Marc Marquez wins Laguna Seca GP

The 2013 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca will be remembered for Marc Marquez’ victory on a track that he raced on for the first time on Friday, becoming the first MotoGP rookie to win a race on the California track and also for his stunning, and copying Valentino Rossi ‘infamous’ 2008 pass on Casey Stoner at the Corkscrew on the Italian.

Stefan Bradl after his first ever pole position took his first podium of the 2013 season with his second spot, while Valentino Rossi held off Alvaro Bautista to complete the podium.

When the lights went off Bradl got the holeshot and he was followed immediately by Valentino Rossi who was starting in fourth, while Marquez had a bad start dropping to third but it took him just two laps to reach Rossi and then pass him at the Corkscrew riding off track and into the gravel trap and over the drain and begin to chase down the LCR Honda rider.

For 15 laps Bradl resisted the attentions of Marquez and then passed him and sped away to take his third victory - his second consecutive - of the season. Bradl rode to a lonely second while Rossi was pressured in the second part of the race by an impressive Alvaro Bautista. The two matched lap times several times but the Gresini could never find a place to pass the Yamaha rider.

The two injured riders Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo rode to 5th and 6th respectively with the Repsol Honda rider overtaking Lorenzo on the 11th lap and he was definitely faster than his rival. Pedrosa after overtaking his fellow countryman began cutting the gap between himself and Bautista, but in the end unable to catch him

Cal Crutchlow finished behind the two factory riders - in a unusual 7th, and he was never part of the mix nor with the leaders of the race and not even with Pedrosa and Lorenzo.

Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso spent the entire race battling doing the Ducati Challenge battling against it other and scraping paint with the American getting the better of the Italian across the finish line to finish in 8th and 9th but a massive 33 seconds from Marquez.

While Hector Barbera was the fastest CRT rider taking 10th after both Aspar rider were unable to complete the race. Randy de Puniet suffered a technical issue while Aleix Espargaro crashed out. Bradley Smith also suffered a technical issue on his M1 and was forced to retire.

2013 MotoGP Laguna Seca race results:

1 MARQUEZ M.Repsol Honda Team
2 BRADL S.LCR Honda MotoGP +2.298
3 ROSSI V.Yamaha Factory Racing +4.498
4 BAUTISTA A.GO&FUN Honda Gresini +4.557
5 PEDROSA D.Repsol Honda Team +9.257
6 LORENZO J.Yamaha Factory Racing +12.970
7 CRUTCHLOW C.Monster Yamaha Tech 3 +15.304
8 HAYDEN N.Ducati Team +33.963
9 DOVIZIOSO A.Ducati Team +34.129
10 BARBERA H.Avintia Blusens +1:02.369

from Twowheelsblog