Cycle News

VOL. 50 ISSUE 45 NOVEMBER 12, 2013 The 30-lap race was a thriller in the early laps, and a feast of tension later on. Marquez was on pole, but it was Lorenzo away first, with Pedrosa tucking in behind and then the youngster, from Rossi and Alvaro Bautista. The last two had swapped positions by the end of the lap, but neither would play any relevant part in the real battle, though they stayed close for a while, and looked as though they might. Lorenzo's original plan had been to run away, but in qualifying his latest engine failed, and he'd had to go back to an earlier less powerful version. "We had a small meeting in my motorhome and decided to try and slow the pace so more people would be in the front group." This he did most steadfastly and a bit more. Pedrosa attacked into the first corner at the start of lap two. Lorenzo pushed past again at the next corner. Again the next lap, though this time Pedrosa helped by running wide on the exit. On lap three they changed places twice a little further around the lap. And so it went on. "I could see what Jorge was trying to do, but every time I tried to move forward he found a way back," Pedrosa said. It got quite rough, and they touched several times. Then as they started the 10th lap it happened again – Pedrosa through at turn one, Jorge back in turn two. But this time they collided more heavily, causing Race Direction to investigate the incident although no action was taken. Pedrosa was pushed off track. "I almost crashed," he said, and he dropped to fifth behind Bautista and Rossi. Lorenzo ran wide. And Marquez, who had been watching all this from right up close, took the lead. It lasted only one more lap. "I had to fight myself a bit to not try to win. But when I heard Jorge's engine behind me, I thought: 'Okay.' I was able to be faster, but maybe I could crash, or maybe Jorge could also go faster. I thought that the championship was more important than one race." That was about it for the two title contenders. Four laps later, Lorenzo realized that none of the pursuers were close or fast enough to make a difference, and on lap 16 his lead was up to more than a second. By the end it was better than 3.9 seconds. But Pedrosa wasn't finished yet. Rossi passed Bautista for third on lap 12, but the second factory Honda was with the battling pair, and past both of them two laps later. For a while he held station less than a second behind his teammate; then he decided it was time to push on. Marquez let him through with five laps to go, but it was too late for him to do anything about Lorenzo, who was clear away up front. They finished in that order, three more or less happy Spaniards, but one happier than the rest. P49 Briefly... Marc Marquez needed only to finish fourth at this race to secure the title, but he didn't back off during practice in a spectacular display of sustained maximum risk in qualifying. It was not only because he is most comfortable when pushing to the limit. "I have been giving my 100 percent," he said. "But on Sunday, we will see. But I think I need to push. On a MotoGP bike, if you don't push the bike doesn't work, and especially the tires." Marquez had some interesting comments also on his first return to a track where he had previous MotoGP experience – after post-race tests last year. "It was very difficult the first time to open full gas, and the wheelies were very difficult," he said. "Now I understand that this is one of the most difficult and worst tracks to ride a MotoGP bike." Australian Moto3 rider Arthur Sissis, dropped by the Red Bull KTM team, has been picked up by Mahindra, where he will join current rider Miguel Oliveira. Sissis was a promising rookie, with a first-season rostrum at his home GP at Phillip Island last year, but has had a difficult 2013 season, only six times in the top 10, with a best of sixth at Indianapolis. "It's a good time for me to change bikes," said Sissis. "I think I can have a good year. Oliveira showed in Japan the Mahindra can get on the podium, and it's a really good team." Sissis will be one of at least six of the Indian bikes on the grid next year, as the Swiss-made racer makes inroads in the smallest class. Honda appears ready to challenge continued on next page

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