Both Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo were passed fit to race at Laguna Seca by Dr. Rossi (not Valentino, but Raymond), however the Repsol Honda rider did not take part in the first practice session to “avoid over stressing his shoulder.”
Lorenzo did take to track but when the session reached the halfway mark. He managed to complete seven full laps and not take any unecessary risks before he decided to pull in and he finished in 11th.
The morning weather for the first free practice the Mazda Speedway was a usual misty, and cold, but that didn’t stop several riders from going all out in the finale.
Cal Crutchlow who has yet to announce where he’s going in 2014, was the fastest rider of the session posting a best lap in 1′22.757 which was enough to edge out Valentino Rossi by 0.091s from the top spot.
Marc Marquez was simply magical during his first ever practice on the California circuit. The MotoGP rookie immediately learned the difficult track and with no hesitation posted the third fastest time, and would have been on top of the timesheets if he didn’t lose all his advantage in the final sector and end up just a little more than two tenths from Crutchlow! Marquez is gunning to become the first rookie to ever win at Laguna Seca.
Stefan Bradl was fourth and he more or less posted the same time as Marquez, while another satellite Honda rider, Alvaro Bautista was fifth fastest.
Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso - who is again trying to test a new frame (the same one he bent at Sachsenring) was 6th and not far from the top, just a little more than six tenths.
Seeing Aleix Espargaro’s name in the top ten is no longer a suprise as he was 7th, but more than one second adrift and followed by the now ex-Ducati rider Nicky Hayden.
Bradley Smith was 9th fastest in his official debut at Laguna Seca - but he tested here with a street bike and Randy de Puniet on the other Aspar ART machine was 10th.
2013 MotoGP Laguna Seca FP1 results:
1 Cal CRUTCHLOW 1′22.757
2 Valentino ROSSI 1′22.848 0.091 / 0.091
3 Marc MARQUEZ 1′22.980 0.223 / 0.132
4 Stefan BRADL 1′23.033 0.276 / 0.053
5 Alvaro BAUTISTA 1′23.255 0.498 / 0.222
6 Andrea DOVIZIOSO 1′23.380 0.623 / 0.125
7 Aleix ESPARGARO 1′23.905 1.148 / 0.525
8 Nicky HAYDEN 1′23.927 1.170 / 0.022
9 Bradley SMITH 1′24.287 1.530 / 0.360
10 Randy DE PUNIET 1′24.363 1.606 / 0.076
11 Jorge LORENZO 1′24.441 1.684 / 0.078
2 Valentino ROSSI 1′22.848 0.091 / 0.091
3 Marc MARQUEZ 1′22.980 0.223 / 0.132
4 Stefan BRADL 1′23.033 0.276 / 0.053
5 Alvaro BAUTISTA 1′23.255 0.498 / 0.222
6 Andrea DOVIZIOSO 1′23.380 0.623 / 0.125
7 Aleix ESPARGARO 1′23.905 1.148 / 0.525
8 Nicky HAYDEN 1′23.927 1.170 / 0.022
9 Bradley SMITH 1′24.287 1.530 / 0.360
10 Randy DE PUNIET 1′24.363 1.606 / 0.076
11 Jorge LORENZO 1′24.441 1.684 / 0.078
from Twowheelsblog
