The MotoGP circus is heading to the Circuit of the Americas this weekend for the second round of the 2013 MotoGP championship and five riders regular riders (Jorge Lorenzo, Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa) already have a big head start on the rest of the field having taken part in a private test last month, learning the circuit and three teams (Repsol Honda, Yamaha and LCR Honda) gathering important information on set-up.
Nicky Hayden and Ben Spies also rode the circuit for Ducati’s USA launch promotion of the 1199 Panigale which is not exactly the same thing, but at least they got a better look at the difficult circuit than the rest of the riders, and wildcard CRT rider Attack Performance Kawasaki’s Blake Young also tested at the Texas circuit and Colin Edwards gave a journalist a tour of the circuit with a Yamaha sportbike.
The Austin test was clearly dominated by Marc Marquez, while the Yamaha riders suffered the circuit, but they only had a skeleton crew and one bike each.
Here’s what some of the riders said previewing the difficult challenge that they will face this weekend and the above video is how COTA is promoting the event.
Jorge Lorenzo:
“Now we have to change our mindset, we go to the USA and we visit a completely different track, not just the layout but also for the asphalt, the climate and some different circumstances.
The Austin track has a very long straight and several corners in first gear where you are need good acceleration and traction. There we will have to work really hard from the first session to cut away the distance to our competitors. Anyway, I keep my confidence that we can also make a good result there. I want to win at Austin and that’s my mentality although I know in the USA it will be much more complicated.”
Valentino Rossi:
“Austin will not be an easy race, but for sure the podium in Qatar is giving us extra motivation. We have done a great job there and we can go to Austin with some more certainty. Our competitors will be very strong but our goal will be to bring home points. I am confident, I really like the track and my first impression, when we tested there, was that the circuit is beautiful. The track lay-out is very special: there is some downhill and uphill and the first braking zone is very technical. For me turn two is the best though and after when you enter into the chicane. The straight is very long, which is good for overtaking. I really look forward to racing at COTA.”
Marc Marquez:
“To arrive on the podium in my first race was a dream come true, but now we must face the reality and focus on the job at hand. I am looking forward to going to Austin, it will be interesting as we have already been there testing and we found a good base set up. We will see because it will be a different scenario with more rubber on the track and the conditions will change. We will concentrate on our work and our own agenda to prepare ourselves in the best possible way for the race.”
Dani Pedrosa:
“Qatar was not the start we expected, but I know what the issue was so it’s clear for the next race. We were in Austin just over a month ago and I’m sure this will be useful for us as we have a base setting, there are a lot of tight corners at this track and the pace changes from section to section. However, the track will be quite different with so many more bikes there and much more rubber laid down, so I hope the bike will still work well.”
Andrea Dovizioso:
“I haven’t been to the Circuit of the Americas, but from the video it looks like a really big and nice track, and it also looks really difficult. Unfortunately, we didn’t test there like some of the other guys, so it will be a problem for us in the beginning. Anyway, I’m really excited for us to be riding on a new track.”
Nicky Hayden:
“Having three GPs in my home country almost seems like a dream to me, and the Circuit of the Americas is really a great track that’s nice, safe and new, with great facilities. I’ve been around it on a street bike, so I know the layout, although it will obviously be much different on a MotoGP bike. The track has a little bit of everything, and it’s definitely not easy. It’s really long, quite wide, and very technical, with some very particular corners that have open entries - often blind - and tight exits. I like a good challenge, and this track definitely offers one. Hopefully the American fans will come out and support the race and set up a nice trend for the next two American rounds.”
Colin Edwards:
“I´m really excited about the Austin GP, it will be the first GP I´ve ever driven to, which is awesome! Asfar as expanding the audience we´ve had one MotoGP out west side, one on the east side and now we get to have one south. I´ve got a lot of friends, a lot of family coming and I am looking forward to it. It should be good!”
from TWOWHEELSBLOG
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