Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas 2014
Posted on Apr 09, 2014 by Nick Harris
ROUND TWO 2014 MotoGP™ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY APRIL 13
Both Scott Redding and Sam Lowes are looking to cash in on their impressive starts to their new careers at the second round of the MotoGP™ World Championship, the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas at Austin in Texas on Sunday.
Twenty-one year old Gloucestershire based Redding finished seventh on his MotoGP debut in Qatar while Lowes was sixth on his Moto2™ debut. Redding, who finished runner-up in last year’s Moto2 World Championship, is riding in the RCV 1000 R Open class Honda for the Italian GO&FUN Gresini team and despite a lack of horsepower and some electrical problems in practice rode a superb debut race to finish the highest Open class Honda.
World Supersport Champion Lowes had not had the ideal preparation for his first Moto2 season with tendonitis curtailing some of his final testing but he looked right on the pace in Qatar on the Speed Up machine to cross the line in seventh place but moved up to sixth following the disqualification of second placed Takaaki Nakagami because of an air filter infringement. Londoner Gino Rea was not so lucky and retired with a mechanical problem.
While others fell by the wayside in Qatar Isle of Man based Midlander Cal Crutchlow picked up some very useful MotoGP points with a sixth place on his Ducati debut. Despite considerable electrical problems Crutchlow soldiered on to the finish but knows it will be tough in the 21 lap race round the 3.426 miles circuit on Sunday where he finished fourth last year.
His former Monster Tech 3 Yamaha team-mate Bradley Smith was one to fall by the wayside but not before a very impressive weekend for the 23 year old Oxfordshire rider. He qualified on the front row of the grid for the first time and was running a comfortable fifth when he crashed with four laps remaining. Ulsterman Michael Laverty did well to finish the MotoGP race despite lack of time to prepare the Paul Bird Motorsport machine. He eventually was 16th one place behind new team-mate Australian Broc Parkes, who picked up his first world championship point.
Marquez returns to where it all started
World Champion Marc Marquez returns to where his incredible MotoGP adventure started just 12 months ago when he competes in the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas at Austin in Texas on Sunday. Last year the Spanish Repsol Honda rider won his first MotoGP race on just his second appearance in the premier class to become the youngest ever MotoGP winner and pole setter and the rest is history.
The 21 year old has made a superb start to his title defence with a breathtaking win at the opening round in Qatar just six weeks after breaking his leg in a dirt bike training accident and fancies his chances of repeating his success round the impressive 3.426 miles circuit. Nine times World Champion Valentino Rossi pushed him to the limit in the opening round in a superb race while his Movistar Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo crashed out on the very first lap. Last year Marquez’s team-mate, Dani Pedrosa was second with Lorenzo third and they all know they must stop the Marquez freight train at this early part of the season starting in the 21 lap race on Sunday.
Others hoping to make up for Qatar disappointments include crashers Stefan Bradl, Alvaro Bautista and Bradley Smith while Aleix Espargaro who eventually finished fourth on the NGM Forward Racing Open class Yamaha could be a big threat if he gets through qualifying without crashing.
Circuit of The Americas Facts and Figures
Circuit Length: 5.513 km / 3.426 miles
Width: 15m
Pole Position: Right
Left Corners: Eleven
Right Corners: Nine
Pole Position Record: Marc Marquez (Honda) 2.03.021 161.31km/h (2013)
Lap record: Marc Marquez (Honda) 2.04.242 159.7 km/h (2013)
Television Times
BT Sport (unless stated this will be on BT Sport 2)
Friday 11th April
3.00pm - MotoGP 2014: Grand Prix of The Americas - Free Practice LIVE
Saturday 12th April
3.00pm - MotoGP 2014: Grand Prix of The Americas - Qualifying LIVE
Sunday 13th April
4.30pm - MotoGP 2014: Grand Prix of The Americas - Moto3 Race LIVE
6.15pm - MotoGP 2014: Grand Prix of The Americas - Moto2 Race LIVE
7.45pm - MotoGP 2014: Grand Prix of The Americas - MotoGP Race LIVE
1.30am - MotoGP 2014: Grand Prix of The Americas - MotoGP recap (BT Sport 1)
Tuesday 15th April
8.00pm - MotoGP Tonight: Episode 2 LIVE (BT Sport 1)
ITV4
Monday April 14th
8.00pm - Highlights of Grand Prix of The Americas