Wilco Zeelenberg - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager

?This was our target, to be on the podium. To be honest to be just three seconds behind the lead is very nice. When you are ten seconds behind and you finish third you are quite happy but if it?s just three seconds you think you might have been able to get a bit more. Apart from that we must be very pleased with the result, to be on the podium was our target and that will continue to be our target for the next couple of races. We struggled a lot here and everyone could see our competitors were strong; we had it the other way round in Qatar. Let?s hope at the end of the season that the balance is in our favour.?
Massimo Meregalli - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director

?We knew since the beginning that this race was going to be really tough for us but I think the team has worked really well and we could manage it in the best way. To finish third, with only three second gap to the leader is for me really good. Jorge did a really intelligent race without a lot of risk. Now we are going back to Europe where the circuits are more suitable to our M1. Vale?s team worked really hard to try and fit the bike to his riding style; they improved the bike through each practice. Unfortunately we made another step from the warm up to the race that didn't work as we expected. He also had a vibration on the front from his brakes. I think we are leaving Austin in a really good shape and we are really looking forward to the Jerez race.?

2013 MotoGP United States
Circuit of The Americas 21/04/2013
race I
1 Marc Marquez Honda ESP 43'42.123
2 Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 0'01.534
3 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 0'03.381
4 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 0'06.616
5 Stefan Bradl Honda GER 0'12.674
6 Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 0'16.615
7 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati ITA 0'22.374
8 Alvaro Bautista Honda ESP 0'22.854
9 Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 0'33.773
10 Andrea Iannone Ducati ITA 0'42.112
11 Aleix Espargaro ART ESP 0'48.837
12 Bradley Smith Yamaha GBR 0'50.705
13 Ben Spies Ducati USA 1'14.132
14 Randy De Puniet ART FRA 1'15.651
15 Yonny Hernandez ART COL 1'19.591
MotoGP World Standing
Rider Standings After Race 2 of 18
1. Marc Marquez Honda ESP 41
2. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 41
3. Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 33
4. Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 30
5. Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 24
6. Andrea Dovizioso Ducati ITA 18
7. Alvaro Bautista Honda ESP 18
8. Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 15
9. Andrea Iannone Ducati ITA 13
10. Stefan Bradl Honda GER 11
11. Aleix Espargaro ART ESP 10
12. Ben Spies Ducati USA 9
13. Randy De Puniet ART FRA 6
14. Bradley Smith Yamaha GBR 4
15. Yonny Hernandez ART COL 3
16. Hector Barbera FTR ESP 3

 

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Physical problems slow Ignite Pramac Racing Team rider

The first American weekend of the 2013 MotoGP Championship concluded before a large and enthusiastic crowd (approximately 61,000 spectators).

After a minute of silence to honor the victims of the recent tragedies in Boston, Massachusetts, and West, Texas, followed by the national anthem, the roar of motors took over the Hermann Tilke-designed circuit.

Ignite Pramac Racing Team rider Ben Spies suffered from a problem in his chest that struck during the morning warm-up session, preventing him from riding at the level he had shown himself capable of during the previous sessions, in which he had steadily reduced his best time. He finished in thirteenth place, with a best lap time of 2:06.607.

Ben Spies - Ignite Pramac Racing Team
?I had a little problem with a nerve in my chest for some reason. I don?t know if it?s from overcompensating for my shoulder problem, which is actually getting a lot better compared to Qatar. That said, two laps before the end of the warm-up, I had a twinge in my chest. It was like a knife, so we went to the clinic and they worked on me a lot and got me ready for the race. I tried as hard as I could during the race, but it wasn?t enough. At 8 laps to go, it was either come in or salvage whatever points we could. We need to work harder and get back to 100% and just keep working with the bike. I?m more disappointed for the team, friends, family, fans, Ducati, and Ignite Pramac, because they deserve better.?

Francesco Guidotti ? Pramac Racing Team
?These two rounds took place on two really tricky circuits, at a time when our riders are in less-than perfect physical condition, so the gap to the top riders is larger than it could be in a normal situation. We look forward to the European circuits, which both riders already know, and for which they?ll have had a chance to rest and recover. We expect to finish closer to the lead group.?

 

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Edwards and Corti analyze Austin and look forward to jEREZ

The Austin GP comes to an end at the Circuit Of The Americas and both Colin Edwards and Claudio Corti leave Texas feeling they have not achieved the set goals for this GP.

The American rider had very high expectations for his first ever GP in his home state.
Unfortunately last minute chatter problems have prevented the Texas Tornado to achieve his goal of providing a good show for his Texan fans. His Italian teammate had similar issues and struggled throughout the race, managing to finish in 19th position, not far behind the other FTR- Kawasaki bikes.

The team is already looking forward to next Grand Prix that will take place at Jerez de la Frontera in two weeks time.

Claudio Corti ? 19th
?It?s been a difficult race and it feels like we are paying the consequences of not having a perfect setup of the bike for this track. Like in Qatar, I had problems at the beginning of the race, having a full tank making it difficult to ride as fast as I would like and as the tank gradually empties it becomes harder to turn the bike. It?s only the second race, we have done very few tests this winter but we are heading back to Europe where I can count on knowing the tracks better and that makes me hopeful in terms of getting better results. I have not achieved the goals for this weekend; I was hoping to be faster than the Avintia?s FTR bikes and Laverty?s PBM bike. We have to go back home and work, I want to makeup for this at Jerez!?

Colin Edwards ? Not Classified
?Not that the bike was perfect yesterday, but it felt ok to be able to race today but unfortunately wasn?t. We went out this morning and overnight we developed chatter problems. We had some issues with drivetrain problems again this weekend that we?ve been trying to sort out and for safety sake, with all the issued that we?ve had it was better to come in before having a serious crash.?

Sergio Verbena ? MotoGP Technical Director
?Yesterday we were confident that we would be able to do a better race today but unexpectedly we had some problems that we didn?t have during the rest of the weekend. A lot of strange vibrations while braking on the rear of the bike that were getting worse lap by lap and not allowing him to stop the bike. In the last lap he went straight twice and the problem was accentuating itself so he decided to retire. Claudio had a similar problem and tried to do his best, managing to finish the race not too far from the other FTR-Kawasaki bikes. We don?t quite understand why we didn?t have this problems on Friday or Saturday so we will have to go over the data to be ready for Jerez.?

 

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Marquez makes history, Pedrosa second at COTA

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda RC213V) made history in today?s Grand Prix of the Americas outside Austin, Texas, by becoming the youngest-ever winner of a premier-class Grand Prix. The 20-year-old rode a magnificent race to beat team-mate Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC213V) by less than two seconds.
The Repsol Honda pair have dominated proceedings since the MotoGP circus arrived at the superb new Circuit of the Americas venue, doing a one-two in practice and qualifying, when Marquez became the youngest rider to score a premier-class pole position.
Marquez has taken both records from another sublimely talented Honda rider, American Freddie Spencer, who achieved his first pole at Jarama, Spain, in May 1982 and his first win at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, in July the same year. On that day Spencer was 20 years and 196 days old. Today Marquez ? who achieves such dizzying angles of lean that he scrapes his elbows on the tarmac as a matter of course ? is 20 years and 64 days old.
The duo played a tense game of cat and mouse on their RC213Vs throughout the 21 laps, Pedrosa grabbing the lead after Marquez ran wide at the first corner. The positions stayed that way for the first 12 laps, Marquez happy to wait behind his more experienced team-mate. Finally, on lap 13 he dived ahead at Turn Seven. Pedrosa did not give up and was on the new leader?s rear wheel for the next few laps, until he made a mistake on lap 19. That lost him a second, putting him 1.6 seconds down, but still he did not give up, closing the gap to 1.2 seconds as they began the final lap. That was too much of a disadvantage, however, and Pedrosa realised he had to be content with second today. The pair crossed the line 1.534 seconds apart.

Marquez?s historic victory didn?t just rewrite the record books, it also moved the former 125 World Champion and reigning Moto2 World Champion into the joint lead of the 2013 MotoGP World Championship, with reigning champ Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha). Spencer still holds the record for being the youngest premier-class World Champion, but for how much longer?

Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda RC213V) had a strong ride to fifth on his RCV, making amends for his tumble in the season-opening Qatar Grand Prix. The German had a busy first few laps, running second for the first few corners, then battling back and forth with Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha) who finished behind final podium finisher Lorenzo. Eventually Bradl settled into a lonely fifth position, setting a good pace aboard his RC213V.

Alvaro Bautista (Team GO&FUN Honda Gresini RC213V) had to fight hard for his eighth-place result, first with Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) and then with another factory rider, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati). He might have beaten the Italian but for an error at the final corner.

Bryan Staring (GO&FUN Honda Gresini FTR Honda) came home 20th aboard his CBR1000RR-powered CRT bike, happy to have scored his first MotoGP finish after sliding off in Qatar. During the race he was able to learn plenty from other more experienced riders that will help him improve in the future.

Honda MotoGP rider quotes



Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda: race winner

?After taking my first podium in Qatar I was very happy, but I am even more so today after my first win! It went better than I expected and I am very grateful to the team for their efforts over the preseason. We have worked very hard and, without this, the victory would not have been possible. The race was very intense and physical, as I followed Dani for many laps and then decided to launch an attack and try to open a gap with ten laps to go. I could not pull the gap I wanted as some problems with the front emerged that we?d experienced throughout the weekend. Despite all this, we were able to take the victory. The 25 points are important, but what is more important is to have achieved a win in my second race in MotoGP. We realise that more difficult circuits lie ahead for us, but we will try to give 100% at all of them. Our battle is not the one for the championship, but rather taking it race-by-race and enjoying every moment.?



Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda: 2nd

?Today's race was good and I'm happy with this second place. We had great pace, even though we knew that Marc was very strong. I tried to ride my own race and in the end I was losing a lot of time in the chicanes. I was tiring physically and I could not handle the bike well ? especially in the first part of the circuit. In the second section of the track I was recovering quite a lot of time, but it was not enough. Furthermore, in one of the three laps before the end I made a mistake, lost around 1.5 seconds and Marc was able to get away. That was the point at which the race was lost for me. Still, I'm happy, my riding was pretty good today and I have improved compared with Qatar. I have to congratulate Marc as well, because he did a great job! Now we need to focus on Jerez ? a circuit I like a lot.?



Stefan Bradl, LCR Honda MotoGP: 5th

?We can be happy today because we have done a good job. I took a very good start but I was not so aggressive as some other riders at the beginning because, on full fuel, I could feel some sliding in the front so I decided to remain calm and focused. With 13 laps to go Crutchlow passed me as he was quite fast in the middle of the race, especially in corner entry. We could not match his performance in the entry of the curves but we had a good speed in the exit. I think we have done our best and fifth place is the result we were expecting here at COTA.?



Alvaro Bautista, Team GO&FUN Honda Gresini: 8th

?I was expecting a better race after the feeling I had with the bike yesterday in qualifying and honestly thought I could even improve my pace today but the bike was moving around and I didn't have the same confidence. I tried to stay with the group but couldn't manage it. In the end after pulling back two seconds on Dovizioso I got into a nice battle with him but in the last corner I made a mistake and he passed me. It's a shame but we have chance to make up for it in a couple of weeks in my home Grand Prix at Jerez, a place and circuit that I really like.?



Bryan Staring, GO&FUN Honda Gresini: 20th

?I am really happy to have finished the race here, which was important for me in terms of learning the lines from the other more experienced riders and the fact that we managed to improve on our best lap from practice. Overall I think this proves that we need more time on the bike to adapt and to become more competitive in this class.?

Event results - Round 2 - Race 1
1 Marc Marquez 43m42.123s ESP HONDA Repsol Honda Team
2 Dani Pedrosa 1.534 SPA HONDA Repsol Honda Team
3 Jorge Lorenzo 3.381 SPA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
4 Cal Crutchlow 6.616 GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
5 Stefan Bradl 12.674 GER HONDA LCR Honda MotoGP
6 Valentino Rossi 16.615 ITA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
7 Andrea Dovizioso 22.374 ITA DUCATI Ducati Team
8 Alvaro Bautista 22.854 SPA HONDA Go & Fun Honda Gresini
9 Nicky Hayden 33.773 USA DUCATI Ducati Team
10 Andrea Iannone 42.112 ITA DUCATI Pramac Racing Team
11 Aleix Espargaro 48.837 ESP ART Power Electronics Aspar
12 Bradley Smith 50.705 GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
13 Ben Spies 1'14.132 USA DUCATI Pramac Racing Team
14 Randy De Puniet 1'15.651 FRA ART Power Electronics Aspar
15 Yonny Hernandez 1'19.591 COL ART Paul Bird Motorsport
16 Michael Laverty 1'34.391 WAL ART Paul Bird Motorsport
17 Hiroshi Aoyama 1'39.823 JPN FTR Avintia Blusens
18 Hector Barbera 1'39.952 SPA FTR Avintia Blusens
19 Claudio Corti 1'46.773 ITA FTR NGM Forward Racing
20 Bryan Staring 1'48.084 AUS HONDA Go & Fun Honda Gresini
21 Blake Young 1 lap USA APRILIA Attack Performance
22 Danilo Petrucci DNF ITA IODA Came IodaRacing Project
23 Lukas Pesek DNF CZE IODA Came IodaRacing Project
24 Colin Edwards DNF USA FTR NGM Forward Racing
Championship standings
1 Marc Marquez 41 pts ESP HONDA Repsol Honda Team
2 Jorge Lorenzo 41 pts SPA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
3 Dani Pedrosa 33 pts SPA HONDA Repsol Honda Team
4 Valentino Rossi 30 pts ITA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
5 Cal Crutchlow 24 pts GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
6 Andrea Dovizioso 18 pts ITA DUCATI Ducati Team
7 Alvaro Bautista 18 pts SPA HONDA Go & Fun Honda Gresini
8 Nicky Hayden 15 pts USA DUCATI Ducati Team
9 Andrea Iannone 13 pts ITA DUCATI Pramac Racing Team
10 Stefan Bradl 11 pts GER HONDA LCR Honda MotoGP
11 Aleix Espargaro 10 pts ESP ART Power Electronics Aspar
12 Ben Spies 9 pts USA DUCATI Pramac Racing Team
13 Randy De Puniet 6 pts FRA ART Power Electronics Aspar
14 Bradley Smith 4 pts GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
15 Yonny Hernandez 3 pts COL ART Paul Bird Motorsport
16 Hector Barbera 3 pts SPA FTR Avintia Blusens
17 Hiroshi Aoyama 1 pts JPN FTR Avintia Blusens
18 Michael Laverty 0 pts WAL ART Paul Bird Motorsport
19 Lukas Pesek 0 pts CZE IODA Came IodaRacing Project
20 Karel Abraham 0 pts CZE ART Cardion AB Motoracing
21 Danilo Petrucci 0 pts ITA IODA Came IodaRacing Project
22 Colin Edwards 0 pts USA FTR NGM Forward Racing
23 Claudio Corti 0 pts ITA FTR NGM Forward Racing
24 Bryan Staring 0 pts AUS HONDA Go & Fun Honda Gresini
25 Blake Young 0 pts USA APRILIA Attack Performance