MotoGP 2011 – Round Ten – Laguna Seca
MotoGP Laguna Seca Sunday Guide; Compiled by Dr. Martin Raines
MotoGP
• Jorge Lorenzo starts from pole for the second time this year; his other pole was in Portugal. This is the third successive year that Lorenzo has started from pole at Laguna Seca.
• Casey Stoner starts from the front row for the ninth time in 2011 – the only time he has not qualified in the top three was in Portugal when he was fourth on the grid.
• Dani Pedrosa is in third place on the grid, which is his first front row start at Laguna Seca since 2007. Pedrosa has led the race into the first corner for the last two years from the second row of the grid.
• All three riders on the front row of the grid have won previously at Laguna Seca.
• Heading the second row of the grid is Ben Spies, who will be aiming to get back on the podium for the first time since his win at the Dutch TT.
• Marco Simoncelli is fifth fastest qualifier, which is his lowest grid position since the Spanish Grand Prix.
• In sixth place on the grid is Andrea Dovizioso who has finished in the top four at eight of the nine races so far in 2011; the exception was his 12th place at the wet Spanish GP.
• Heading up the third row of the grid is Valentino Rossi, equalling his previous best qualifying result of this year that he had at the Catalan GP, which was also the last time that Rossi was the best placed Ducati rider on the grid.
• Hector Barbera, who is making his 150th Grand Prix start, is in eighth place on the grid, which is his best qualifying result since the opening race of the year in Qatar.
• Nicky Hayden takes the final place on the third row of the grid – his worst qualifying performance for a MotoGP race at Laguna Seca.
• Hayden has been the first American rider across the line in five of the six MotoGP races at Laguna Seca since 2005; the exception was when he did not finish the race in 2007 and the first American rider home was his brother Roger, who finished tenth riding a Kawasaki.
• Cal Crutchlow is in tenth place on the grid and is the best qualifier of the three riders making their debut appearances at the Laguna Seca circuit.
• For the first time since racing returned to Laguna Seca in 2005, Colin Edwards will be starting the race lower than eighth place on the grid for the US Grand Prix.
• Before the MotoGP race takes place this weekend Honda and Yamaha are level with 65 victories each during the 4-stroke MotoGP era.