MotoGP 2013: Laguna Seca Results

IT WAS a MotoGP race reminiscent of the 2011 Moto2 championship, with Stefan Bradl and Marc Marquez setting the pace ahead of riders that are far more experienced around the tricky Laguna Seca in California.

With talk of contracts flying around, Bradl has put in his best performance to date, putting the LCR Honda on pole position for the first time since he joined the premier class at the start of 2012, and leading for the early part of the race. Marc Marquez struggled to get off the line and found himself with the difficult task of passing Valentino Rossi around Laguna Seca. The 20-year-old had clearly been watching videos of the 2008 MotoGP race, and pulled of a near-perfect carbon copy of Rossi’s renowned pass on Stoner over the gravel on the inside of the corkscrew.

Once past Rossi, the Spaniard set off in hot pursuit of the impressive Bradl, and closed the gap down on his fellow Honda rider in just a few laps. Finding a way past proved difficult, and the 2012 Moto2 champion sat behind Bradl for some time. He eventually made a block pass going into the final corner, just making the apex and blocking any counterattack down the start-finish straight. From then on it was a routine victory – Marquez’ third of the season so far that extends his lead at the top of the championship standings. Main rivals Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo both put in heroic performances carrying recent shoulder injuries, crossing the line fifth and sixth respectively.