VOL. 50 ISSUE 35 SEPTEMBER 4, 2013
P43
Briefly...
Marc Marquez. A pair of the stunning rookie's signed knee-sliders
fetched $5900. In total, however,
Rossi remained the biggest earner,
with nine lots raising $20,600. Biggest of all was a Bridgestone slick
signed by all MotoGP riders, at
$7100. The charity provides transport (mainly motorcycles) and other
aid for health care workers in rural
Africa.
Paddock people welcomed a move
back to Silverstone's original pits
and paddock, along with the start
line, half-a-lap away from the massive F1-style facility used for the
past three years since the return
to the airfield circuit from Donington Park. The new facilities simply
dwarfed the team pit-box furniture;
the older more homely pits preserved the usual MotoGP atmosphere better.
The other welcome change was to
the date, which for once brought
more settled weather to the event.
There were no wet practice sessions, and the race was also dry.
On the down side, as the third of
three races in a row, was almost
universal battle fatigue.
he pitted for a fuel top-up after the
sighting lap, but rejoined in good
order for yet another epic ride,
and a challenge for the win that
failed by only .081 of a second.
Marquez continues to pile
honor on his name, and fans in
his wake. Not to mention points.
Though he lost five to Lorenzo,
he further opened the gap on
second-placed Pedrosa, now
stretched to 30 points, and still
39 over the Yamaha rider.
The trio were once again the
Silverstone, at 3.6 miles, is the
longest and fastest circuit on the
calendar, and enjoyed by MotoGP
riders as a place where they can
hold the throttle wide. But the track
is heavily used by cars, and a number of riders complained about new
bumps. "It's really, really bumpy,"
said Dani Pedrosa after the first day
of practice. "I don't know what's
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