2013/11/10

Marc Marquez has finished third in the GP Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana to become the youngest ever MotoGP World Champion in his rookie season. The Repsol Honda Team rider, who started from pole position, shared the podium with teammate Dani Pedrosa as race victory went to outgoing title winner Jorge Lorenzo of Yamaha Factory Racing. Having already made himself the youngest premier class race winner and pole-sitter as well as registering numerous other records, Marquez now becomes the youngest ever World Champion and takes the mantle away from Freddie Spencer. At the same time, the 20-year-old from Cervera, Catalunya becomes the first rookie World Champion for 35 years, following in the footsteps of Kenny Roberts from 1978.



Lorenzo made his plan clear over the opening laps. Having shot through into the lead, the title winner of 2010 and 2012 attempted to slow the pace as last year¢s victor Pedrosa ran second from Marquez, Alvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini) and Valentino Rossi (Yamaha Factory Racing). Having avoided incidents on a selection of occasions, tipping point came on Lap 10 as Pedrosa overhauled Lorenzo but was instantly pushed wide at Doohan corner, leaving Marquez in the lead. Lorenzo retook the top spot just a lap later, while Bautista pressured Rossi before dropping to fifth and the recovering Pedrosa rose to third before being waved through by Marquez on the 26th tour. By this point, knowing Marquez would still become World Champion, Lorenzo put the power down to win for the eighth time this year (two more victories than Marquez) by almost four seconds.



Lorenzo did not follow the visual team orders to slow down at that point! That was a healthy sign by Lorenzo, not by Yamaha although the stakes were high. It should be noted that Lorenzo could not expect any help at that instant either by Rossi who was slower, or by Crutchlow who had crashed. Many years ago it would be only Honda to give orders in such a clear manner. Pedrosa collected his 13th rostrum of the season, with Marquez sealing the world title in a comfortable third. Elsewhere, Rossi signed off his partnership with long-time Crew Chief Jeremy Burgess in fourth place, ahead of Bautista as LCR Honda MotoGP¢s Stefan Bradl finished sixth from Monster Yamaha Tech3¢s Bradley Smith and Ducati Team trio Nicky Hayden (in his last race for the Italian marque), Andrea Dovizioso and Michele Pirro. The 2014 campaign will kick-off in Qatar on Sunday 23 March, with Marc Marquez heading to the Losail International Circuit as the 26th premier class World Champion.



 

GP GENERALI DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA MotoGP Race Classification 2013 
Cheste, Sunday, November 10, 2013 
Pos. Points Num. Rider Nation Team Bike Km/h Time/Gap 
1 25 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 156.1 46'10.302 
2 20 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 155.9 +3.934 
3 16 93 Marc MARQUEZ SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 155.7 +7.357 
4 13 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 155.5 +10.579 
5 11 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA GO&FUN Honda Gresini Honda 155.2 +14.965 
6 10 6 Stefan BRADL GER LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 154.7 +24.399 
7 9 38 Bradley SMITH GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 154.5 +29.043 
8 8 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Team Ducati 153.9 +39.893 
9 7 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Ducati Team Ducati 153.1 +53.196 
10 6 51 Michele PIRRO ITA Ducati Test Team Ducati 152.6 +1'02.983

 Pos.   Rider  Bike  Nation  Points
 1  Marc MARQUEZ  Honda  SPA 334
 2  Jorge LORENZO   Yamaha  SPA 330
 3  Dani PEDROSA  Honda  SPA 300
 4  Valentino ROSSI  Yamaha  ITA 237
 5  Cal CRUTCHLOW  Yamaha  GBR 188
 6  Alvaro BAUTISTA   Honda  SPA 171
 7  Stefan BRADL  Honda   GER 156
 8  Andrea DOVIZIOSO  Ducati  ITA 140
 9  Nicky HAYDEN  Ducati  USA 126
 10  Bradley SMITH  Yamaha  GBR 116



2013/11/9

Title within reach as Marquez starts ¡The Decider¢ from pole‏

Title chaser Marc Marquez registered a superb new pole record of 1'30.237 on qualifying tyres in the final stages of Q2 at Valencia, putting himself ahead of Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa on the grid for Sunday¢s title deciding race. World Champion Lorenzo broke Pedrosa¢s pole record of 1¢30.844s from 2012 with a 1'30.645 lap on his first attempt, but was troubled by engine problems with his number one bike and eventually he finished 0.34s behind Marquez in second, on bike two and race tyres mounted. 


 
Completing the front row is that man Pedrosa, and like Valentino Rossi – who qualified fourth, 0.7s off pole – he could have a big say in the title battle on Sunday if he can get in front of Lorenzo or Marquez in the race. The likes of Cal Crutchlow, on his last weekend with the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team, and colleague Bradley Smith, are unlikely to fight for victory at the final round but they will try to challenge for top five or even podium positions. They both qualified within a second of Marquez on row two. Heading the third row is GO&FUN Honda Gresini¢s Alvaro Bautista who crashed out but walked away unhurt. He starts just ahead of LCR Honda¢s Stefan Bradl and Ducati Team¢s Andrea Dovizioso. For his final appearance on a Ducati Nicky Hayden qualified tenth. Ôhe weather will not be an issue tomorrow.



GP GENERALI DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA MotoGP Qualifying Nr. 2 Classification 2013 
Cheste, Saturday, November 09, 2013 
Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Bike Km/h Time Gap 1st/Prev. 
1 93 Marc MARQUEZ SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 320.8 1'30.237
2 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 318.1 1'30.577 0.340 / 0.340 
3 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 323.5 1'30.663 0.426 / 0.086 
4 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 317.0 1'30.920 0.683 / 0.257 
5 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 318.3 1'31.113 0.876 / 0.193 
6 38 Bradley SMITH GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 313.8 1'31.201 0.964 / 0.088 
7 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA GO&FUN Honda Gresini Honda 319.0 1'31.594 1.357 / 0.393 
8 6 Stefan BRADL GER LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 323.0 1'31.638 1.401 / 0.044 
9 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Ducati Team Ducati 315.0 1'31.718 1.481 / 0.080 
10 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Team Ducati 314.5 1'31.870 1.633 / 0.152

2013/11/8

Marquez begins Valencia title-charge ahead of Lorenzo

 Pos.   Rider  Bike  Nation  Points
 1  Marc MARQUEZ  Honda  SPA 318
 2  Jorge LORENZO   Yamaha  SPA 305
 3  Dani PEDROSA  Honda  SPA 280
 4  Valentino ROSSI  Yamaha  ITA 224
 5  Cal CRUTCHLOW  Yamaha  GBR 188
 6  Alvaro BAUTISTA   Honda  SPA 160
 7  Stefan BRADL  Honda   GER 146
 8  Andrea DOVIZIOSO  Ducati  ITA 133
 9  Nicky HAYDEN  Ducati  USA 118
 10  Bradley SMITH  Yamaha  GBR 107

As the MotoGP action on the first day of Free Practice at the GP Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana concluded it was Marc Marquez who set the pace with his teammate Dani Pedrosa only 0.066s behind him, and title rival Jorge Lorenzo 0.158s off the pace in third. Despite the windy conditions in the afternoon¢s FP2 at the Valencia track, Marquez stepped up the pace in the second half of the session, with his best time of 1¢31.220 not far off Pedrosa¢s pole record of 1¢30.844 from last year. 



Pedrosa was very close to his Repsol Honda colleague, with both of them still looking for more grip – using both the softer and harder option rear tyres. 



Lorenzo improved late on in the session on his regular number-one machine, having spent time before on his number-two bike with holes in the front bubble to cope with the windy conditions. 



Monster Yamaha Tech 3¢s Cal Crutchlow had a great day as he ended up fourth overall despite a late low-side crash, from which he escaped unhurt. The Englishman rides in his last GP for the team this weekend before departing for Ducati. Yamaha Factory Racing¢s Valentino Rossi, who is working with Crew Chief Jeremy Burgess for the last time this weekend, was fifth fastest on Friday, 0.4s off the pace. After his statements that he needs to get quicker for next year, he will hope for a strong push in tomorrow¢s practice. 
The top ten was rounded out by Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda), Alvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini), Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Ducati Team pair Andrea Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden. Bradl is keen to resolve front-end grip issues, whilst Batista is working with a new Showa rear shock provided for this weekend.




GP GENERALI DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA MotoGP Free Practice Nr. 2 Classification 2013 
Cheste, Friday, November 08, 2013 
Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Bike Km/h Time Gap 1st/Prev. 
1 93 Marc MARQUEZ SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 326.8 1'31.220
2 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 328.3 1'31.286 0.066 / 0.066 
3 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 322.7 1'31.378 0.158 / 0.092 
4 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 323.7 1'31.502 0.282 / 0.124 
5 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 322.1 1'31.639 0.419 / 0.137 6
6 Stefan BRADL GER LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 326.2 1'31.858 0.638 / 0.219 
7 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA GO&FUN Honda Gresini Honda 325.3 1'31.873 0.653 / 0.015 
8 38 Bradley SMITH GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 320.7 1'31.984 0.764 / 0.111 
9 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Ducati Team Ducati 321.1 1'32.363 1.143 / 0.379 
10 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Team Ducati 318.3 1'32.395 1.175 / 0.032