MotoGP: Marc Marquez Again At Indy

Paul Carruthers | August 16, 2013

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LARRY LAWRENCE
INDIANAPOLIS, IN, AUG. 16 – Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez ended day one right where he started it – on top of the timesheets during the second practice session in advance of Sunday’s Red Bull Indy Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Marquez dropped his best down into the 1:39s – over a second quicker than he went in leading the morning session on a green Indy racetrack that offered little in the way of grip. While Marquez was the only rider to drop into the 1:40s this morning, four others joined him in lapping in the 1:39s this afternoon.

Marquez’s best was a 1:39.502 – set with just two minutes to go in the session as he dropped his pace throughout the session. He ended up just .080 of a second better than his Repsol Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa, the Spaniard dropping two seconds over his best from this morning and going form seventh to second.

Stefan Bradl ended the day third fastest, despite a tip-over in the final corner early in the session. Bradl lapped at a best of 1:39.681 on his 18th of 19 laps.

Then came Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo, the defending World Champion jumping to second fastest with some 13 minutes to go, but sliding down to fourth in the waning moments.

Cal Crutchlow, who was second this morning, ended up fifth on the day with his 1:39.813. The Brit was the final rider to lap in the 1:39s.

Valentino Rossi just missed out on a 1:39 as his best was a 1:40.084. Rossi also took to the gravel trap after picking the bike up and running straight in a fast left and barely getting the bike stopped before hitting the air fence.

Alvaro Bautista put the Go&Fun Honda seventh with Bradley Smith eighth on the second Monster Tech 3 Yamaha, the Brit taking 2.1 seconds off his morning time in his MotoGP debut at Indy.

Nicky Hayden got the better of his Ducati factory teammate Andrea Doviziso for ninth and Texan Ben Spies was 13th on the Pramac Ducati. Three spots behind Spies came fellow Texan Colin Edwards.

 

Free Practice 2 Results

2013 Red Bull Indy Grand Prix

1.              Marc Marquez (Honda) 1:39.502

2.              Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 1:39.582

3.              Stefan Bradl (Honda) 1:39.631

4.              Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) 1:39.765

5.              Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha) 1:39.813

6.              Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 1:40.084

7.              Alvaro Bautista (Honda) 1:40.087

8.              Bradley Smith (Yamaha) 1:40.248

9.              Nicky Hayden (Ducati) 1:40.433

10.           Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) 1:40.532

13. Ben Spies (Ducati) 1:41.145

16. Colin Edwards (CRT) 1:41.588

Paul Carruthers | Editor

Paul Carruthers took over as the editor of Cycle News in 1993 after serving as associate editor since starting his career at the publication in 1985. Carruthers has covered every facet of the sport in his near-28-year tenure at America's Daily Motorcycle News Source.