Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix

FIM MotoGP World Championship

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indianapolis, Indiana

August 8, 2014

Free Practice Two Results (all on Bridgestone tires):

1. Marc MARQUEZ, Spain (HONDA), 1:32.882 (New Circuit Best lap record)

2. Andrea IANNONE, Italy (DUCATI), 1:33.104

3. Jorge LORENZO, Spain (YAMAHA), 1:33.424

4. Andrea DOVIZIOSO, Italy (DUCATI), 1:33.432

5. Dani PEDROSA, Spain (HONDA), 1:33.493

6. Stefan BRADL, Germany (HONDA), 1:33.513

7. Yonny HERNANDEZ, Colombia (DUCATI), 1:33.531

8. Aleix ESPARGARO, Spain (FORWARD YAMAHA), 1:33.587

9. Valentino ROSSI, Italy (YAMAHA), 1:33.598

10. Bradley SMITH, UK (YAMAHA), 1:33.621

11. Pol ESPARGARO, Spain (YAMAHA), 1:33.690

12. Scott REDDING, UK (HONDA), 1:33.971

13. Cal CRUTCHLOW, UK (DUCATI), 1:33.996

14. Alvaro BAUTISTA, Spain (HONDA), 1:34.054

15. Karel ABRAHAM, Czech Republic (HONDA), 1:34.912

16. Colin EDWARDS, USA (FORWARD YAMAHA), 1:34.994

17. Hiroshi AOYAMA, Japan (HONDA), 1:35.106

18. Hector BARBERA, Spain (FTR-KAWASAKI), 1:35.231

19. Michael LAVERTY, UK (PBM-APRILIA), 1:35.472

20. Danilo PETRUCCI, Italy (ART-APRILIA, 1:35.721

21. Mike DI MEGLIO, France (FTR-KAWASAKI), 1:35.749

22. Broc PARKES, Australia (PBM-APRILIA), 1:35.941

23. Leon CAMIER, UK (HONDA), 1:36.394

More, from a press release issued by Movistar Yamaha:

MotoGP Gets Back to Business at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indianapolis (USA), 8th August 2014

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi were back on track today to experience the first sessions ahead of Sunday’s Indianapolis Grand Prix.

Both riders had a cautious start to the first free practice session of the second round in the USA as they tested the refreshed but slightly damp Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The pair soon made progress as they found that the resurfaced track has a lot more grip and the new, smoother fourth section suits the Yamaha, boosting their confidence for good results this weekend.

Lorenzo and Rossi both used the first session to test the medium and the hard tyre. Lorenzo found his pace during the second session making an almost 1.5 second improvement from the morning to the afternoon. He ended the day in third with a 1’33.424 second lap set with a hard rear tyre.

Teammate Rossi also used a hard rear tyre when he topped the morning session. During Free Practice 2 he improved his time by almost a second, finishing in 9th place with a lap of 1’33.598.

Jorge Lorenzo

3rd / 1’33.424 / 17 laps

“Finally the resurfaced track doesn’t seem so bad. The three corners that were in the past maybe a little bit too slow we don’t have to use first gear for now so we don’t lose so much speed on our competitors. Last year the bumps were quite bad, now the resurfacing of the track means they are gone. We were the only ones to start the second practice with the soft rear tyre, the other ones took the old one from the morning so they could use a new soft tyre at the end. Finally we tried the hard option and it was ok, so it could be the tyre for the Sunday.”

Valentino Rossi

9th / 1’33.598 / 22 laps

“The new lay-out of the track is good. I like it! It’s better than the old lay-out and especially the asphalt and the quality of the surface is a lot better, so it’s good. It’s easier to ride the bike because it has more grip. Here it’s difficult to decide on a tyre, because both the medium and the harder tyre are not bad. The softer tyre is a bit faster, but it will be difficult to make it last for the whole race, so we have to try to decide. I tried to put the softer tyre in on the end of the session and I improved my lap time. From the third position all riders are very close so I will have to do better!”

Massimo Meregalli

“We were pretty satisfied this morning and both riders had good comments about the layout and the track surface. As the times dropped this afternoon we were able to see where we need to improve our set up so we are now working on solutions for FP3 for tomorrow. Tyres are going to be very important this weekend, Both Jorge and Vale evaluated both the softer and harder option but we are yet to make a decision. We have some set up changes to make in the morning to make another step and then I’m confident we will be ready to tackle qualifying and the race on Sunday.”

More, from a press release issued by Bridgestone:

Marquez carves up new Indianapolis circuit to top Friday Practice

Round 10: Indianapolis Grand Prix – Free Practice 1&2

Indianapolis, Friday August 8 2014

Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft, Medium & Hard; Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric)

Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Soft (Main), Hard (Alternative)

Weather: FP1 – Dry. Ambient 22-22°C; Track 26-29°C (Bridgestone measurement)

FP2 – Dry. Ambient 24-24°C; Track 34-38°C (Bridgestone measurement)

Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez adapted quickly to the new tarmac and layout of the revised Indianapolis Motor Speedway circuit to lead the field on the first day of practice for the Indianapolis Grand Prix.

Marquez set the day’s quickest time of 1’32.882 on the combination of the medium compound slicks front and rear to finish 0.222 seconds ahead of Pramac Racing’s Andrea Iannone in second place, who set his time on the same combination as Marquez. Third quickest today was Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Jorge Lorenzo whose best time of 1’33.424 – set on the medium front and hard compound rear – was just over half a second off Marquez’s benchmark time.

Light rain fell throughout the day at Indianapolis but track temperatures – which reached a peak of 38°C – were warm enough to ensure the track surface remained completely dry for both of today’s practice sessions. In the morning session almost every rider ventured out on track with their softer rear slick option; medium compound for the Factory Honda and Yamaha riders, and soft compound for the Ducati and Open-class riders, to evaluate the grip level of the new Indy tarmac. However, such was the grip available from the new track surface that some riders also evaluated their harder rear slick option in the first session and were able to lap extremely quickly using this option. All three front slick options were utilised today, although only Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa evaluated the hard compound front. At this stage of the race weekend the majority of riders prefer the medium compound front, which is a new addition to the tyre allocation at Indianapolis this year.

All slick options performed well on the first day of action at Indianapolis and with grip levels bound to change as more sessions are run, further evaluation in tomorrow’s practice sessions is needed for riders to determine their preferred race tyre combination.

Masao Azuma – Chief Engineer, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyre Development Department

“The new tarmac at Indianapolis has improved the consistency of grip around the circuit which has made it easier for riders to get a feel of how their tyres are performing. Although we cannot make direct comparisons on lap times due to the change in track layout, the best time today was over five seconds quicker than the old circuit lap record, with the better interaction between the tarmac and tyre contributing to this improvement in pace. Our tyre allocation for this year has changed with the addition of the medium compound front slick and the riders were happy to have this new option at Indianapolis. Both our softer and harder rear slick options were evaluated by riders today and are performing well but with the grip level of the circuit improving in each session, tomorrow’s practice sessions will give a clearer indication on which tyre combinations the riders will use for the race.”

More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:

Marquez fastest as lap times fall in Indianapolis

Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa have finished the first day in 1st and 5th respectively, as lap times continued to drop at the revised Indianapolis track. With a few drops of rain threatening the session, the bad weather never arrived and the riders made the most of this dry track time to familiarise themselves with the new surface and reworked corners.

Marc emerged fastest, bettering his morning time by two seconds with 1’32.882 on lap 16 of 19. Dani improved by three seconds from FP1 with his time of 1’33.493 (lap 17 of 18) placing him fifth on day one.

TEAM QUOTES

Marc Marquez

1st – 1’32.882

“Overall today went pretty well and after the holidays it is always important to pick back up the pace and regain confidence on the bike. We could also test out the new track surface today; now there are almost no bumps and it seems that the grip has also improved from last year. In terms of the layout, perhaps the previous one suited us a bit better but this one is more natural and more fun. We were also able to try out the hard and soft rear tyres, gathering data that we will review to make further improvements. We’re happy with how today went and how we’ve progressed”

Dani Pedrosa

5th – 1’33.493

“We were able to progress a lot in the afternoon and tried out all the tyres, but we still need to work to see what the pace will be like and find the limits of the track. Today the track condition improved the more laps we all put in, because the asphalt cleaned up and gave us much more grip. Tomorrow we will work on finding the limits and getting a good tyre combination for Sunday’s race. I don’t like this new layout as much; it seems less fun compared to the previous one, because we have three fewer places in which to overtake”

More, from a press release issued by Cardion AB Motoracing:

Fifteenth position for Abraham in Indianapolis after the summer break

The MotoGP opens second part of the season by race in Indianapolis. Karel Abraham starts second part of the season with great fifteenth position in opening free practices losing two seconds to the fastest Marc Marquez. The result is even more valuable because it is in the track where he got injured his shoulder and he could not finish the season.

Karel Abraham

“This wasn´t bad start to the second half of the season at all. We suffered some problems, we need to change gear ratio and we need to deal with usual “tyre issue”. The track is quite slippery, but we got used to it here in Indy. I must appreciate new track layout which suits me better than the older one. The corners are less sharp. I feel more comfortable and I can ride smoothly and faster.”

Marco Grana, chief mechanic Cardion AB Motoracing

“This day was very difficult for us. The track has new layout as well as new asphalt and this opens the problem with tyres. The track is dirty, because usually only cars race on it. So the motorcycles must make their own line at first. The conditions improve from the morning and I expect it will get better tomorrow. This is the opportunity for us to close the gap between Karel and the pace. We must try to delete the gap to Scott Redding, who did very good lap in the end of Friday. And in addition we must focus on the rear tyre. We must decide which one we will use in the race.”

More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda:

BRADL SETS THE 6TH LAP TIME AT HIS FIRST OUTING AT INDY UPDATED CIRCUIT

Indianapolis, 8 August: the second half of the season started today at the renewed famous Indianapolis race track with LCR racer Stefan Bradl setting the sixth fastest lap time of the day (1’33.513). In the morning session Bradl and his colleagues joined the shorter circuit for a first impression and the German made a total of 19 laps deeply studying the layout. In the afternoon session Bradl increased his confidence fine-tuning his RC213V package ahead tomorrow’s second day.

Bradl: “First of all the track is very nice and I can enjoy riding here a bit more than in the past because the surface is better and the corners have a better shape. We managed to be in a better position after the morning session which was related with a specific strategy (that’s why I was only 14th). In the second session we improved our package lapping with more confidence but we still have to improve the traction control and some other little things. I think that P6 is a positive start after the summer break”.

More, from a press release issued by DRive M7 Aspar Team:

DRIVE M7 Aspar enjoy new Indianapolis layout

Aoyama seventeenth fastest as he assesses new track, Camier begins intense learning process

Today saw the return of the MotoGP World Championship following the summer break, with the newly modified Indianapolis Grand Prix circuit playing host to the riders on a day that was broken by rain showers. Valentino Rossi set the pace in the morning session but the lap times dropped dramatically in the afternoon and championship leader Marc Márquez finished with the fastest time, despite the best efforts of Iannone, Dovizioso and Hernández on soft tyres in the final five minutes of the session.

DRIVE M7 Aspar rider Hiroshi Aoyama spent the day getting used to the new layout and asphalt, trying different tyre compounds as he gradually improved his pace and confidence. Despite not feeling as comfortable with his bike set-up in the afternoon as he had in the morning the Japanese rider did manage to shave 0.8 seconds off his best lap time and he finished the day in seventeenth position. Leon Camier made his MotoGP debut with the DRIVE M7 Aspar Team in place of the injured Nicky Hayden and despite it being an entirely new experience for him the British rider felt comfortable on the Honda and he is looking forward to learning more tomorrow.

17th Hiroshi Aoyama 1.35.106 (40 laps): “Today we were able to try out the modified circuit here at Indianapolis and personally I much prefer it. It is easier to overtake and to maintain your speed through the corners. It wasn’t easy to pass here before but the track feels wider and there are different lines to take. It seems like the harder tyre has less grip and I felt safer on the soft compound, but the idea tomorrow is to improve the bike in all situations and pick the tyre that is going to last full race distance. I found it easier to set fast times this morning than this afternoon, when we made a change that didn’t work out as we hoped. We have to keep working tomorrow to try and find more grip.”

23th Leon Camier 1.36.394 (42 laps): “The bike, the engine management system, the tyres… everything has been new for me today and very different to what I am used to riding. Even so I enjoyed myself, the bike seems good although obviously I have a lot to learn. I didn’t think I would fit on the bike but it felt much better than I expected. I love the Indianapolis track, in some ways it is similar to Silverstone, and the first corner is really impressive – you have the throw the bike in there and be brave. In general I am happy with how the day has gone but I need time to work on the lap time and to find some more speed. I am sure that as I learn the bike I will be able to manage it better in the corners. I tried the soft and intermediate compound tyres today and I liked them – they were unlike anything I have ridden on before.”

More, from a press release issued by NGM Mobile Forward Racing:

Positive day of work for the NGM Forward Racing Team

The NGM Forward Racing Team was back on track today at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first day of free practices of the Indianapolis GP, 10th event of the MotoGP World Championship.

It was a good start for Aleix Espargaro and Colin Edwards on the US track that has undergone an update to the MotoGP layout and also has been completely resurfaced. Both Colin Edwards and Aleix Espargaro appreciated a lot the new asphalt and layout and they started to work on the set up of their Forward Yamaha during both practice sessions.

Aleix finally finished 8th with a lap time of 1’33.424, just 0.163 from Jorge Lorenzo, that closes the provisional front row, with Colin Edwards in 16th position (1’34.994). For the Texan rider this is a special weekend and he is determined to keep on working to get a good result in front of the American crowd.

Colin Edwards

“The circuit has done a great job, I like the new layout a lot and it’s great to race in America. Indy is special and has a lot of history and for sure it will be an emotional weekend and I’m enjoying every single moment. We are working on the bike set up and tomorrow we will continue to be more comfortable”.

Aleix Espargaro

“We are close to the front row but we need to keep on working on the set up of the bike to be more competitive. This afternoon we made some big changes on the bike but I’m still struggling in making the bike turn, while we are strong under braking. I have always struggled on this track, but I like the new layout a lot and I’m confident for tomorrow”.

More, from a press release issued by Scott Redding’s publicist:

Redding makes strong start at Indianapolis

Indianapolis, USA – 8 August 2014: Scott Redding got the second half of the season off to a flying start at Indianapolis, finishing today’s free practice sessions 12th fastest.

The 21-year-old Briton was the fastest of the production Honda riders by almost one second, but he was also quicker than two factory prototypes, including his Go&Fun Gresini teammate Alvaro Bautista on the Honda RC213V.

Tomorrow Redding will focus on tyres, as the resurfaced Indianapolis circuit has proved abrasive, leading to concerns about tyre endurance.

Scott Redding // 12th // 1’33.971

“This morning’s session was good. Immediately I felt comfortable on the bike, although the new track surface was a bit slippery at first. I knew the other guys would increase their pace in the afternoon, but I also managed to put in a good lap time to finish as the top production Honda by almost a second. Now we need to focus on the tyres, as I think everyone is struggling to make the tyres last with the new track surface, which is quite abrasive. We have some ideas on how we can improve tyre endurance, but I also need to work on my riding style so that I’m not stressing the tyre so much. The new track layout is good, especially the last corner because you exit it with much more speed than before.”

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

MotoGP™: Top spot for magic Marquez at modified Indianapolis Motor Speedway

In FP2 for the premier class at the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix, round ten of the 2014 MotoGP™ World Championship, Marc Marquez outpaced the rest of the field, whilst Andrea Iannone and Jorge Lorenzo were also in the top three around the modified IMS track.

World Champion Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) registered a 1’32.882 lap towards the end of FP2 to end the day on top, as he shaved more than 1.5s off his best lap from the morning. Iannone (Pramac Racing) and Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) were respectively 0.222s and 0.542s behind Marquez.

In the morning session as the riders got a feel for the slightly shorter new MotoGP Indianapolis layout – with several modified corners and a resurfaced infield area – a 1’34.535 lap had been enough to put Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) top of the timesheet. Rossi was ninth best in FP2, trailing pace setter Marquez by 0.716s.

The FP2 top five was completed by the experienced pair of Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), both off them just over half a second off P1.

The Friday top ten was completed by Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda MotoGP), Yonny Hernandez (Energy T.I. Pramac Racing), Aleix Espargaro (NGM Forward Racing), the aforementioned Rossi and Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3).

Standing in for Nicky Hayden, Leon Camier (Drive M7 Aspar) faced up admirably to the challenge of learning a new track, a new bike, new tyres and new brakes as he improved by more than 3.5s in FP2 from his FP1 best, though he was unsurprisingly at the bottom of the timesheet.

Moto2™: Final Friday session topped by Aegerter

As Friday’s action at the updated Indianapolis Motor Speedway track drew to a close it was Dominique Aegerter who took the number one spot in Moto2™ FP2, in front of Sandro Cortese and Tito Rabat.

Sachsenring pole setter and race winner Aegerter (Technomag carXpert) showed his strength again to lead by 0.01s from Cortese (Dynavolt Intact GP) with a 1’37.518s best lap around Indy’s modified Grand Prix layout.

Championship leader Rabat (Marc VDS Racing Team) was 0.179s down on Aegerter in third place. Meanwhile Thomas Luthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2) and Anthony West (QMMF Racing Team) completed the front five.

Simone Corsi (NGM Forward Racing), Maverick Viñales (Paginas Amarillas HP 40), Luis Salom (Paginas Amarillas HP 40), Alex De Angelis (Tasca Racing Moto2) and Jordi Torres (Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2) completed the top ten.

There were crashes in the session for Mattia Pasini (NGM Forward Racing), Ricard Cardus (Tech 3), Axel Pons (AGR Team) and Randy Krummenacher (IodaRacing Project) though none were seriously hurt. Krummenacher’s crash caused a brief red flag as debris was removed from the track, whilst Pasini’s fall saw him visit the Medical Centre for treatment on a finger wound on his left hand. The Italian returned to the track to continue riding before the end of the session.

Moto3™: Isaac Viñales takes the initiative in rain-interrupted run

The Friday afternoon practice for the Moto3™ category at the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix saw Isaac Viñales set the pace, as Alex Marquez and Jack Miller also registered top three lap times – in a session interrupted by rain.

Around the modified Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s new MotoGP™ layout, Red Bull KTM Ajo’s standings leader Miller had topped the FP1 session with a 1’45.824 as the riders got a feel for the altered corners, the newly resurfaced areas and a slightly shorter overall lap.

FP2 got underway with light rain falling but the pace was immediately faster then the morning outing, before the precipitation became heavier and the riders sheltered in their pit boxes.

However, they were soon able to get back on track and the pace increased in the final ten minutes with Viñales (Calvo Team) registering a 1’42.507 on his final lap for P1, going over three seconds quicker than in the morning practice.

Marquez (Estrella Galicia 0,0) and Miller were respectively 0.097s and 0.210s behind Viñales in the top three.

Efren Vazquez (SAXOPRINT RTG) and John McPhee (SAXOPRINT RTG) both also improved in the final minutes for top five positions.

Enea Bastianini (Junior Team Go&FUN Moto3), Brad Binder (Ambrogio Racing), Niccolo Antonelli (Junior Team GO&FUN Moto3), Danny Kent (Red Bull Husqvarna Ajo) and Alexis Masbou (Ongetta-Rivacold) were all in the top ten.

More, from a press release issued by Monster Yamaha Tech 3:

Action resumes at the Brickyard for Smith and Espargaro

The Monster Yamaha Tech3 riders completed the opening day of practice after the midsummer break in a positive fashion at the newly resurfaced 4170 metre Indianapolis circuit for the tenth round of the 2014 World Championship.

Despite the mixed weather conditions following rain overnight, British star Bradley Smith kicked off proceedings in a highly competitive manner by completing the opening practice session with a superb run to 2nd position aboard the Yamaha YZR-M1. His best lap time of 1’34.569 was only 0.034 from the leading bike of Factory Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi, with the recent modifications to the track increasing the overall pace to over six seconds compared to last year’s lap record. The 23 year old completed FP2 in 10th with a lap time of 1’33.621. His performance was only 0.200 from the third placed rider, with the positive aspects noted on the opening day in America, Smith remains fully confident of a successful charge in tomorrow’s qualifying session.

On the opposite side of the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team garage, Pol Espargaro laid down his intent for the second half of his debut season in the premier class, by producing a promising start in the morning session to finish in 4th position with a best time of 1’34,678 and only 0.143 from the leader. Later in the day, the 23-year-old rider proceeded to push harder and further improve his lap time impressively by a full second. The reigning Moto2 world champion completed the session with a best lap of 1’33.690 seizing 11th and only three tenths of a second from the front row. This positive start sees him geared up and ready for tomorrow’s qualifying session in view to the 27 lap sprint around the legendary American race track on Sunday.

Bradley Smith

Position : 10th Time : 1’33.621 Laps : 22

“It was great to return from the summer break with such a quick pace this morning and it’s certainly what we needed. We made the right choice and started on a soft tyre, before switching to a hard compound at the end of the first session. My feeling was good on the hard, so I began a long run which I continued this afternoon, prior to changing again to a soft one at the final stages of FP2, but there was much more grip than I expected and I couldn’t take full advantage of the new rubber. However, I still haven’t made a decision on tyres for the race as the grip levels will certainly change. In any case the modifications to the circuit are really good and it’s much better for us to ride on, but the only down side is that some of the passing opportunities are reduced due to the circuit being much faster. With regards to this afternoon, I am only 0.2 from the fastest Yamaha and very close to the front row. The team did a great job plus I am really happy to be back with the bike feeling as good as ever. It’s a long way until the race on Sunday, but my tactic is to continue the positive start today, be quick in qualifying and make no mistakes in the race”

Pol Espargaro

Position : 11th Time : 1’33.690 Laps : 20

“I am happy with today’s performance as although I finished lower than I wanted to be in the standings, I was only 0.3 of a second from the front row and Jorge who was the fastest Yamaha. Also I am especially pleased with the track improvements. The modifications of the corners definitely helps us to turn better which really adds to the enjoyment of riding this circuit plus the grip levels have obviously improved a lot. I tried the hard compound this morning which was really positive and then later today I rode on the soft. At the moment, I am still unsure on the best compound to use but we need to work a little on the rear section of the bike as I am sliding a lot when entering the corner. In addition, I definitely need to work on adjusting my riding style more. Overall, I am happy with my final lap time so tomorrow we will work harder and continue to move forward”

More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

Indianapolis GP: good start for Dovizioso, in fourth place after Friday free practice sessions. Crutchlow ends the day in 13th

The tenth round of the MotoGP World Championship got underway today for the Ducati Team with the first two free practice sessions at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was a positive day for Andrea Dovizioso, who was up near the front on both occasions. At the end of the day the Italian’s time of 1’33.432, five-tenths off the top slot, powered him to an overnight fourth place.

His team-mate Cal Crutchlow, who was back on his Desmosedici GP14 after operations on both forearms three weeks ago, could only set a provisional thirteenth quickest time, but the British rider is confident he can move further up the timesheets tomorrow in free practice and qualifying.

Today’s lap times, on a slightly modified and resurfaced track, dropped considerably from last year and both Ducati Team riders are convinced that they can make further gains tomorrow.

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 4th (1’33.432)

“I am happy with today’s result because we were competitive right away. I believe that the track will improve even further tomorrow, so we must not look too closely at the times, but the feeling with my GP14 is good. Tomorrow we will still have to work on our bike to make more improvements, but we are all pretty close in the times. The resurfaced track is much more enjoyable and I’m really pleased with the job that has been done here at Indy.”

Cal Crutchlow (Ducati Team #35) – 13th (1’33.996)

“I think today went as expected, seeing as we had some settings to try with my bikes. One bike was clearly better than the other and only in the last run was I able to make an improvement. The lap time at the moment is not so good and not so consistent but we will look to improve that tomorrow. Despite everything, I’m quite optimistic about how things are going, although my arms felt a little sore because only a few weeks ago I had an operation on both of them. As for the new circuit layout, it seems quite nice as well and is a lot better to ride on.”

More, from a press release issued by Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

MARQUEZ LEADS OPENING DAY AT RED BULL INDIANAPOLIS GP

Bautista posts record motorcycle trap speed at IMS at 212.8 mph

INDIANAPOLIS, Friday, Aug. 8, 2014 – Reigning MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez of Spain led the first day of MotoGP practice for the Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Friday, Aug. 8, turning a top lap of 1 minute, 32.882 seconds on his Repsol Honda at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Marquez, 21, has a perfect record in winning the first nine MotoGP World Championship series races this season. A 10th win on Sunday would continue his streak and tie Australian legend Mick Doohan for the most consecutive wins (10) in a season in the modern era.

The winner of three races already in his career at Indianapolis – Moto2 in 2011-12 and MotoGP last year – Marquez seems right at home on the newly reconfigured 16-turn, 2.591-mile IMS road course that features new pavement on the circuit’s infield section and five modified corners.

“We showed this afternoon that we work well on the new layout and we will be fighting for the victory,” Marquez said. “The end of the course and Turns 2, 3 and 4 feel better. I think the biggest improvement is near the end of the course. Between the morning and afternoon practices, I thought the bike was slightly better in the afternoon.”

Alvaro Bautista of Spain recorded a trap speed of 212.8 mph (342.5 km/h) on his Honda during the second MotoGP practice session today, which is the fastest ever by a motorcycle at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Before today, the previous standard of 209.2 mph (336.7 km/h) was set by Dani Pedrosa in 2013. The speed trap is located just past the start-finish line on the main straightaway.

The winner of the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP and a nine-time world champion, Valentino Rossi of Italy posted the ninth-fastest time of 1:34.535 on the reconfigured IMS road course, and he appreciates the new and improved circuit.

“For me, I like the circuit very much,” Rossi said. “The corners, for me, are a lot faster and a lot more fun. The big step is the asphalt. The surface has very good grip; it’s flat. You can control the bike in a better way. I’m very, very happy about the track because the layout is better. It’s faster and better to ride the bike. But especially the bigger step is the surface. The new asphalt works very, very well. It has a lot more grip. They did a very good job.”

American Colin Edwards, who will retire from MotoGP racing at the end of this season, posted the 16th fastest time of 1:34.994 on his NGM Forward Racing Yamaha.

Dominique Aegerter of Switzerland led Moto2 practice at 1:37.518 on his Technomag carXpert Suter, and Isaac Vinales of Spain paced Moto3 practice at 1:42.507 on his Calvo Team KTM.

The winner of the first of two AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series races last year at IMS, Jeremy McWilliams won the pole for Saturday’s Race 1 with a lap of 1:49.370.

Action on Saturday will begin with an AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series warm up session at 8 a.m., followed by morning practice sessions for Moto3 at 9 a.m., MotoGP at 9:55 a.m. and Moto2 at 10:55 a.m.

Qualifying will begin with Moto3 from 12:35-1:15 p.m., followed by the first MotoGP qualifying session from 2:10-2:25 p.m. and the second session from 2:35-2:50 p.m. Moto2 qualifying will be held from 3:05-3:50 p.m.

The first of two AMA Pro Vance & Hines Series races will begin at 4:20 p.m., with riders competing for 10 laps.

For more information on today’s Red Bull Indianapolis GP action including the Daily Trackside Report, visitwww.ims.com/media

2014 Ticket information: To buy reserved and general admission tickets for the Red Bull Indianapolis GP, visitwww.ims.com/tickets, call the Indianapolis Motor Speedway ticket office at 317-492-6700 or 800-822-INDY, or visit the ticket office on the first floor of the IMS Administration Building at 4790 W. 16th St. in Indianapolis. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET Monday-Friday.

Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are available. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at 866-221-8775 for more information.