US MotoGP, Laguna Seca - Qualifying
Ben Spies suffered a big accident with twelve minutes to go and was clearly shaken, but was able to return to the track in the closing minutes.
Cardion AB Ducati's Karel Abraham is returning to action this weekend, while Pramac Ducati's Hector Barbera has been ruled out by a broken leg in a training accident.
Barbera has been replaced by former MotoGP race winner Toni Elias, who split from the Aspar Moto2 team after Mugello.
The US GP also sees AMA rider Steve Rapp become the first wild-card entry of the season and first ever for the new CRT class.
Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa has one of the new RC213Vs available for Laguna Seca, while team-mate Casey Stoner has the new engine in the present chassis, as he had requested. Ducati are expected to debut 'some' new parts.
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1.Jorge LorenzoESP Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1)1m 20.554s
2.Casey StonerAUS Repsol Honda (RC213V)1m 20.628s
3.Dani PedrosaESP Repsol Honda (RC213V)1m 20.906s
4.Ben SpiesUSA Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1)1m 21.094s
5.Cal CrutchlowGBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)1m 21.268s
6.Andrea DoviziosoITA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)1m 21.539s
7.Alvaro BautistaESP San Carlo Honda Gresini (RC213V)1m 21.732s
8.Nicky HaydenUSA Ducati Team (GP12)1m 21.734s
9.Stefan BradlGER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V)1m 21.753s
10.Valentino RossiITA Ducati Team (GP12)1m 22.544s
11.Randy De PunietFRA Power Electronics Aspar (ART CRT)1m 22.886s
12.Aleix EspargaroESP Power Electronics Aspar (ART CRT)1m 23.075s
13.Colin EdwardsUSA NGM Forward Racing (Suter-BMW CRT)1m 23.699s
14.Karel AbrahamCZE Cardion AB Motoracing (GP12)1m 23.704s
15.Yonny HernandezCOL Avintia Blusens (FTR-Kawasaki CRT)1m 23.769s
16.Michele PirroITA San Carlo Honda Gresini (FTR-Honda CRT)1m 23.877s
17.Toni EliasESP Pramac Racing (GP12)1m 23.898s
18.Mattia PasiniITA Speed Master (ART CRT)1m 24.017s
19.Danilo PetrucciITA Came IodaRacing (Ioda-Aprilia CRT)1m 24.227s
20.Ivan SilvaESP Avintia Blusens (FTR-Kawasaki CRT)1m 24.560s
21.James EllisonGBR Paul Bird Motorsport (ART CRT)1m 24.715s
22.Steve RappUSA Attack Performance (APR-Kawasaki CRT)1m 26.887s*
* Outside 107% time (1m 26.192s).
Fastest practice time:Dani Pedrosa ESP Honda 1m 21.088s (FP2)
Official Laguna Seca MotoGP records:Best lap: Casey Stoner AUS Ducati 1m 20.700s (2008)Fastest race lap:Casey Stoner AUS Ducati 1m 21.376s (2010)
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
