Laguna Seca Qualifying Results | Bradl Takes Maiden Pole

2013 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix MotoGP Qualifying Results

In a last-moment effort, LCR Honda’s Stefan Bradl edged out the current MotoGP points leader Marc Marquez to take his maiden premier-class pole at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the 2013 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix. With his efforts, Bradl became the first German to secure a pole in the premier class.

The German Bradl piloted his satellite Honda RC213V to a 1:21.176 around the 2.243-mile circuit in Monterey, Calif, taking the pole by 0.017 of a second ahead of factory Repsol Honda’s Marquez.

Bradl, who finished fourth at his home race in Sachsenring last week, and Marquez will be joined on the front row by GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista, also a satellite Honda rider. Marquez was chasing the pole, but was forced to the pits due to a crash at turn six with four minutes remaining.

Heading up the second row is the nine-time World Champion who took his first win in two years two rounds ago at Assen MotoGP, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Valentino Rossi. The Italian will be joined on the second row by the rider who beat him to second last weekend at Sachsenring, Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Cal Crutchlow.

In another superhuman performance following the insertion of 11 pins and a titanium plate in his shoulder due to the initial crash at Assen and another at Sachsenring, Rossi’s teammate Jorge Lorenzo qualified sixth, finishing 0.277 of a second behind Bradl during qualifying.

Lorenzo was the final rider in the 23-rider field to finish within 0.300 of a second behind Bradl. The remaining riders all followed Bradl by over a half second, beginning with Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa. Like his fellow countryman Lorenzo, Pedrosa also missed last weekend’s round at Sachsenring due to injury. The man who chases his first MotoGP title by two points behind Marquez suffered a crash, injuring the left collarbone that kept him out of title contingency in 2011 MotoGP.

Joining Pedorsa on the third row for Sunday’s starting grid is the top Ducati rider so far this season, Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, and the satellite Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Bradley Smith.

As for the Americans, Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden and NGM Mobile Racing’s Colin Edwards will start round nine of the 2013 MotoGP Championship at Laguna Seca in 10th and 15th, respectively. The last American to ride – Wildcard entry Balke Young aon the Attack Performance Racing APR CRT machine – suffered a crash Friday that damaged the bike, putting him out of the race.

The Moto2 rider who is substituting for the injured Ben Spies, Ignite Pramac Racing’s Alex de Angelis, will start 14th for Sunday’s Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca. Energy T.I. Pramac Racing’s Andrea Iannone, who would have been alongside de Angelis in the garage, didn’t traveled to the USA after dislocating his right shoulder last time out in Germany. Another faller in qualifying was Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing, 19^th on grid), who went down and slid across the Turn 10 gravel trap in Q1.

The 2013 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca gets underway at 2 p.m. PDT; SPEED TV will provide live coverage of the race at the same time.

Photos by Ara Ashjian

2013 Laguna Seca MotoGP Qualifying Results