MotoGP – MotoGP to conquer the West! –

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MotoGP to conquer the West !

MotoGP - MotoGP to conquer the West! -

After eleven years of absence, the United States GP is making its comeback on the legendary Laguna Seca track in California. MotoGP are getting ready to fight on a technical, demanding and impressive circuit … The American dream ?

In 1994, the Italian Luca Cadalora on Yamaha won a historic victory in 500 cc on the superb circuit of Laguna Seca: he remains to this day the only non-American rider to have won the United States Grand Prix in the premier class, even if it is true that since then, no race has been contested there … Because if the events of the American Superbike championship have been held without interruption since 1976 on this track, the machines of the Continental Circus had become too powerful for keep turning there safely.

Eleven years and two million dollars of work later, the "Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca" therefore reopens its doors to the monsters of MotoGP. The clearance areas have been enlarged, back walls and some bends brought up to standard. Kenny Roberts Jr, representative of the pilots to the safety commission, assures that "Laguna has become a very safe circuit". Handlebar aces should therefore be able to give it their all !

The route: roller coasters in the USA !

There is no lack of images when it comes to defining this extraordinary circuit: Ducati describes the track as genuine "rodeo", Yamaha of"Russian mountains", while Checa and Barros agree to compare it to a Supercross field !

The circuit indeed includes extremely important elevations, several blind turns where it is a question of wringing the handle without ulterior motives and the famous "Corkscrew", a "corkscrew" turn which is undoubtedly the most impressive of all and ask the pilots a good dose of bravery !

The last GP having taken place eleven years ago and the layout having been slightly retouched, the historical data on the American GP are quite obsolete … Troy Bayliss predicts that "the current lap record will only hold fifteen minutes during the first practice session !".

The first difficulty for the pilots and their mechanics will be to manage the power of their machine on a bumpy and extremely hilly circuit. Colin Edwards, who knows the area well, confirms that "it is not a track for powerful engines. Any bike on the grid will have too many horsepower for the track, so horsepower isn’t the issue.". The pilots will seek above all to have a power delivered in a linear way, easily dosed, in order to extricate themselves as well as possible from the tortuous and technical turns of Laguna Seca..

For his part, Valentino Rossi emphasizes a second factor which is currently unknown: the quality of the coating. His Holiness rightly considers that he is "important that the grip is good and that there are not too many bumps, because now the bikes are very, very fast…"Especially his !

Born in the USA !

Apart from Cadalora’s victory, Laguna Seca has always been the preserve of Americans: Eddie Lawson in 1988, Wayne Rainey between 1989 and 1991 then Kocinski in 1993 (there was no GP in 1992). We can bet that for this 2005 edition, the new generation will be keen to apply this unwritten rule !

Kenny Roberts Jr and John Hopkins are the two real locals on the stage. The teammates of Team Suzuki, both born in California and living not far from the circuit, will wear for the occasion the colors of the title sponsor of the GP of the USA: the energy drink based on bull hormones, Red Bull. !

Suzuki and his team manager Paul Denning see the opportunity or never to finally get their heads out of the water! While their last victory in 2000 at Motegi is now a long way off, Denning is optimistic: "John has had plenty of test laps in his head since the date was announced and Kenny will be racing in the USA for the first time since becoming the world champion – take a look at his special helmet decoration !"

In this regard, Suzuki will not be the only team to take on a special decoration on the occasion of this American stage: Yamaha, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this weekend, has also decided to change its look. The firm, having regained its luster of yesteryear, is bringing out its 1970s colors: yellow, white and black made famous in particular by Kenny Roberts Sr alias "The yellow dwarf" and his three world titles. Vale does not hide the happiness and pride of wearing its colors: "I am very happy to be running in yellow, white and black here in the USA, especially since yellow is my favorite color !"

Colin Edwards, the Texan Tornado, is therefore impatient to race at home, in the footsteps of his masters Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson or Wayne Rainey, all victorious at Laguna sur Yam ‘(yellow, white and black!). Colin completed the trifle of fourteen races at Laguna Seca, winning one of two Superbike rounds in his last season in 2002. For this fiftieth anniversary of Yamaha, which will take place alongside the Grand Prix this weekend, the Texan is not wants to disappoint neither his employer nor his fans !

"Everyone I know will come for the race and I want to win, that’s the only thing I think about !"Colin will take advantage of"some secret trajectories, which I will not share with anyone. They require experience, we don’t hold them back overnight"…

But the victory is also coveted by the fourth American on the board: Nicky Hayden! The HRC driver is slow to confirm the legitimate hopes placed in him, which could cost him his place as of next season … The Kentucky Kid therefore has an interest in shining on "a circuit that I love and reminds me of JerezNicky could cause a sensation this weekend: he was third this year in Jerez before crashing, and in American Superbike he won the Laguna Seca race twice..

Finally, if this Hayden does not manage to offer a victory to its public, its two young brothers will take care of it in AMA Superbike, championship which will replace the 125 cc and the 250 cc which are not part of the trip. Both registered in the Supersport category in the same Kawasaki team, Tommy will be looking for his third victory at Laguna Seca while Roger Lee will aim for a second consecutive victory on the Californian track. !

The pledges

Among the pilots arriving for the first time in the USA is the leader of the championship. Valentino Rossi (yes yes, it’s him!) Is very happy "to go to california for the sun and pretty girls !", but do not limit the visit to these futile considerations! The Doctor knows that"it’s a strange track with a difficult first section, it will be very hard !"

The Italian only knows the circuit through television and has trained on his Playstation! He was therefore able to determine the delicate points of the route, "like the first left after the straight line and the Corkscrew". As a great MotoGP ambassador, Rossi"hope we can give americans a great show. They will like, I’m sure !"Compared to Formula 1 in Indianapolis, MotoGP will indeed be a much more enjoyable spectacle. !

Marco Melandri expects a "surreal track, bizarre, because it keeps going up and down. (…) The whole thing resides in Corkscrew. You get there by a long left, followed by a dive to the very tight right. You have to be brave because it’s a blind turn"… Marco, who consolidated his second place in the provisional at Assen, will have to pull out all the stops to contain the cowboys … and the Doctor !

Despite the many stays with his friend Kenny Roberts Jr, Sete Gibernau has never had the opportunity to ride on the American circuit. He did, however, attend a race in 1993 and was very impressed with the topology of the venue and Corkscrew…

Also a big first for Makoto Tamada: "my colleagues who rode here praised this track, considering it to be one of the most fun in the world", explains the Japanese who underwent a new operation last week and hopes that he will be able to drive 100%:"my goal is to improve my final result from last year". But with a start to the season marred by a bad fall, the mission will be tough !

The elders

Continental Circus veteran, Alex Barros looks like a wise old man in the paddocks. The only rider to have beaten Rossi this year is also the only one to have obtained a podium in 500 cc (a second place in 1993!). Brazilian is "delighted to return to the Laguna Seca circuit because I love it and want to have a good race after my poor performance in Assen".

Troy Bayliss, Edwards’ competitor in the 2002 World Superbike, won the second round that same year. He also appreciates this "real man track which is superb although it is dangerous. At least she was". The Australian, used to battles in the middle of the peloton, will he manage to climb among the leading men? ?

Loris Capirossi, who won the American GP in 1993 in 250 cc, recalls: "I really liked the track with a 250, but I don’t know what it will be like with a MotoGP". Especially since Loris runs on a Ducati which prefers long straight lines and long sequences, as at Mugello for example … Renowned for its engine power, the Ducat ‘will be difficult to handle on the Californian circuit:"the first corner is very impressive, as is the climb to Corkscrew where you have to use the rear brake while accelerating, so that the bike does not rear up too much"… will have some sport !

His team-mate Carlos Checa has also visited Laguna Seca in 1993 and 1994, also in 250 cc. The second year, he finished in 7th position ahead of several factory pilots. While according to the official Ducati Corse version, the Spaniard is confident because his motorcycle "works pretty well at the moment", on his personal website, his speech is quite different:"I want to get out of the hole we fell into! We’re in a rough patch right now but Bridgestone, Ducati, my team and I are all working to improve and get better performance from the tires."… Finally, was the wildcard Bridgestone, doomed to make the Ducati shine on certain tracks, a good choice? The second half of the season will tell…

After a quick visit to Lisbon to shoot a Repsol commercial, Max Biaggi moved to California on June 30, in order to prepare as best as possible. The Roman Emperor only rode once in Laguna Seca but he has fond memories of it. "I really want to get a good result at this Grand Prix, I will give my best … you can be sure !". A new podium for Max ?

To sum up, the weekend promises to be particularly explosive: an exceptional circuit, Americans eager for victory at home, novice drivers intrigued and excited (including Rossi, still on his record of number of victories in 2002) and experienced pilots with a slight advantage, although, in the interests of fairness, the duration of the first Friday practice session was doubled…

Please note: no 125 and 250 cc races this weekend and with the time difference, the MotoGP race will start at 23:00 French time. Appointment on Monday for the American turn by turn of J. Arsouille !

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