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. 

MotoGP 2013 – Laguna Seca results

1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 44m 0.695s 
2. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V) 44m 2.993s 
3. Valentino Rossi ITA Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1) 44m 5.193s 
4. Alvaro Bautista ESP Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RC213V) 44m 5.252s 
5. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 44m 9.952s 
6. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1) 44m 13.665s 
7. Cal Crutchlow GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 44m 15.999s 
8. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Team (GP13) 44m 34.658s 
9. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (GP13) 44m 34.824s 
10. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Blusens (FTR-Kawasaki CRT) 45m 3.064s 
11. Alex De Angelis RSM Ignite Pramac Racing (GP13) 45m 3.299s 
12. Colin Edwards USA NGM Forward Racing (FTR-Kawasaki CRT) 45m 4.288s 
13. Danilo Petrucci ITA Came IodaRacing Project (Suter-BMW CRT) 45m 21.145s 
14. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (ART CRT) +1 lap 
15. Yonny Hernandez COL Paul Bird Motorsport (ART CRT) +1 lap 
16. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Avintia Blusens (FTR-Kawasaki CRT) +1 lap 
17. Bryan Staring AUS Go&Fun Honda Gresini (FTR-Honda CRT) +l lap 
18. Lukas Pesek CZE Came IodaRacing Project (Suter-BMW CRT) +1 lap 
19. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) DNF 
20. Aleix Espargaro ESP Power Electronics Aspar (ART CRT) DNF 
21. Randy De Puniet FRA Power Electronics Aspar (ART CRT) DNF 
22. Claudio Corti ITA NGM Forward Racing (FTR-Kawasaki CRT) DNF 
23. Michael Laverty GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART CRT) DNF