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Repsol riders resume season after summer break, kicking off the second half of the World Championship calendar.
- Pedrosa can reach 40 Grand Prix wins milestone
- Casey Stoner and Marc Márquez both won at Indy last season; Dani Pedrosa and Maverick Viñales claimed second in their respective clases
- Maverick Viñales can claim his 10th Grand Prix victory
After the traditional summer break, the MotoGP World Championship reconvenes this weekend for the Indianapolis Grand Prix. This is the first of the final eight events of 2012 and the Repsol riders have not neglected their training over the past few weeks. For an example of this, one need look no further than the onboard footage of Marc Márquez’ test at Portimao from July 23rd-25th.
The legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway —4.216km in length— has been a good circuit for the Repsol Honda Team. Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa took a one-two there last year, the former earning the race win, fastest lap and pole position. Pedrosa won in 2010 and is chasing his second win of the season this year, plus his seventh consecutive podium finish. The Repsol Honda Team riders are second and third in the overall MotoGP standings and want to cut the advantage held by current leader Jorge Lorenzo.
Marc Márquez also crossed the famous line of bricks in first place last season. The Moto2 series leader holds a 34 point advantage over nearest rival Pol Espargaró, and heads to Indianapolis looking to improve upon his fifth place at the Italian Grand Prix. Márquez had a three-day test with his Suter at Portimao over the summer break.
Maverick Viñales raced at Indy for the first time last season, taking second place in 125cc. On a roll this year, the Spaniard won the final race before the summer holiday and is just nine points behind leader Sandro Cortese in the Moto3 standings. Miguel Oliveira will also be contesting his second Indianapolis GP and Álex Rins —second in the Rookie of the Year classification- will be taking on a new track for him.
Dani Pedrosa
“I had a very good summer break; in these two weeks I was able to relax a little, enjoy time with friends and get back into my training. At this time of year, Indianapolis is normally very hot so fitness is always key. I enjoy riding at this track and I’ve had good results in the past. I am really looking forward to this race and will fight to win and maintain the consistency we have showed in the first part of the Championship.”
Casey Stoner
“After the great win in Laguna, we’ve had a nice break in the U.S, it’s always good to take some time off here and spend some time with some friends. I’m not the biggest fan of Indy, mainly because we don’t go on the historical track but the infield and in the wrong direction! The track is very flat and plain, also very tight. There are a couple of corners that can be fun but the majority are difficult, tight and there isn’t any natural flow to the track. It’s nice to visit a track with such great history but it’s a shame we don’t really experience any of that. We’ve had some good results there and won last year, but we’ll have to wait until we get there to see how the RC213V will work around there this year.”
Marc Márquez
“The racing is back and we are starting with two races in as many weekends. We return to Indianapolis, one of the most historic circuits in the world. The summer holidays have been a very good chance to rest and also to do a test at Portimao. The results of that test might prove useful in the second half of the season. I like Indy as a circuit and we’ll be looking for a top result. Our goal is to adapt as soon as possible, in order to find our setting for Sunday.”
Maverick Viñales
“Indianapolis is a track that brings back fond memories. Last year I placed second after a tough fight with Sandro Cortese. I think that this track suits us both and that the competition will be intense once again. There is a slow section of the track that we need to use to make our times count. The fast section —including the very long straight— is where we will look for slipstreams.”
Miguel Oliveira
“Indianapolis is not new for me, because I rode there for the first time last year. In that race I had a clutch problem at the start, which required me to push through the field from last place up to eighth. It was a fun race. The layout is quite technical, with some heavy braking and a tricky section at the end of the straight that can decide your lap time. I haven’t been on a bike since the last race at Mugello, but I’ve been hitting the gym every day to keep fit. Once in Indianapolis, I hope that we can quickly find a good setup that allows us to get a result that we have shown is possible.”
Álex Rins
“I’ve never been to America, but I’m told that Indianapolis is a very nice circuit. It is similar to Sachsenring, which we visited in early July, and once we are there the plan will be the same as always: Try to adapt as quickly as possible. One part of the circuit is all slow corners requiring a good line and we will have to work to find a good setup, allowing us to have a nimble bike that helps to change direction quickly.”
