Laguna Seca MotoGP | Marquez Leads Rossi in Free Practice 3

2013 Laguna Seca MotoGP Free Practice 3 Results

Although Marc Marquez had limited experience aboard a prototype at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca – a day, actually – he ended up leading the third free practice Saturday afternoon.

The Repsol Honda rider, who was also quickest on Friday during his debut at Laguna Seca, posted a 1:21.568 around the 2.243-mile circuit, the shortest on the 2013 MotoGP schedule.

Marquez was followed 0.184 of a second back by Assen MotoGP winner, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Valentino Rossi, and a further 0.391 back by LCR Honda’s Stefan Bradl.

As for Marquez’s teammate Dani Pedrosa, the Spaniard continues to recover from injuring his collarbone at practice for Sachsenring last weekend. The RC213V rider opted out of FP3, and for the first time in 2013 MotoGP will have to ride in the Qualifying 1 instead of in Qualifying 2 (top 10 riders throughout the first three free practices, and the top two from Qualifying 1).

As for Rossi’s teammate, two-time MotoGP Champion Jorge Lorenzo, the Yamaha rider also continues to recover from surgery he had on surgery following a nasty high-side at Sachsenring, which he was forced to miss. During that wreck, Lorenzo upset his shoulder which he broke at Assen two weeks earlier.

But Lorenzo battled through the pain, finishing seventh quickest at FP3, 0.722 behind Marquez.

Further up front, GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista and Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Cal Crutchlow took the fourth- and fifth-place positions, and were followed by the top Ducati rider, Andrea Dovizioso.

Lorenzo was next, followed by Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden in eighth; Hayden was 0.936 of a second behind Marquez, and the final rider to post within a second of the rookie and current points leader.

Rounding out the top 10 were Power Electronics Aspar’s Aleix Espargaro who once again set the pace for the CRT field, and Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Bradley Smith.

There was immense disappointment for Blake Young, as the American wildcard rider withdrew from the event after damaging his Attack Performance Racing APR frame on Friday; with his only bike left irreparable this weekend, he will be back in action at Indianapolis.

Following Free Practice 4, which has no bearing on the running order for Qualifying, the 15-minute Qualifying 1 for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix will start at 2:10 p.m. PDT.

Photos by Ara Ashjian

2013 Laguna Seca MotoGP Free Practice 3 Results: