It's time, for the big boys, and the big toys. The MotoGP World Championship, is on track at Circuit of The Americas. We are ready, for the Grand Prix of the Americas.
Watch out for the Ducati and the Suzuki thoroughout the season. Two weeks ago in Qatar, we saw Valentino Rossi carve his way through the field, and win. He won a title in 2009. Can someone as old as Rossi, win the title? Rossi is a nine-time champion already. A true legend of Grand Prix motorcycle racing. Rossi thought he'd struggle. But, of course, he got the win. His competitors are amazed at what he's able to do. Rossi is 36 years old, and still has the fire. His competitors, have nothing but good things to say about "The Doctor".
"The Doctor" is still, in the house. There has never been and never will be a rider like Valentino Rossi. 100 race wins. 20 seasons. Nine championships. He hasn't had success at COTA. But, he could change that today. Marc Marquez says the weather should be stable for the race. Can he keep a perfect record in Texas? We'll see. Today is Nicky Hayden's 200th MotoGP start. This is the third MotoGP race at COTA after opening in 2013. 3.4 miles, with 20 turns. 11 left, nine right. 210 miles an hour is the top speed on the straight, for a MotoGP motorcycle.
Keys to winning include, get through turn one, on Fill Hill. Watch the skies. Sun is out now. Showers, could come. Manage your tires. The heat, might wreak havoc on the Michelin tires, in this 21 lap contest. In qualifying session two, Marc Marquez has issues with the primary bike, runs to his backup bike, does one quick lap, and wins the pole with a track record at 2:02.135! Andrea Dovizioso is second. Third is Jorge Lorenzo.
Valentino Rossi fourth. Cal Crutchlow, fifth. Scott Redding, sixth. Andrea Ianonne is seventh. Maverick Vinales, eighth. Hiroshi Aoyama, fills in, for the injured, Dani Pedrosa. We're ready, for a wicked race, chaps. The moment has arrived, for the most advanced, fastest motorcycles in the world, to race, in mere minutes. Let's do this. It's the Grand Prix of the Americas!
Everyone is now off their bikes. Why? Water is under the bridges on the track. We cannot start this event yet. Water on the road. Hmmm. What's next? Keep Austin weird, as they say. This morning, there was fog, and then, rain, and mist. We were going to have a dry race. But, there's something going on. It was a fog bank this morning. It looked more like Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, when the tour raced there.
We wait, and anticipate. Right now, it's very humid, with light wind, in the mid 70s. Sunshine has come through. The riders will go through a restart process. They can refuel the bikes. Water has spilled off the bridge. It happened at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course, when a fan dumped his cooler and caused water on the road. A dog also ran onto the road earlier in the week. Hey, in Austin, there's a football league, played on unicycles. "Keep Austin weird".
It is difficult to tell where the watrer came from. But the brooms and the jet dryer are still working on the problem. Honda team manager Livio Suppo says that a new engine is in Marc Marquez's bike. Dani Pedrosa's surgery for arm pump, went fine, and he'll be back, in a couple races. Once the track is dry, we'll go racing. The race, will begin, in five minutes, after pit lane opens up. 21 laps scheduled for this race.
The temperature, is getting hotter, (track temp). The bikes are now back on track, on their siting lap. We're now ready, to start this race. MotoGP, set to get underway. Moments ago, Marc Marquez was visualizing the lap. Lean right, lean left, go straight. Concentrate. No mistakes. Fifth gear on the front straight. Flatten out at the top, before going downhill in third gear, into three. Three through six are s curves, and into another quick curve, short straight, into a 90 degree corner. Straight, more corners. Then, downhill. Turn eleven, onto the 1.2 kilometer back straight.
203 miles an hour down the straight, back to first gear for turn 12. Then through thirteeen, fourteeen, fifteen, before a triple apex right hander, and into the esses. Go to second for turn nineteen, thouch the rev limiter, and back to first gear for the final turn. Hiroshi Aoyama ran 344 clicks. Nearly 214 miles an hour. Folks, we are ready. Finally. We are going to get underway, at COTA.
Yamaha team boss Massimo Megali, says that Rossi is on hard tires, on the front. Jorge Lorenzo, is on the medium compound Bridgestone. Marco Melandri starts caboose on the field, on the Aprilia. MtoGP riders have a spare bike available. The bikes are on their warmup lap. Let's see. It should be dry under the bridge. 3.43 miles, 20 corners. The rear tire is asymmetrical. The longest straight (again), is 3/4 of a mile. Nicky Hayden, makes his 200th MotoGP start.
Again. 21 laps. The weather is going to be something to watch. Could Valentino Rossi be the oldest rider since 1952 to win back-to-back races? Here come the lights. Go! Good launch for Marc Marquez. Jorge Lorenzo is pushing already, and Andrea Dovizioso has the advantage already. Dovizioso, Marquez, Rossi. Oh no! Scott Redding and Pol Espargaro, down! They have not had ambient or track temps like they are seeing now.
Andrea Dovizioso leads the first lap of the Grand Prix of the Americas. Cal Crutchlow loses spots. Pol Espargaro's race, is over. Scott Redding went in too deep, leaned over too far, and rammed Espargaro. Bradley Smith is fourth. Valentino Rossi is shadowing Marc Marquez. Hiroshi Aoyama is now in 15th place, last in the points paying spots. Aoyama, has to score points, even if Dani Pedrosa can't come back this year.
2:04.3 is fastest lap so far. Downhill, and then, back uphill, before going onto the back straight, which is not straight or level. Aleix Espargaro is moving up well on the Suzuki. We complete lap three. Espargaro and Andrea Ianonne are in lockstep. Rossi is right on Marquez's rear tire. The top four draws away from Jorge Lorenzo in fifth place. Stefan Bradl, has crashed his Honda. The TV feed has not picked up the wreck. Cal Crutchlow, (Bradl's team mate), continues.
The new Ducati, handles a lot better than past bikes. Marc Marquez wanted corner exit speed on the Honda improved, and it has been. Andrea Dovizioso scored a podium last year. Dovizioso wants to win this race. Rossi looks down the inside. No dice. No mirrors on a MotoGP bike. Whoa! Marquez powers down past Marquez. Can he draw away? Dovi could not do the over under move. Marquez has speed in his pocket. He should have plenty left in the locker.
Bradley Smith hangs on with this group, as Stefan Bradl dumps the bike. Bradl could have run with the factory Honda team. But, he is now on the Open class Yamaha. We are on lap six. Marquez is running well. Jorge Lorenzo is closing, and Andrea Ianonne is right behind, on the second factory Ducati bike. Marquez has a new riding style, with amazing lean angle. Dorna invested in new technology, to show the lean angle of riders. There are sensors, for the riders, to track them. But, Marquez was so good at his lean angle, he barely drags his knee or his elbow.
So, the sensors won't work. Dovizioso has the speed. But, he's being hounded by Valentino Rossi. The gap grows. Good news for Marquez. Bad news, for everyone else. Rossi goes down the inside and trakes second from Dovizioso. Dovizioso responds, saying, "no you don't sunshine." A Pramac Ducati rider, has dumped it. Yonny Hernandez, out. Will this bring out a sdafety car? Hernandez has a low side crash. But, he left the bike behind. He didn't bother to pick up the bike.
Valentino Rossi put a move on Andrea Dovizioso for second spot. Bradley Smith under pressure fro Ianonne. The two Ducati's now run third and fourth. Marquez has a 1.9 second gap. Jorge Lorenzo is up to fifth. Rossi shuts the door on Dovizioso! Yikes! These are motorcycles. You don't have a chance, if you crash, except to hope you don't get hurt. Game over for Yonny Hernandez. He'll be back. Ducati's are working with two liter less fuel.
This levels the playing field, via Dorna and the FIM's rules. Marquez is happy to sit behind until he chooses his place, and whistles off into the distance. Marquez has changed the face of MotoGP. Aleix Espargaro and Cal Crutchlow battle. Factory Suzuki vs. semi factory Honda. Nicky Hayden is 14th. Lorenzo and Smith battle. The top four is running 2:04 lap times. A year ago, Marquez had a four plus second gap to win this race. He's right on schedule. Marco Melandri brings the Aprilia into the pits.
Melandri is having trouble coming to terms with the Prototype Aprilia, having raced for BMW and Aprilia in FIM World Superbike before. Andrea Dovizioso passes Andrea Ianonne. Marquez is 2.4 seconds clear of this scrap. Dovizioso's bike is moving around more. Marc Marquez continues to lead. He holds his foot, under braking. Hiroshi Aoyama is 11th. He's tested this bike. He's been under real pressure to perform. We don't know when or if Dani Pedrosa will be back due to his arm pump issues.
Rossi, Dovizioso, and others, battle. Aoyama was fastest in a straight line at 211+ miles an hour, on a motorcycle! Can you believe that? Nicky Hayden is in the points, battling with Jack Miller. Through turns ten and eleven. The field is split from Aleix Espargaro to Danilo Petrucci, by 13 seconds, of empty racetrack. Watching Marc Marquez, control a tail happy rear wheel. He has a 3.527 second gap. You are watching the gold standard of the sport right now. He has redefined Grand Prix motorcycle racing.
We have seven laps left. Will the tires hold? Will they fall off in performance? It's getting hot in Texas. These blokes are earning their money. It's the second race of the season. Training does not match the challenge of riding your motorcycle, with seven laps left, at COTA. Six laps left now. 3.594 seconds between Marquez and his competition. Ooh! Dovizioso makes a great pass into turn two as Ianonne pulls up to Rossi. Are Rossi's tires fading. Massimo Mengali (Yamaha team boss), said the tire compounds were different, for each tire, on both Yamaha's. 210+ miles an hour, and grab the carbon brakes into turn twelve.
Maverick Vinales is in tenth, on the second Suzuki. Stopping... braking... is the most impressive feature, of a MotoGP bike. Lorenzo has had bronchitis, and has taken antibiotics. He says he's missed out on some energy, fighting it. No change up front. It's been a fun race to watch, nonetheless. Game over for Karel Abraham. The Czech rider, headed for the house. Marquez's gap grows to 4.2 seconds.
Ducati is loose in the back. Hang on to the bike, as we go through turn 20. The gap is less than half a hundredth between Ianonne and Lorenzo. These guys are pretty close. Nicky Hayden is 14th. He'll pick up a couple points from this effort. Bradley Smith in sixth is the top bike from a satellite team. Jack Miller is behind Nicky Hayden. Each bike, has a distinct engine note. The Ducati's have a low rumble. Whereas, some of these other bikes, sound more like the old 500cc Grand Prix machines.
Three laps left. Tight apex from Iannone in turn one. He's trying to fend off Jorge Lorenzo's challenge. Lorenzo goes for it before the left hanhder and he's got it. Ianonne can't come back. Lorenzo is now fourth. The Ducati boys are not happy about it. Two laps to go next time by the flag stand. Ducati has done well with their new GP15 bike. Marquez continues to dominate. Sometimes he doesn't qualify well. Other times he goes forward from the back. Today, he's on a Sunday cruise. Marquez fell, had to grab his spare bike, and still, managed to earn pole, right at the end of qualifying.
He had to sprint down pit lane, get the spare bike, and in one lap, he broke the track record, and scored pole. Yikes! A Ducati will be on the podium. But, after his difficult race in Qatar, coming from 25th to fifth, (after Alvaro Bautista got slammed and had a brake line on his Aprilia, break), Marquez has put on a clinic, today, in Austin, Texas. MotoGP is as competitive as it's ever been. Marquez is just controlling the pace. Dani Pedrosa must be watching this race, back in Spain, watching Hiroshi Aoyama in 11th.
Nicky Hayden passes Jack Miller back. Marquez though, is back on top. He has won three times in Austin, and remains undefeated in MotoGP races here in the United States!
#93 Marc Marquez ESP. Honda
The next MotoGP race is at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo, in Argentina, next weekend. Look for a race report, right here, on 2 Wheelin'.
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