Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP VOL. 51 ISSUE 17 APRIL 29, 2014 P55 tences, engraved as if by celes- tial laser. "My name is Marc Marquez. Look on my works, ye mighty… and despair." In many ways, of course, it was just more of the same. The defending youngest-ever World Champion has won all three opening rounds from pole posi- tion - the first to do so since Gia- como Agostini on the MV Agusta in 1971. From the moment he first turned a wheel on the slippery and dusty track – exploring its limits at full risk while others took it step by step, Marquez was rampant. Briefly... according to the company literature. Dromo's computer simulation pre- dicted a lap time of 1:34.302 for Mo- toGP: humanity in the form of Marc Marquez delivered 1:37.683. The shortfall takes it out of contention for fastest track of the year, but at 109.8 mph, it's second overall. Pole times from last year put Phillip Island top, at 112.0 mph; then Mugello (109.7 mph), Silverstone (109.1) and Assen (107.3). Footnote: All pale in insignifi- cance compared with the fastest GP of all time: Barry Sheene's 135-mph win at Spa-Francorchamps in 1977. Pole was even faster: Philippe Cou- lon wheeled his Suzuki round the old 8.7-mile road circuit at 136.4 mph. Track conditions – mainly a defiant layer of abrasive dust reminiscent of Qatar – ensured that tire choice and tire life remained major topics through the weekend. Bridgestone had attended tests here last year, but these were somewhat inconclusive: the track was very dirty on day one, and it rained on day two. The com- pany compensated by bringing an extra allocation of front tires, offering a choice of three compounds. This was also prompted by front-tire prob- lems suffered by Valentino Rossi and a large number of others at Austin. The rate of wear promoted by sand on day one was exacerbated by graining problems, leading to fears that not even the hardest tires would be capable of making full race dis- tance. These were only somewhat reduced when dust was gradually replaced by rubber. Grip levels improved and the lap time dropped by five seconds from FP1 to qualifying. But the track was still dusty off line, with anyone RAVENOUS RABAT Tito Rabat has not quite matched compatriot Marquez's achievements in the opening three Moto 2 races. He too has claimed three succes- sive pole starts, but he finished second at round two. Makes little difference to his impressive points lead – for the troublesome rookie who beat him at COTA, reigning Moto3 champ Maverick Vinales, scored zero at Rio Hondo after crashing out. It left rather a sterile seeming victory, as the Marc VDS Kalex rider led into the first corner, and stretched steadily ahead in imperi- ous style. "From the outside it might have looked like an easy race," he said, "but on the bike it was incredibly difficult. It is not easy to keep maxi- mum concentration and I knew that if I made a small mistake [Xavier] Simeon was ready to attack." Belgian Xavier Simeon, on the Federal Oil Suter, had started from the front row and slotted straight into second. He couldn't quite match the leader's pace, but he could stay there under pressure from Vinales and briefly rookie Jonas Folger. Vinales fell victim to a slippery off-line patch on lap three, while himself under attack from Simone Corsi. But now another rookie, Luis Salom had arrived, and his persis- tent attack on Corsi gave Simeon the chance to get some clean air. Thus first and second were settled. The battle for third raged to the end. Dominique Aegerter had tagged on by half distance. Salom finally found a move that would stick to get ahead of Corsi for the last rostrum spot; and so also did Aegerter on the final laps, taking fourth by barely a tenth. Alex de Angelis was alone in sixth; Mika Kallio came through the next group for seventh. Brit Sam Lowes also came from behind to head the fight for eighth. Rabat has a handy 28-point lead over Kallio, 70- 42; with Vinales (38), Corsi (33) and Aegerter (29) completing the top five. Tito Rabat was masterful in winning the Moto2 Grand Prix. continued on next page