MotoGP Round 10
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| Indianapolis City |
Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix
18 Aug 2013
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| Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
Circuit info
Length: 4.216 m / 2.620 miles
Width: 16 m
Left corners: 10
Right corners: 6
Longest straight: 872 m / 0.542 miles
Constructed: 1909
Modified: 2007
The first motorsport race which took place at Indy was a motorcycle one on August 14th 1909, on the 2.5 mile oval circuit, and despite its 100-year history it was not until 2008 that MotoGP arrived at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
To celebrate the event an intense modification of the layout was undertaken, but without affecting the legendary oval. The layout of the track, which is 4.168km in length and has 16 turns, incorporates the main straight of the famous oval circuit including the Brickyard and an area between turns 1 and 2 of the oval, before meandering through the vast interior of the IMS.
Last year Results
Indianapolis, Sunday, August 19, 2012
| Pos. | Points | Num. | Rider | Nation | Team | Bike | Km/h | Time/Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 151.8 | 46'39.631 |
| 2 | 20 | 99 | Jorge LORENZO | SPA | Yamaha Factory Racing | Yamaha | 151.2 | +10.823 |
| 3 | 16 | 4 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | ITA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 150.9 | +17.310 |
| 4 | 13 | 1 | Casey STONER | AUS | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 150.7 | +19.803 |
| 5 | 11 | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | SPA | San Carlo Honda Gresini | Honda | 150.6 | +22.556 |
| 6 | 10 | 6 | Stefan BRADL | GER | LCR Honda MotoGP | Honda | 150.2 | +30.072 |
| 7 | 9 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 148.7 | +57.614 |
| 8 | 8 | 17 | Karel ABRAHAM | CZE | Cardion AB Motoracing | Ducati | 148.2 | +1'08.442 |
| 9 | 7 | 68 | Yonny HERNANDEZ | COL | Avintia Blusens | BQR | 148.0 | +1'11.106 |
| 10 | 6 | 41 | Aleix ESPARGARO | SPA | Power Electronics Aspar | ART | 147.9 | +1'14.079 |
| 11 | 5 | 24 | Toni ELIAS | SPA | Pramac Racing Team | Ducati | 147.3 | +1'26.305 |
| 12 | 4 | 22 | Ivan SILVA | SPA | Avintia Blusens | BQR | 146.5 | +1'40.274 |
| 13 | 3 | 5 | Colin EDWARDS | USA | NGM Mobile Forward Racing | Suter | 146.0 | 1 Lap |
| 14 | 2 | 15 | Steve RAPP | USA | Attack Performance | APR | 145.3 | 1 Lap |
| 15 | 1 | 77 | James ELLISON | GBR | Paul Bird Motorsport | ART | 145.5 | 1 Lap |
| 16 | 20 | Aaron YATES | USA | GPTech | BCL | 142.5 | 1 Lap |
Wednesday, 24 July 2013
New scan for Pedrosa reveals complete collarbone fracture
Pedrosa returned to Europe satisfied with his fifth place finish in Sunday’s Laguna Seca race and now that a complete fracture has been detected his performance in the U.S. seems only more heroic.
The additional medical tests Pedrosa underwent in Barcelona this week have shown that his injury is more severe than first diagnosed, with the rider himself commenting online, “The race was quite unusual for me due to my injury, but anyway my feeling was ok and I finished not too far behind the leaders. The goal I set myself was to finish as close to the front as possible and I managed to do just that.”
“Having put in such an effort it was important to see how the collarbone was affected and the latest test I had was a 3D CT scan, which revealed more than was shown up in my initial tests due to swelling and limited visibility of the injury. The latest scan shows a complete fracture,” Pedrosa explained.
The Spaniard went on to add, “The key thing is that it’s not a displaced fracture and it wasn’t pushed out of shape in the race, so there is no need for an operation. It’s relatively good news and within a fortnight I’ll have another check-up. I’ll do some physio during the holidays in order to recover well in time for Indianapolis.”
Pedrosa currently sits second in the championship, 16 points behind his teammate Marc Marquez at the top of the standings.more
Honda’s Nakamoto reviews seasons so far for Pedrosa and Marquez
During the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix weekend, which marked the halfway point of the 2013 campaign, the HRC boss gave his overview of the season to date in terms of rider and team results.
"We are happy," Nakamoto says at Laguna Seca. "Both of our riders have done a very good job; we are leading the riders’ and the constructors’ standings, but the gap between Yamaha and us is quite small. We are trying very, very hard to win the championship, not only at the circuit but also in Japan. I am very happy."
To date, Marquez has won three races and Pedrosa has two victories to his name this year. Assessing both factory Honda riders individually, Nakamoto continues:
"I am quite impressed by what Marc has done; he is growing a lot and it is much more than I expected. Especially in the second half of last year, Dani was very, very strong. Looking at general characteristics, the Yamaha is strong on some circuits and the Honda is strong on others. In the second half of the season, Dani likes the characteristics of the circuits and they suit both him and the Honda package. We hope and expect Dani to be strong again, like last year."
While testing at MotorLand Aragon in the week that followed the Catalan Grand Prix, a 2014-specification Honda was rolled out and it could make a race debut this year.
"Yes," Nakamoto confirms. "We tested in Aragon. Both riders found positive and negative points. We are now making the next step and we will be able to test again after Misano [post-race test, mid-September]. If the riders are happy, we will start to use (the 2014 machine)."
Repsol Honda have now won the last three races at Laguna Seca, with Casey Stoner having taken the chequered flag in both 2011 and 2012, followed by Marquez’ triumph on Sunday.more
Ciabatti provides Ducati summer snapshot
The Italian factory boss stated openly, “It has been quite a challenging season so far. We have had some good results in qualifying but also some disappointing results. We knew it was going to be a difficult year and we are racing and developing the bike at the same time, which is never easy. We are working hard and we are confident of having something to show at the end of the season.”
Regarding the ongoing injury to Pramac Racing Team’s Ben Spies and the regular substitute appearances made by test rider Michele Pirro in place of the American, Ciabatti explained, “We have a very comprehensive testing programme for this year. In fact though, the fact that Ben has been injured has meant Michele has brought the development bike into racing. During a race weekend you push much harder and you get more valuable information than you would from a test situation.”
Summarising the year to date for Ducati Team riders Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso, plus the recent misfortunes Spies and his teammate Andrea Iannone, who missed Sachsenring and Laguna Seca due to a dislocated shoulder, the Ducati director added, “With Andrea and Nicky we know they always give 100%. On the Pramac side we had a few problems with Ben and it has taken him longer to recover than first expected. He’s back at Indy and hopefully will be at 100% for the rest of the season.”
“Unfortunately Andrea Iannone had a few crashes and the last one at Sachsenring was pretty bad. He’s having physiotherapy so hopefully we can have a second part of the season without any injury.”
Summarising Hayden’s contribution to the Ducati MotoGP story, Ciabatti added: “Nicky has been very valuable to us for five years and we are fully behind him until the end of the championship. Obviously we will make a different choice for next year and we are trying to see if Nicky can stay with us in a different role, maybe in MotoGP or maybe in Superbikes. We are working with him to try and keep him in the Ducati family.”more
MotoGP™ Rules Update: Decision of the Grand Prix Commission
Technical Regulations MotoGP Class - Effective 2014
Electronics (ECU) Regulations
A detailed specification and permitted options were confirmed.
The use of the official MotoGP ECU, including an internal datalogger, and the official MotoGP software package is compulsory.
Maximum fuel capacity is 24 litres.
Maximum number of engines per rider, per season, is 12.
Factory Status
Each Manufacturer, (including motorcycle manufacturers and chassis manufacturers), can choose to enter up to 4 riders for the season who will participate with “Factory” status.
The use of the official MotoGP ECU is compulsory. However manufacturers are permitted to develop and use their own software.
Maximum fuel capacity is 20 litres.
Maximum number of engines per rider, per season, is five. (Nine Engines for the first year of participation by a new manufacturer).
Engines are subject to the engine homologation regulations which mandate frozen engine design and internal parts. (New Manufacturers are not subject to frozen engine design and internal parts in their first season of participation).more
Friday, 2 August 2013
Pol Espargaro signs for Monster Yamaha Tech3
Pol Espargaro will be stepping up to the MotoGP™ class with Monster Yamaha Tech3 in 2014 on a two-year contract, it has been announced on Friday.
Spaniard Pol Espargaro, younger brother of Aleix who is already competing in MotoGP™, is currently engaged in a fight for the Moto2™ world title and has won three of the eight races so far this season. In 2012, he finished runner-up to Marc Marquez who has since gone on to impress in the premier class.
Espargaro, 22 and from Granollers on the outskirts of Barcelona, made his World Championship debut in the 125 class in 2006. His maiden podium finish would come in the following season’s Portuguese Grand Prix, then winning at Indianapolis in 2009 before collecting a further four race victories prior to his Moto2™ debut in 2011.
In 2013, Espargaro - riding for the Tuenti HP 40 outfit - has become involved in a tense fight for the intermediate class title with Britain’s Scott Redding, who on Thursday also announced that he would be stepping up to the premier class next year although his team is yet to be confirmed.
In signing for the Monster Yamaha Tech3 outfit, Espargaro will race alongside Britain’s Bradley Smith,
as Cal Crutchlow makes the move to Ducati Team.
Crutchlow to join Ducati Team in 2014
It has been officially confirmed that Cal Crutchlow has signed with Ducati Team for the 2014 and 2015 MotoGP™ seasons.
In moving to Ducati Team, Crutchlow - currently with Monster Yamaha Tech3 - will re-partner Andrea Dovizioso to whom he was teammate in 2012. Coventry-born and presently residing in the Isle of Man, he sits fifth in the standings behind official factory riders Marc Marquez, Dani Pedrosa, Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi. At Ducati Team, Crutchlow will replace 2006 title winner Nicky Hayden.
Crutchlow made his MotoGP™ debut in 2011 and picked up the accolade of Rookie of the Year, having won the World Supersport Championship two years earlier. To date, his premier class career has seen the now 27-year-old achieving six podium finishes and one fastest lap, as well as the pole position he picked up at Assen earlier this season.
Half an hour after the Crutchlow announcement on Friday, it was confirmed that his replacement at Monster Yamaha Tech3 will be Spain’s Pol Espargaro.
Crutchlow made his MotoGP™ debut in 2011 and picked up the accolade of Rookie of the Year, having won the World Supersport Championship two years earlier. To date, his premier class career has seen the now 27-year-old achieving six podium finishes and one fastest lap, as well as the pole position he picked up at Assen earlier this season.
Half an hour after the Crutchlow announcement on Friday, it was confirmed that his replacement at Monster Yamaha Tech3 will be Spain’s Pol Espargaro.
Monday, 5 August 2013
Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki all set for testing
Yamaha Factory Racing, HRC and 2015 returnees Suzuki will be on-track across Tuesday and Wednesday, with a pair of test sessions taking place at Motegi and Brno. While the likes of Jorge Lorenzo, Valentino Rossi and Randy de Puniet return to action during their summer break, Casey Stoner will be back on a MotoGP™ bike for the first time since Novembe
At Brno, scene of the upcoming bwin Grand Prix České republiky on 25th August, Lorenzo will be hoping to fair better with his recovering left collarbone. Rossi, on the other hand, is looking to make further strides with bike setup as he looks to capitalise on podium finishes from the last three races. It is also possible that both riders could sample seamless transmission, a system already raced by rivals Honda and which Yamaha could debut this season providing it is fully happy with its safety.
Some 9,000 kilometres away in Japan, Yamaha will also have a presence at the Twin Ring Motegi courtesy of Test Team representatives Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Wataru Yoshikawa. Further up the pit lane, Stoner - World Champion of 2007 and 2011, respectively - will be back on HRC MotoGP™ machinery for the first time since the season-closing race of 2012 in Valencia, keen to satisfy his thirst for riding Grand Prix machinery.
Suzuki will continue to work with Randy de Puniet, again assisted by Nobuatsu Aoki.
“We are still in the testing and development stage of the bike,” Davide Brivio, Team Manager of Suzuki, explains to motogp.com ahead of the test. “We will continue working with the data we collected at the previous tests of Motegi (in May), Barcelona and Aragon. The development has not stopped and this week we are going to try out various setups and continue to work on the electronics, chassis and engine packages in order to find further improvements in performance.”
In terms of the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) Suzuki is using, Brivio continues:
“We are still working with Mitsubishi on the bike, but analysis of the (compulsory) Magneti Marelli unit remains in progress. It is still not ready to be fitted to the prototype, but it will be in the near future.”
Having been in Japan since Friday of last week, Brivio has already taken the opportunity to travel to the company’s Hamamatsu headquarters in order to begin planning for upcoming test sessions.
Some 9,000 kilometres away in Japan, Yamaha will also have a presence at the Twin Ring Motegi courtesy of Test Team representatives Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Wataru Yoshikawa. Further up the pit lane, Stoner - World Champion of 2007 and 2011, respectively - will be back on HRC MotoGP™ machinery for the first time since the season-closing race of 2012 in Valencia, keen to satisfy his thirst for riding Grand Prix machinery.
Suzuki will continue to work with Randy de Puniet, again assisted by Nobuatsu Aoki.
“We are still in the testing and development stage of the bike,” Davide Brivio, Team Manager of Suzuki, explains to motogp.com ahead of the test. “We will continue working with the data we collected at the previous tests of Motegi (in May), Barcelona and Aragon. The development has not stopped and this week we are going to try out various setups and continue to work on the electronics, chassis and engine packages in order to find further improvements in performance.”
In terms of the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) Suzuki is using, Brivio continues:
“We are still working with Mitsubishi on the bike, but analysis of the (compulsory) Magneti Marelli unit remains in progress. It is still not ready to be fitted to the prototype, but it will be in the near future.”
Having been in Japan since Friday of last week, Brivio has already taken the opportunity to travel to the company’s Hamamatsu headquarters in order to begin planning for upcoming test sessions.
Rain prevents Stoner from testing prototype
Former MotoGP™ World Champion Casey Stoner was back on World Championship machinery as he began a two-day HRC test at Twin Ring Motegi on Tuesday. However, inclement weather conditions limited the Australian to only six laps.
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| Casey Stoner |
The title winner of 2007 and 2011 had been yet to ride a MotoGP™ bike since the season-ending race of last year in Valencia. On Tuesday, the plan was to re-familiarise himself with the 2013-specification RC213V before continuing development with the 2014 prototype as well as with several other test items, although the weather worked against the team.
"It was good to get back on the bike, if only for a few laps!" Stoner commented. "We only managed to get one run in before the rain arrived, which was a little disappointing.
"It was really nice to get that first run; it's been nine months since I've been on a bike and it's going to take me some time to get used to everything again! The bike and the track felt good and I hope that we can get some better testing in tomorrow with some dry track time and run some more laps."
Yamaha and Suzuki also had a presence at Motegi on Tuesday, while almost 9,000 kilometres away Yamaha Factory Racing riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi conducted a test session of their own at Brno in the Czech Republic.
Ducati two-seater: the ride of your life
Riders for Health is offering race fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get OnBoard a MotoGP™ bike piloted by legendary Grand Prix racer Randy Mamola at Silverstone, the home of British motorsport.
Ducati
A ride on the Ducati two-seater is an experience like no other. It’s a MotoGP™ riders’ eye-view of the historic Silverstone circuit - one of the fastest in the world - on a Ducati Desmosedici MotoGP bike.
Not only will you complete a thrilling lap of Silverstone on the on the same weekend as the stars of MotoGP, but your ride will also be supporting the life-saving work of Riders for Health, the official charity of MotoGP. And it doesn’t stop there. Each passenger will receive a pair of ‘premium paddock passes’ for the day of their ride and will enjoy lunch in the famous Ducati hospitality suite. It is a chance not to be missed.
Members of the public simply cannot buy the chance to ride on this bike anywhere else in the world.
All the money raised from the sale of the rides goes directly to support Riders for Health’s work in Africa. An award-winning social enterprise, Riders for Health makes sure health workers in Africa have access to reliable motorcycles and ambulances so they can reach even the most isolated people with regular and predictable health care.
Rides are available on Friday 30 or Saturday 31 August, and Sunday 1 September. So you can be part of either of the two practice days or have your ride in front of a full race-day crowd. For more information about taking part in this incredible experience and for details about prices, contact Martyn Cook by calling +44 (0)1604 889 574 or email mcook@riders.org. Make sure you don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Note: Each passenger must undergo and pass a full medical check prior to their ride, and passengers must not exceed 90 kilos (14 stone). Participants must be over 18.
Wednesday, 7 August 2013
Suzuki completes two-day test at Motegi
The Suzuki MotoGP Test Team has completed a successful two-day test at Twin Ring Motegi on Wednesday after being hampered by poor weather conditions on Tuesday.
Heavy rain on Tuesday, just after the circuit opened at 10am, halted track testing for all teams involved - including the Yamaha Test Team and former World Champion Casey Stoner, with HRC - until 9am this morning; which saw air temperatures of 30 degrees and track temperatures reaching 50 degrees.
Suzuki MotoGP Test Team rider Randy De Puniet suffered two small crashes in the morning session, but with only minor damage to the machine, and was back on-track this afternoon, making important progress and successfully testing two new chassis configurations; one of which the team has chosen to develop further at the next Suzuki MotoGP tests in Italy at Misano next month to obtain more edge grip and stability.
De Puniet's best lap time this afternoon was 1'48.60, which was slightly slower than his previous test times at Motegi, but in-line with the other riders' lap times in less-than grippy conditions and very hot conditions. De Puniet was also joined by Suzuki MotoGP Test rider Nobuatsu Aoki, who completed five evaluation laps towards the end of today's session.
Said De Puniet: "In this test we were not so lucky with the weather, as yesterday we stayed in the pit all day. Also, the track was slippery and very hot today, so the grip wasn't very good, but we found a good direction with one of the chassis configurations we had available. I found one with better tyre contact feeling and better for corner-entry, so we will continue with this in Misano next month. The rain came before the end of the test and I couldn't try to improve my lap time, but overall we are very satisfied."
Suzuki MotoGP Test Team Manager Davide Brivio added: "Today was another good day in our development programme. We had a chance to try different tests with various settings and we tried to better-understand the bike's behaviour in different conditions. Despite difficult weather conditions, we had a chance to choose one of the two frames available, which we will carry on to develop further in future tests. In the meantime, our engineers have taken some good information away with them for the next stage of development."
The Team Suzuki MotoGP Test Team will be next on-track at the Official MotoGP™ Test at Misano, running between 16-18 September.
Suzuki MotoGP Test Team rider Randy De Puniet suffered two small crashes in the morning session, but with only minor damage to the machine, and was back on-track this afternoon, making important progress and successfully testing two new chassis configurations; one of which the team has chosen to develop further at the next Suzuki MotoGP tests in Italy at Misano next month to obtain more edge grip and stability.
De Puniet's best lap time this afternoon was 1'48.60, which was slightly slower than his previous test times at Motegi, but in-line with the other riders' lap times in less-than grippy conditions and very hot conditions. De Puniet was also joined by Suzuki MotoGP Test rider Nobuatsu Aoki, who completed five evaluation laps towards the end of today's session.
Said De Puniet: "In this test we were not so lucky with the weather, as yesterday we stayed in the pit all day. Also, the track was slippery and very hot today, so the grip wasn't very good, but we found a good direction with one of the chassis configurations we had available. I found one with better tyre contact feeling and better for corner-entry, so we will continue with this in Misano next month. The rain came before the end of the test and I couldn't try to improve my lap time, but overall we are very satisfied."
Suzuki MotoGP Test Team Manager Davide Brivio added: "Today was another good day in our development programme. We had a chance to try different tests with various settings and we tried to better-understand the bike's behaviour in different conditions. Despite difficult weather conditions, we had a chance to choose one of the two frames available, which we will carry on to develop further in future tests. In the meantime, our engineers have taken some good information away with them for the next stage of development."
The Team Suzuki MotoGP Test Team will be next on-track at the Official MotoGP™ Test at Misano, running between 16-18 September.
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| Randy De Puniet, Suzuki MotoGP,... |
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| Visit - goo.gl/96fWY6 |
Monday, 12 August 2013
Remus Racing Team confident following test
Friday, 16 August 2013
Source
Remus Racing Team confident following test
Confidence levels have been boosted at Remus Racing Team following a test session in the Czech Republic, preceding its race debut as a CRT wildcard with Martin Bauer later this month
The test took place last week, as the Remus Racing Team outfit - run by S & B Motorsport - shared the Brno circuit with Yamaha Factory Racing riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi. Later in August, the squad will become the first ever Austrian outfit to compete in the premier class of the World Championship.
“We could have performed a lot better and are quite capable of performing well in MotoGP,” comments Bauer, who hails from Vienna. “Being only three seconds behind Rossi in testing…not bad at all. You have to remember that the course at Brno is almost twice as long as the Sachsenring. Three seconds is not a long time for such a long distance.
"Naturally, I rode behind Rossi and Lorenzo a few times and watched how they positioned their bikes and where they are faster. It was interesting to see that they can’t work magic either. At the entrance or at the top of the curve there isn’t much between us, though there is a world of difference accelerating out of the corner. They have great traction and the bikes don’t hop, even with such tremendous power. Nothing shakes at all. The mechanical grip that they get from their chassis tuning is gigantic."
During the test, Bauer trialled a new clutch on his Suter-BMW which is hoped to enable better starts.
"Essentially, we have our work cut out for us before the Grand Prix, but it’s better to have small problems now than at the performance," adds Head Mechanic Fritz Schwarz. "I’ve put together a second bike for Martin that on the first attempt went as well as the one we tested. This shows that it still has a lot of potential."
Tuesday, 13 August 2013
Marquez: I feel a little pressure…
As the second half of the MotoGP™ season begins at Indianapolis this weekend, rookie Marc Marquez heads into the race as championship leader. Over the past two years in Moto2™ the Spaniard was never beaten at the historic Motor Speedway, but the Repsol Honda Team rider admits to feeling the strain…
You've won twice here at Indianapolis, but on the Moto2 bike. What is it about this circuit that suits your style? What do you like about this circuit?
Generally, I like the American style and we also go to another circuit that's in America (Laguna Seca). I feel good, especially here in Indianapolis as I have won for the last two years and that is good news because you feel a little bit different, but Indianapolis is always special anyway because of its history.
Casey Stoner has been developing the 2014 bike. How do you feel about that?
It's quite important for us. I haven’t had any information about the Motegi test because I haven’t spoken with the Japanese guys, but for sure Casey is so fast and he put the bike on the limit. I think it's important for Honda and for Dani (Pedrosa) as well, so testing with Casey will be important.
MotoGP bikes absolutely fly at Indianapolis, in terms of top speed. How fast is your bike going to be?
At Indianapolis we have one of the longest straights in the World Championship. I am yet to ride there on a MotoGP bike, but for sure we will be hitting around 340 or 350 (km/h), more or less. I didn't know exactly, but we will arrive quite quickly at the end of the straight. It's quite difficult because you get there with a lot of speed and the corner itself is also fast, so it’s quite dangerous.
Are you surprised by all the success and does it catch you kind of by surprise that it's gone so well this season?
Yeah, I'm surprised. If I'm honest, I didn't expect that before the season. Okay, the target was especially to try to finish the races and get some points, and then to go a bit better before the first half of the season ended. Then the second part was going to be able aiming for the podium and winning some races, but I have already won three races; I didn't expect that to be before the season, but I think it's so good to feel like that on the bike because, right from the beginning, I have felt good and strong – that’s good news!
Have you been taken by surprise by the reaction that you've had from people?
Yeah…you know, when you are in MotoGP, it's a different bike, a different team, a big factory and a different tyre. Also, off the track you have the fans, the people, the journalists and that is a big difference compared with Moto2 or Moto3. I still need to adapt a little bit to that because it’s sometimes it’s a bit too much for me but, you know, if you have professional people around you then it is always a bit easier. It’s so important to have all of the fans, both to enjoy the good moments and get through those in which I am struggling a little bit more.
Which transition between classes did you find easier: from 125s to Moto2, or from Moto2 to MotoGP?
It’s a bit different each time but, you know, I felt it was actually a bit easier to go from Moto2 to MotoGP. Maybe it is also because, when I went from 125s to Moto2, I was a bit younger and less experienced, so if you remember I crashed many times at the beginning – especially in the races themselves. Also, things have changed, because the 125s were two-stroke bikes and then we went straight to Moto2 which was a four-stroke engine, and that was a very big difference. Also, the weights of the bikes…125 was 70 kilos and then Moto2 was 140 – and that difference was maybe just too big. However, when you jump up from Moto2 to MotoGP, that difference is a bit smaller, which leaves you to understand the electronic parts, but it is easier if you have a professional team around you. I think the key was the pre-season because we did a lot of work and many tests in Malaysia; from that we were able to try many, many things and I started to understand a lot of stuff.
Engine braking is certainly also different between the two-stroke and the four-stroke. You guys are going to be heading straight back to Europe right after this race and then there is a big flurry of races coming on. This is part of the season when things get tiring, isn't it?
Maybe the hardest part of the season is coming up now, especially with these three races (back-to-back) between Indianapolis and Silverstone, so we will need to concentrate. I will just try to keep up my level, but I am also curious to see how my level stands against Lorenzo and Pedrosa who are now 100% recovered.
You have been training with dirt track bikes - something a lot of American riders would be interested in. Why are you using dirt track methods to train?
When I was younger, I liked it so much and I enjoyed it a lot. Already when I was six to ten years old, I did many laps on my track bike. In America it's more popular to dirt track than it is in Spain, but not a lot more. This season, I decided that I wanted to start again with the dirt tracking, because I like it and I enjoy it. You feel the bike a little bit differently; as you are going along and heading into a corner so fast, you need to stop, pick up the bike and go. That is more or less what you do in MotoGP; it is all about controlling the throttle and managing the bike through the corners.
Many of the riders, particularly the Yamaha riders, believe the Honda has an advantage in acceleration - and that turns into an advantage in top speed. From your point of view, sitting on the Honda, where do the Yamahas have an advantage, if any, over the Hondas?
This all depends on the circuits. Maybe where we have the advantage in acceleration, they have it in grip, but if you lose grip you can’t always use all of your power. You just have to find the sweet spot in order to be there and be quick but, you know, Lorenzo and Valentino (Rossi) have been testing (during the summer break) and it looks like they tried their seamless transmission gearbox. These bikes are all quite close.
From the start of the season, you have spoken a lot about how much you have learned, such as in Qatar when you said you had learned so much by being behind Dani and Valentino. You learn very, very quickly. How much more do you think you have to learn?
I don't know! At the moment, I feel so good on the bike and at the last few races I have felt a little bit more free on it - and that is the most important thing. Okay, at the beginning of the season, I said that I felt I was learning many, many things about the others riders, but now I think we just need to do more laps and try to improve the bike little by little. Anyway, we will try to maintain this level. I am now understanding many things and I feel good on the bike, so it is all about finding the limit…
What do you think you still have to learn? Is there any one thing in particular, one area, where you think, ‘I still need to understand this to get my full potential’?
I still need to improve a bit with extracting full performance from a new tyre in qualifying, as I’m still struggling a bit when on new tyres. It’s all about using that performance as well as possible for a single lap in qualifying.
You mentioned earlier that you don't feel as much pressure as maybe Dani and Jorge do. Normally, we would see someone in their first year with the freedom to take each race as it comes and with no pressure. You are now leading the championship by 16 points going into the second half - does this affect your approach to each race as it comes along?
No. At the moment, the target and the mentality is completely the same as during the first part of the season. Okay, I feel the pressure a little because we are leading the championship…so you feel a pressure that you need to keep the level. But, anyway, I will try to prepare and to keep things level, but our mentality is completely the same as at the beginning of the season.
Just as a follow-up to that…thinking about your Moto2 race at Estoril in 2010 - when you came from the back of the pack on the restart to run second at one stage - your team put out a board saying that P2 was OK. Did you see that board before you took the win and, if you did, what did you think?
Yeah, I saw the board many times! The team and Emilio (Alzamora, former rider and personal manager) try to give to me what they think - but they don't know if I feel good on the bike or if I feel a little bit on the limit, or whatever. So, yeah, I saw the board many, many times. Sometimes it's important to see that, for them, they are seeing things a bit differently because of the championship, so P2 looks okay to them, but I always feel that, ‘Okay, if I can win that race, why not?’ I will always try, if you feel good with the bike
.
What specifically have you been doing for training since Laguna Seca? A lot of guys ride bicycles…or has it been dirt tracking?
First, I had one week completely off. For that one week I tried to disconnect a little bit and tried to take some free time to relax. Then I came back and did a bit of biking, some running, some gym, some dirt track and, overall, all those kinds of things. In a way I just tried to work the same as I had during the pre-season because, up until now, it has been working well. So why would I want to change that?
Dovizioso and Hayden prepared for triple-header
Indianapolis marks the start of a triple-header that will see the MotoGP™ community race at the world-famous Motor Speedway as well as the Czech Republic’s Brno and Great Britain’s Silverstone, packed into the space of two weeks. Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso look forward to resuming battle.
Hailing from Kentucky, Indianapolis is effectively a home event for Hayden.
“It was nice to get rested up for a couple weeks, but I’m looking forward to the second half of the season which I hope will bring us some better results than the first half did,” begins the champion of 2006. “I’ll be happy to be back in the garage with my bike and my team. I don’t have to tell anyone how special Indy is to me, as that should be pretty obvious with it being my true home race.
“The support I had from the Laguna crowd was incredible and I’m expecting nothing less at Indy. I think the track might be a little better for us than the last couple were. It’s a tricky little circuit with a couple of technical corners. We’ll try to come out of the gate strong on Friday, have a solid weekend and have some fun.”
In the standings, Dovizioso – who joined the factory Ducati outfit at the start of 2013, switching from Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – sits 16 points ahead of his teammate.
“The Indianapolis track is a bit strange, with asphalt that changes from corner to corner, and it’s difficult for all of the riders,” the Italian explains. “In fact, there were a lot of crashes there last year. I’m not sure how it will be with the Ducati, not having ridden it there. I’ve never had good luck there in the past, although I did make the podium last year.”
The Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix has been part of the MotoGP™ calendar since 2008. This season, it hosts Round 10 of 18.
Rossi outlines potential benefits of seamless transmission
One of the main talking points on the Thursday ahead of the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix was Yamaha Factory Racing’s mid-summer test of a seamless transmission – a technology that its main rival Honda has been using to great effect since 2011.
Yet with its technology a tough one to get right, Yamaha has been slower off the mark than its main rivals and delayed the introduction of such a transmission as it develops its own version. But with the first official testing complete, the big question now remains when it will be seen, which is unfortunately not at the Indianapolis grand prix as its riders and team confirm.
Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi was quick to point out at the race’s preceding press conference that he is all for an introduction of the seamless transmission as soon as possible. He said: “We tried the new gearbox in Brno, and the feeling was very, very good. We like it a lot. But, you know, there is a lot of work to do. I think it's still not ready. I mean, I don't know when it’s possible to use it. I hope as soon as possible.”
This raised the natural questions of what improvement such a technology would bring, and what its basic principles are. A regular gearbox will disengage one gear before being able to select the next, therefore leaving a short gap when no drive is being transmitted to the wheels. This means that power is momentarily cut under acceleration, and engine braking is very briefly cut under deceleration.
The so-called seamless technology, using architecture no too dissimilar to a regular gearbox, switches between ratios without cutting drive from the engine. The technology is extremely complex, yet those milliseconds it saves appear to be a cost and effort worth putting in. Rossi spoke about the areas he felt such a transmission improves.
“For me, in one lap it doesn't change a lot…I mean the lap time. A lot of people speak about two-tenths for a lap - I think it’s less than two-tenths. But the big improvement I think is in the 20 or 30 laps, because the bike becomes a lot easier to ride, is more stable, more stable in acceleration, but also more stable in braking, and in the next braking.”
He addresses the fact that a quicker shift saves time when added up over race distance, yet focussed heavily on the benefits on the feeling of the bike. Engaging a gear on a regular gearbox is something not only spectators can hear, but something riders feel reverberating through their bikes. By eliminating this movement of the bike, no matter how small, the whole package feels more stable in all parts of the track. A point the Italian noted in particular was that “…you can use the gears for riding the bike more than before. I mean that, if you need to change gear, also on the very edge [at full lean], you can do so!”
As Rossi pointed out, this added smoothness has a knock-on effect on tyre wear, and rider feeling and fatigue: “For me, it's better for the tyres, less stress for the tyres, and is also very good for the riders because the bike becomes easier to bring to the limit and it’s more difficult to make a mistake. So I think it's something very important for race distance – more so than for one lap.”
Not yet installed at Indianapolis, Yamaha is giving little away about when it may appear in their M1, saying that the technology needs to be perfect before making its way into the paddock. However with Honda in the lead, and Lorenzo and Rossi both capable of challenging for wins, the seamless transmission will undoubtedly be a very welcome addition in their arsenalSource
Friday, 16 August 2013
Rossi shares advice for Ducati-bound Crutchlow
As the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix officially launched on Thursday, the talk of the day was Cal Crutchlow’s switch to Ducati Team for 2014. The Englishman would receive some words of advice from former Ducati rider Valentino Rossi.
Rossi rode for Ducati Team across 2011 and 2012, but the nine-time World Champion was unable to claim a race victory and sealed a total of three podium finishes.
When asked what guidance he could provide for Crutchlow, Rossi paused and replied:
“I think Cal wants a factory bike very badly and maybe he thinks Yamaha isn’t giving enough importance to his work. For sure, he will go to Ducati and there are a lot of people who will work hard for him. Like he said, it is a great challenge.
“Dovi (Andrea Dovizioso, at Ducati since the start of this season and a former teammate to Crutchlow at Monster Yamaha Tech3) has had some problems to get it to the top, but Cal has a different riding style so why not?
“Advice? For sure, at the beginning it will be hard because the Ducati is a very difficult bike to get on the limit, unlike the Yamaha M1. At the factory they know they have to raise the level on the bike, so it will be interesting to see…”
Crutchlow’s new Ducati contract will take the Englishman to the end of 2015.
Race Day
 |
| MotoGP, Indianapolis RAC |
 |
| MotoGP, Indianapolis RAC |
 |
| MotoGP, Indianapolis RAC |
 |
| MotoGP, Indianapolis RAC |
 |
| MotoGP, Indianapolis RAC |
 |
| Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Factory Racing, Indianapolis RAC |
 |
| Nicky Hayden, Ducati Team, Indianapolis RAC |
 |
| Pedrosa, Marquez, Lorenzo, Repsol Honda Team, Yamaha Factory Racing, Indianapolis RAC |
 |
| Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team, Indianapolis RAC |
RED
BULL INDIANAPOLIS GRAND PRIX
MotoGP Race Classification 2013
Indianapolis,
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Pos.
|
Points
|
Num.
|
Rider
|
Nation
|
Team
|
Bike
|
Km/h
|
Time/Gap
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
|
25
|
93
|
SPA
|
Repsol Honda
Team
|
Honda
|
152.2
|
44'52.463
|
|
2
|
20
|
26
|
SPA
|
Repsol Honda
Team
|
Honda
|
152.0
|
+3.495
|
|
3
|
16
|
99
|
SPA
|
Yamaha Factory
Racing
|
Yamaha
|
151.8
|
+5.704
|
|
4
|
13
|
46
|
ITA
|
Yamaha Factory
Racing
|
Yamaha
|
151.0
|
+19.895
|
|
5
|
11
|
35
|
GBR
|
Monster Yamaha
Tech 3
|
Yamaha
|
151.0
|
+19.955
|
|
6
|
10
|
19
|
SPA
|
GO&FUN Honda
Gresini
|
Honda
|
151.0
|
+20.061
|
|
7
|
9
|
6
|
GER
|
LCR Honda MotoGP
|
Honda
|
150.8
|
+24.842
|
|
8
|
8
|
38
|
GBR
|
Monster Yamaha
Tech 3
|
Yamaha
|
149.9
|
+40.690
|
|
9
|
7
|
69
|
USA
|
Ducati Team
|
Ducati
|
149.9
|
+40.701
|
|
10
|
6
|
4
|
ITA
|
Ducati Team
|
Ducati
|
149.9
|
+40.823
|
|
11
|
5
|
29
|
ITA
|
Energy T.I.
Pramac Racing
|
Ducati
|
148.9
|
+59.668
|
|
12
|
4
|
41
|
SPA
|
Power
Electronics Aspar
|
ART
|
148.5
|
+1'06.650
|
|
13
|
3
|
5
|
USA
|
NGM Mobile
Forward Racing
|
FTR Kawasaki
|
148.3
|
+1'09.462
|
|
14
|
2
|
71
|
ITA
|
NGM Mobile
Forward Racing
|
FTR Kawasaki
|
148.0
|
+1'15.207
|
|
15
|
1
|
7
|
JPN
|
Avintia Blusens
|
FTR
|
147.8
|
+1'20.159
|
|
16
|
8
|
SPA
|
Avintia Blusens
|
FTR
|
147.4
|
+1'25.879
|
||
17
|
9
|
ITA
|
Came IodaRacing
Project
|
Ioda-Suter
|
147.2
|
+1'29.616
|
||
18
|
70
|
GBR
|
Paul Bird
Motorsport
|
PBM
|
146.9
|
+1'36.388
|
||
19
|
67
|
AUS
|
GO&FUN Honda
Gresini
|
FTR Honda
|
145.9
|
1 Lap
|
News
Unstoppable Marquez wins at Indianapolis
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.
World Champion Lorenzo frustrated with third
Valentino Rossi produced a trademark surge through the pack from ninth to fourth in Sunday’s Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix race.
At a track which he would not describe as a favourite, Rossi had not looked comfortable throughout free practice and was understandably frustrated to have qualified at the back of the third row.
Indeed ninth was his worst qualifying result with Yamaha since he was tenth on the grid at Valencia in 2008 and an average start to the race meant there was plenty of work to do for the Doctor.
However, the nine-time World Champion thrilled the crowd over the course of the 27 laps by overtaking the likes of Nicky Hayden, Bradley Smith, Stefan Bradl and Alvaro Bautista.
The Italian then saved the best for last with an audacious but fair move on Cal Crutchlow on the final lap for a valuable fourth place in the race, consolidating fourth in the standings.
“At the end the race was not so bad,” reflected Rossi. “Especially compared with yesterday and especially the second half. I was able to ride the bike in a good way and 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,” he added. “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.”
Rossi and his crew now head directly to Brno for the second of three consecutive back-to-back races.
Hayden and Dovizioso recall last-corner fight
Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso grabbed much of the attention as Sunday’s Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix drew to a close, going head-to-head at the final corner.
As Hayden muscled his way into eighth, both riders bounced over the kerbs and lost momentum, allowed Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Bradley Smith to seize eighth place. It was very nearly a case of déjà vu, as in the Dutch TT at Assen a last corner lunge from Dovizioso had resulted in both he and Hayden running wide; coincidentally, Smith had been the beneficiary on that occasion as well.
"I was just racing with Dovi and he really pushes and doesn’t make many mistakes," Hayden began, having crossed the line in ninth place. "We went back and forth a lot and then at 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."
Dovizioso then shared his version of events:
"The race became a strategic battle between Nicky and I. I’m fairly pleased with how I managed my race because I was able to pass him back on the final lap, but at the last corner he wanted to get by me at any cost, using a really aggressive maneuver. I didn’t expect it because I hadn’t left the door open. Nicky came beside me and we touched; 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."
In the Riders’ Championship, Dovizioso sits seventh overall with 87 points while Hayden is placed ninth and a further 15 points in arrears.
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.
World Champion Lorenzo frustrated with third
It is a measure of the standards Jorge Lorenzo sets himself that he was disappointed with a return to the podium on Sunday at the Brickyard
The reigning MotoGP™ World Champion made a superb start to the premier class
race at the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix, taking the hole shot from second
on the grid and leading in the early stages.
However, as the race progressed the Spanish rider was unable to fend off the
attacks from a rampant Marc Marquez and later a determined Dani Pedrosa –
eventually having to settle for third place.
It was his first podium finish since winning his home race at Catalunya,
having subsequently suffered collarbone breaks at Assen and Sachsenring.
But given that he slipped to 35 points behind talented debutant and
standings leader Marquez, in third place the championship, it was not the
result Lorenzo had wanted.
“I’m disappointed, but not just because I didn’t win,” explained the Yamaha
rider. “Marc was just unbelievably good this weekend and in the race he was
going faster every lap. I was able to follow him for a few laps when he
overtook me, but then the rear tyre suddenly started to drop a lot and I
couldn’t even defend second place.”
He continued, “I had high hopes for the race as I had a good pace, but then
it seemed like something strange happened to the rear tyre so it was impossible
to do any better.”
Lorenzo will hope to regain ground on Marquez and Pedrosa in the title fight
next weekend at Brno – where he finished second last year and won the race in
2010.
Dramatic fourth for Rossi after tough Grand Prix
Valentino Rossi produced a trademark surge through the pack from ninth to fourth in Sunday’s Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix race.
At a track which he would not describe as a favourite, Rossi had not looked comfortable throughout free practice and was understandably frustrated to have qualified at the back of the third row.
Indeed ninth was his worst qualifying result with Yamaha since he was tenth on the grid at Valencia in 2008 and an average start to the race meant there was plenty of work to do for the Doctor.
However, the nine-time World Champion thrilled the crowd over the course of the 27 laps by overtaking the likes of Nicky Hayden, Bradley Smith, Stefan Bradl and Alvaro Bautista.
The Italian then saved the best for last with an audacious but fair move on Cal Crutchlow on the final lap for a valuable fourth place in the race, consolidating fourth in the standings.
“At the end the race was not so bad,” reflected Rossi. “Especially compared with yesterday and especially the second half. I was able to ride the bike in a good way and 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,” he added. “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.”
Rossi and his crew now head directly to Brno for the second of three consecutive back-to-back races.
Hayden and Dovizioso recall last-corner fight
Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso grabbed much of the attention as Sunday’s Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix drew to a close, going head-to-head at the final corner.
As Hayden muscled his way into eighth, both riders bounced over the kerbs and lost momentum, allowed Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Bradley Smith to seize eighth place. It was very nearly a case of déjà vu, as in the Dutch TT at Assen a last corner lunge from Dovizioso had resulted in both he and Hayden running wide; coincidentally, Smith had been the beneficiary on that occasion as well.
"I was just racing with Dovi and he really pushes and doesn’t make many mistakes," Hayden began, having crossed the line in ninth place. "We went back and forth a lot and then at 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."
Dovizioso then shared his version of events:
"The race became a strategic battle between Nicky and I. I’m fairly pleased with how I managed my race because I was able to pass him back on the final lap, but at the last corner he wanted to get by me at any cost, using a really aggressive maneuver. I didn’t expect it because I hadn’t left the door open. Nicky came beside me and we touched; 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."
In the Riders’ Championship, Dovizioso sits seventh overall with 87 points while Hayden is placed ninth and a further 15 points in arrears.
MotoGP Standings
MotoGP World Championship
|
As of: Indianapolis Grand Prix
|
+/-
|
Points
|
Behind
|
Wins
|
|
|
1
|
Marc Marquez - Repsol Honda Team
|
–
|
188
|
‒
|
4
|
|
2
|
Dani Pedrosa - Repsol Honda Team
|
–
|
167
|
21
|
2
|
|
3
|
Jorge Lorenzo - Yamaha Factory Racing
|
–
|
153
|
35
|
3
|
|
4
|
Valentino Rossi - Yamaha Factory Racing
|
–
|
130
|
58
|
1
|
|
5
|
Cal Crutchlow - Monster Yamaha Tech 3
|
–
|
127
|
61
|
0
|
|
6
|
Stefan Bradl - LCR Honda MotoGP
|
–
|
93
|
95
|
0
|
|
7
|
Andrea Dovizioso - Ducati Team
|
–
|
87
|
101
|
0
|
|
8
|
Alvaro Bautista - Go&Fun Honda Gresini
|
–
|
81
|
107
|
0
|
|
9
|
Nicky Hayden - Ducati Team
|
–
|
72
|
116
|
0
|
|
10
|
Bradley Smith - Monster Yamaha Tech 3
|
+1
|
59
|
129
|
0
|
|
11
|
Aleix Espargaro - Power Electronics Aspar
|
-1
|
56
|
132
|
0
|
|
12
|
Michele Pirro - Pramac Racing Team
|
–
|
36
|
152
|
0
|
|
13
|
Andrea Iannone - Pramac Racing Team
|
–
|
29
|
159
|
0
|
|
14
|
Hector Barbera - Avintia Blusens
|
–
|
24
|
164
|
0
|
|
15
|
Colin Edwards - NGM Mobile Forward Racing
|
+2
|
20
|
168
|
0
|
|
16
|
Randy de Puniet - Power Electronics Aspar
|
-1
|
19
|
169
|
0
|
|
17
|
Danilo Petrucci - Came IodaRacing Project
|
-1
|
18
|
170
|
0
|
|
18
|
Ben Spies - Pramac Racing Team
|
–
|
9
|
179
|
0
|
|
19
|
Claudio Corti - NGM Mobile Forward Racing
|
+2
|
7
|
181
|
0
|
|
20
|
Yonny Hernandez - Paul Bird Motorsport
|
-1
|
7
|
181
|
0
|
Paddock Girls
 |
| Paddock Girls, Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix |
 |
| Paddock Girls, Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix |
 |
| Paddock Girls, Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix |
 |
| Paddock Girls, Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix |
 |
| Paddock Girls, Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix |
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| Paddock Girls, Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix |
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| Paddock Girls, Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix |