Laguna Seca MotoGP: Honda’s Marquez Fastest on Friday

Repsol Honda's Marc Marquez

2013 Laguna Seca MotoGP Free Practice Two Results

Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez has more than impressed so far in 2013 MotoGP. In his debut year, he finished on the podium in seven of eight rounds, including wins at Circuit of the Americas and Sachsenring.

His win at Circuit of the Americas was the most impressive, considering he had limited testing at the track before the race. This shows the rookie’s two-wheel talent at a new circuit.  And on Friday, Marquez again impressed, taking the top time at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, a circuit where he had never piloted a World-Championship motorcycle.

Marquez topped the opening day of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix with a best lap 1:22.040, the time arriving during the second and final free practice of the day. Marquez, the current MotoGP Championship points leader, finished 0.229 ahead of LCR Honda’s Stefan Bradl, and 0.244 ahead of Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso.

As for Marquez’s teammate, Dani Pedrosa, he finished 11th quickest, 1.089 seconds back. Pedrosa, who missed Sachsenring due to a shoulder injury sustained in a crash during practice for the round, didn’t ride in the first free practice due to misty conditions. Pedrosa didn’t want to risk injury while still recovering from his crash at Germany, and complained of pain following the session.

Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo also continues to recover from surgery following his crash at Assen, and his second crash at Sachsenring. But the reigning MotoGP Championship finished sixth quickest, 0.427 of a second behind Marquez.

Lorenzo’s teammate Valentino Rossi, the winner of Assen MotoGP, was fourth quickest, 0.306 off the top time. He was followed by the first free practice leader, Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Cal Crutchlow.

Seventh went to the top CRT finisher so far this season, Power Electronics Aspar’s Aleix Espargaro, who was followed closely by satellite Honda rider Alvaro Bautista on the GO&FUN Honda Gresini RC213V. Rounding out the top 10 were Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden, and the final rider to post within a second of Marquez, Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Bradley Smith.

The red flags came out when wildcard rider Blake Young – making his second appearance in MotoGP since Circuit of the Americas – crashed at turn five. The Attack Performance Racing CRT rider walked away unharmed. But the track was dead for 20 minutes due to oil spilling from Young’s bike.  Cardion AB Motoracing’s Karel Abraham also crashed at turn 3.

As Ben Spies continues dealing with shoulder issues, his Ignite Pramac Racing machine is being piloted this weekend by Alex de Angelis, who takes a temporary step back into the premier class from Moto2. The San Marino rider ended the day in 14th place, while Energy T.I. Pramac Racing’s Andrea Iannone has not traveled to the United States due to the dislocated right shoulder he sustained in an accident last weekend.

The 24-rider grid will return to Laguna Seca Saturday for the remaining free practice sessions ahead of qualifying.

Photos by Ara Ashjian

2013 Laguna Seca MotoGP Free Practice Two Results:

1 93 Marc MARQUEZ SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 261.8 1’22.040
2 6 Stefan BRADL GER LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 265.8 1’22.269 0.229 / 0.229
3 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Ducati Team Ducati 265.7 1’22.284 0.244 / 0.015
4 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 268.9 1’22.346 0.306 / 0.062
5 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 262.2 1’22.457 0.417 / 0.111
6 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 263.0 1’22.467 0.427 / 0.010
7 41 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Power Electronics Aspar ART 257.5 1’22.531 0.491 / 0.064
8 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA GO&FUN Honda Gresini Honda 268.5 1’22.539 0.499 / 0.008
9 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Team Ducati 264.2 1’22.733 0.693 / 0.194
10 38 Bradley SMITH GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 257.4 1’22.767 0.727 / 0.034
11 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 264.9 1’23.129 1.089 / 0.362
12 8 Hector BARBERA SPA Avintia Blusens FTR 253.9 1’23.158 1.118 / 0.029
13 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA Power Electronics Aspar ART 252.3 1’23.437 1.397 / 0.279
14 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM Ignite Pramac Racing Ducati 262.0 1’23.973 1.933 / 0.536
15 9 Danilo PETRUCCI ITA Came IodaRacing Project Ioda-Suter 257.6 1’24.047 2.007 / 0.074
16 71 Claudio CORTI ITA NGM Mobile Forward Racing FTR Kawasaki 259.4 1’24.180 2.140 / 0.133
17 5 Colin EDWARDS USA NGM Mobile Forward Racing FTR Kawasaki 258.1 1’24.410 2.370 / 0.230
18 17 Karel ABRAHAM CZE Cardion AB Motoracing ART 258.5 1’24.421 2.381 / 0.011
19 7 Hiroshi AOYAMA JPN Avintia Blusens FTR 258.2 1’24.473 2.433 / 0.052
20 68 Yonny HERNANDEZ COL Paul Bird Motorsport ART 254.4 1’24.555 2.515 / 0.082
21 70 Michael LAVERTY GBR Paul Bird Motorsport PBM 251.4 1’24.727 2.687 / 0.172
22 67 Bryan STARING AUS GO&FUN Honda Gresini FTR Honda 244.5 1’25.345 3.305 / 0.618
23 79 Blake YOUNG USA Attack Performance Racing APR 250.0 1’25.764 3.724 / 0.419
24 52 Lukas PESEK CZE Came IodaRacing Project Ioda-Suter 235.5 1’27.173 5.133 / 1.409

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