Can Marc Marquez make it nine for nine, winning in the United States? Is Valentino Rossi the man to beat? It's going to be interesting to see. Which is better? Youth and enthusiasm, or age and experience? Riders start young and are really fast. Being younger, you can push more, and be braver. Marc Marquez was fast when he came into MotoGP and knew all the tracks, as well. He has something special, according to nine-time champion, Valentino Rossi.
Marquez wants to ride for as long as he can. Jorge Lorenzo says it's important to be humble, but be better, and don't give up. We are getting closer to going racing for MotoGP at Indianapolis, after seeing two, great preliminary races with Moto 3 and Moto 2. Marc Marquez had a wreck in the warmup. The weather will stay stable, it looks like. 27 laps is the race distance. The track has sixteen corners, running counterclockwise... the same direction, as the Indycars, and the NASCAR stock cars. These guys are running 210 miles an hour down the straight.
Drive out to the edge of the race track exiting at 140 miles an hour. Down to second gear, left, right, left, right, onto the back straight. Hit the rumble strips. Almost 170 miles an hour off the back straight into a decreasing radius left, into a double apex right, and then, into a left hand kink. Touch the rev limiter, then, run the bike out, for a full direction change, and onto the front straight. Do all you can, to maintain top speed.
Jorge Lorenzo had a low sid crash in the armup, and the same thing happened to Marc Marquez. The front end washes out, and, off the bike they go. Marquez has been unbeatable on American soil, here, and at Circuit of the Americas, in Austin, Texas. MotoGP, is, next! No track in America, and few in the world, can boast the tradition and prestige, of Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Grand Prix, starts, now!
The bikes are on the speedway. They are on their final warmup lap, before we race. The start is critical. Open bikes on soft tires are going to be an issue early. Watch out for corner number ten, too. Once again, we'll run 27 laps. We're likely to be in the dry. Lets go! We're underway! Good jump from Jorge Lorenzo and he gets the lad into turn one. Lorenzo, followed by Marquez. One of the Ducati's runs wide. It's Andrea Dovizioso. Andrea Ianonne is up to fourth spot. Lorenzo is making good progress, as he leads.
They fly down the back straight. Watch the bump. Bradley Smith pushes too deep on the brakes. Andrea Ianonne is in this, on the second factory Ducati. We reach 215 miles an hour, down the front straight! Lorenzo and Marquez are distancing themselves from Dani Pedrosa. After the three week summer break, these blokes are coming out with a bang, back into racing action. Valentino Rossi is fourth. But, he's not had a good weekend, and he has not had a comfortable setup on his YZR M1 Yamaha.
Rossi is closing on Dani Pedrosa. Marquez wants to make it back-to-back wins for the first time in 2015. Marquez is chasing Jorge Lorenzo, and is not losing ground. Rossi passes Andrea Ianonne into turn six. Andrea Dovizioso is up to 17th, with Nicky Hayden, 18th. Marquez is coming, fast. Lorenzo's pit crew holds the sign board, telling this info to their rider. Put the power down through these second and third gear corners, and then, mash the throttle and accelerate down the back straightaway.
Marc Marquez is a more aggressive rider. He wants to keep this undefeated streak going in the United States. He's the most comfortable on the bike he's been, all season. Marc Marquez has won Laguna Seca, COTA, and Indianapolis. Three completely different tracks, too. Andrea Ianonne continus in fifth place. Marquez will follow and wait, and then, pull the pin, pounce, and crush the opposition. Pedrosa and Rossi are going for it. Rossi wants a podium, to get a good leg up for the second half of the season.
Lately, he has not had the pace to get on the podium, this weekend. It would be big for his championship aspirations. Rossi runs a 1:33.1 on the previous lap. Danilo Petrucci, Cal Crutchlow, and Scott Redding, battling. Crutchlow has said he might want to go back to Ducati, but with a satellite team. Does he not have the spot at LCR Honda any longer? He wants, and deserves, a factory ride. Last year, he had a horrid season with the factory Ducati team. But, this season, at LCR Honda, has not been much better for Crutchlow, either.
Game over, for Jack Miller. He has gone off course, and crashed. Andrea Ianonne still runs fifth. His nickname is "Crazy Joe. Rossi is fastest, running a 1:32.9. Pedrosa slides into the corner, while Rossi has a more stable motorcycle. Rossi is back into the 1:32 bracket. Rossi has won at Indianapolis before. Marc Marquez is pouring on the steam. Speed is 339 kilometers an hour, which is just a touch over 210 miles an hour.
These motorcycles are easier to ride than the old 500cc bikes. They have lots of electronic rider aids. The majority of us, won't be able to ride production based bikes, the way these blokes do, even with electronic assists. Rossi still sits behind Pedrosa. Is Lorenzo running a second or third gear into the corner? Second gear will bring the power. Third gear, will help conserve the tire. Valentino Rossi says he doesn't lik it at Indianapolis. The moment he wins at Indy, he'll like it again. There's a rivalry between Lorenzo and Rossi.
In 2008, Rossi won his 69th MotoGP race at Indy, breaking the record held by the great Giacomo Agostini. Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith won the Suzuka 8 Hours, and he has a new contract with Yamaha. He will keep racing with Tech 3. We're within the final ten laps of this race. Jorge Lorenzo has dominated. Can Marc Marquez push Lorenzo for his third straight Indy win? Or, will Jorge Lorenzo steal his thunder? Rossi passes Pedrosa, to the delight of the Yamaha mechanics. Lorenzo came to the U.S. early, doing training.
Lorenzo is super focused, according to trainer Johnny Lousch. Three hours mountain bike riding, three hours of gymnasium time, and watch what you eat. Some riders control the throttle grip and the brake grip, using either two fingers, or one finger. Mat Mladin from Australia, had a unique style, when it came to braking. We've got a little rain. Recalcitrant weather, coms into play. The spare bikes are set and ready with rain tires, if need be. They jump right back onto that spare bike and go back into the fight.
We watch the battle following the riders. Dorna flies a helicopter to show the above camera shots. Well, the motorcycles are faster than the helicopter, for sure. Last year, Pedrosa didn't make the podium for the first time since 2009. He could get snookered again. Lorenzo has done OK in wet conditions, when Rossi won in 2008. That was a wet weather event. Pedrosa is going after Rossi with six laps left. Indianapolis is flat and straight. The Sachsenring where we were last time out, is the shortest track in MotoGP, and has some hills.
No worries from Lorenzo's team, because the rain is easing up. Pedrosa has passed Valentino Rossi. Five laps remain. Andrea Dovizioso is back up to ninth. Nicky Hayden runs 17th. All is fair game now. Marquez sets a new track record at 1:32.625. Marquez is pushing Lorenzo. Marquez may have to move Lorenzo out of the way. They are dead even across the line, and Marquez slides into the lead on the isnide! Lorenzo has to fall back. There's still three laps to go yet. These two riders will decide the win.
Marquez sometimes has issues with crashing, if he gets an advantage towards the end of the race. Lorenzo really closes up, and is trying anything he can, to pass Marquez. Marquez was a Moto 2 winner in 2011 and 2012 at Indy. Marquez holds the advantage, as Lorenzo runs wide. Dani Pedrosa runs his personal best at 1:32.8 to close up on Valentino Rossi. Everyone is into the 1:32 range. Marquez runs a 1:33.4. He is opening a gap. We watch Rossi and Pedrosa. The Honda slides more than the Yamaha, somehow.
Pedrosa has to get the best of Rossi, to help, if Marquez wants to win the world championship. We're on the last lap of the Indianapolis Grand Prix. Lorenzo runs wide, a little bit. Where can he make a run at Marquez? This is it. Lay the cards on the table, boys. Marquez wants his 50th career Grand Prix win. Rossi goes by Pedrosa. Rossi is back to third. This is the exact finishing order from a year ago. Lorenzo is struggling, and Marquez is going to win antoher one at Indy! He's unbeaten here in the United States!
Marquez, Lorenzo, Rossi, on the podium!
#93 Marc Marquez ESP. Honda
Another win at "The Brickyard" for Marquez! He is unbeaten, here in the United States! The next event on the MotoGP calendar, is only a week away. It is in the Czech Republic at the Automotodrom Brno. See you next week, at Brno, for more, MotoGP action!
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