Monday 30th September 2013

MotoGP Aragon & WSB USA: PH2

Three becomes two in the MotoGP title race

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Even though he only requires a string of second spots to secure the MotoGP title in his rookie season, you get the feeling that, unlike Lorenzo last year, Marc Marquez isn't going to play follow the leader...

Marquez passed Lorenzo with ten laps left...

With Marc on pole, the main worry for the other riders was stopping Lorenzo checking out and disappearing into the distance again like he did at San Marino. Well that and the very short run to the first corner, a traditional location for a bit of carnage.

Despite starting from second, Lorenzo once again dropped the hammer on the opening lap, instantly gapping the field with Marquez, Pedrosa and Rossi behind. One lap completed, one second advantage, could Marc and Dani close the gap?

It's nice to see there are no team orders in the Repsol squad, something that Pedrosa demonstrated by overtaking Marc then firing himself off the bike, and probably out of championship contention, a few corners later. The eternal bridesmaid, it looks like Dani is trying to take over in bike racing from Aaron Slight as Mr second spot.

... and held out for another win

Up front Lorenzo was making the most of the Repsol rider's mistakes, opening a one-second advantage. But without his team mate's attentions, Marc was now getting his head down and catching Lorenzo; with 10 to go he was right on his exhaust pipe and past a few corners later. With his nose ahead, Marc kept his nerve as well as his tyres on the ground to win the race and take a step closer to the title. Lorenzo was second and Rossi third after a great scrap with Bautista while a shout has to go out to Bradders finishing seventh, a superb result.

Moto2 and another woeful qualifying put Scott Redding back in 13th spot. However, when the chips are down there are few riders as tough as the Brit and by the end of the first lap he was up into sixth. A few laps later and some handbags between teammates saw Scott slip into third and then second while Espargaro dropped behind him.

With leader Torres long gone, all Scott needed to do was hang on in second to banish his recent demons. Despite Rabat demoting Scott to third, a great ride saw the Brit eventually finish fourth with Espargaro inches ahead after winning a last few laps duel with the Brit.

Moto3 once again boiled down to a two-bike race between Vinales and Rins, which just like the last race was eventually won by Rins.

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Results:

MotoGP
1. Marquez (Repsol Honda Team)
2. Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing)
3. Rossi (Yamaha Factory Racing)

Moto2
1. Terrol (Aspar Team Moto 2)
2. Rabat (Tuenti HP 40)
3. Espargaro (Tuenti HP 40)

Moto3
1. Rins (Estrella Galicia 0,0)
2. Vinales (Team Calvo)
3. Marquez (Estrella Galicia 0,0)

Brit watch
Cal Crutchlow (MotoGP) - 6
Bradley Smith (MotoGP) - 7
Michael Laverty (MotoGP - CRT) - DNF
Scott Redding (Moto2) - 4
Danny Kent (Moto2) - 15
Gino Rea (Moto2) - 17
John McPhee (Moto3) - DNF

Previous rounds:
MotoGP America
MotoGP Spain
MotoGP France
MotoGP Catalunya
MotoGP Germany
MotoGP Italy
MotoGP Qatar
MotoGP America (Indianapolis)
MotoGP Brno
MotoGP UK
MotoGP San Marino

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WSB Laguna Seca
A strange Saturday/Sunday race program saw the WSB grid line up almost straight after superpole at Laguna. For once it wasn't a green Kawasaki on pole, Guintoli managed to demote Sykes to second and despite his shoulder injury looked the man on form.

As the lights went off Guintoli set the early pace with his championship rivals Laverty, Melandri and Sykes fighting it out behind. Unfortunately for the Aprilia rider, with a decent lead secured the red flags came out, bringing the race to an end due to a broken air fence.

With the restarted race shortened to 20 laps, Guintoli once again took the lead with the usual suspects behind him. Mid-race and with Haslam crashing out another red was waved due to concern over oil on the track. Would this race ever end?

With the race now reduced to a 12-lap sprint, would we finally get a result? Poor old Guintoli came off the worst after a bit of first corner elbow bashing, dropping to third behind the two BMWs. Mid-race and with Davies leading the way from Melandri, Sykes and Guintoli, the final few laps promised some thrills. With a championship to play for, Sykes was the big winner of the first race as he took the chequered flag with Guintoli finishing an undeserved fifth; he should have been much higher.

Race two and despite Sykes leading the way on the first few laps, the flying Aprilias of Laverty and Giugliano caught him up with Melandri also in close attention. Despite some heroic riding, Skyes couldn't hold off the pack and once the Aprilias slipped past, the final lap saw the Brit demoted to fourth behind Melandri. Laverty first, Giugliano second and Melandri third, but at least Sykes kept his championship lead.

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Results:

Race one:
1. Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team)
2. Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK)
3. Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team)

Race two:
1. Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team)
2. Giugliano (Althea Racing)
3. Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK)

Championship places:
1. Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team)
2. Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team)
3. Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team)

Brit watch
Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) - 3, 1
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) - 1, 4
Leon Camier (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) - DNS
Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike) - DNF, 11
Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) - DNS
Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) - 2, DNF

Previous rounds:
World Superbikes Australia
World Superbikes Spain
World Superbikes Holland
World Superbikes Italy
World Superbikes Britain (Donington)
World Superbikes Portugal
World Superbikes Italy
World Superbikes Russia
World Superbikes Britain (Silverstone)
World Superbikes Germany
World Superbikes Turkey

[zippyonline]

The real reason Pedrosa came off the bike is a bit more interesting... (i.e. marc failed overtake clipping the speedo wire off pedrosa bike, tc disengaged, so when he wound the throttle on, it spat him off the bike).

[mistergee]

^^interesting stuff. i missed the commentary at the end of the race but will need to see a replay again...Also looked to me that lorenzo didnt put up any fight with Marquez coming through. Looked like he wanted Marquez to lead for a bit and see what he could do - to find that he couldnt match the pace as Marquez dissapeared!!

[RX7]

mistergee said:

^^interesting stuff. i missed the commentary at the end of the race but will need to see a replay again...Also looked to me that lorenzo didnt put up any fight with Marquez coming through. Looked like he wanted Marquez to lead for a bit and see what he could do - to find that he couldnt match the pace as Marquez dissapeared!!

Absolutely agree.

So refreshing to see the win or bust attitude from Marquez every single race, would be so easy, as per the article, to see him sit in 2nd or even 3rd spot and still take the championship. I guess it may well be his downfall if he has a big off and some bad luck, but hats off to the lad for providing some quality viewing of a rider who wants to win each race no matter what.

Makes up the absolute dullness of last year, except when Stoner was around.

Just have to feel for poor little Danni, really felt he had a championship in him, equally as fast as the best of them imho.

[MissChief]

Oh FFS! If you're going to write about a race GET IT RIGHT!! Nico Terol won the Moto2 race, not Torres!!

[MissChief]

And I see that your standards of Journalistic integrity don't even cover correcting the mistake when I've bloody reported it!