Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca - Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix
Race Date: July 5, 2009- Pole Position: Right
- Track Length: 3,610 m
- Track Width: 15 m
- Longest Straightaway: 966 m
- Left Turns: 7
- Right Turns: 4
- Year Track Opened/Upgraded: 1956/ 1995
- Track Location: Salinas, California USA
- Event Promoter: Red Bull - www.redbullusgrandprix.com
- Event Website: www.laguna-seca.com
- 1st Place: Casey Stoner (Ducati)
Laguna staged the US Grand Prix for six years between 1988 - 1994 but financial and safety problems meant the last grand prix to be staged there was in 1994, won by Italian Luca Cadalora, riding the 500cc Yamaha. During the 11 year MotoGP absence, Laguna staged many successful rounds of the World Superbike Championship.
A programme of safety changes at the track, which includes the famous Corkscrew bend, have signalled the return of the World Championship in 2005 to a venue that was built in 1957. The MotoGP race is part of the race programme which will also include rounds of the AMA Championships, including the Superbike Championship.
Circuit configurationThe track configuration is somewhat peculiar with corners that are not found on any other circuits in the World Championship. The most famous part of the circuit is without doubt the “Corkscrew”, a very show chicane taken at approximately 60 Km/h and situated on a sharp down slope which can you a bout of vertigo if you go through it on foot!
Another point in the circuit worth mentioning is the start/finish straight which is very short and also made up of two slight changes in direction with the added problem that just before the second small change in direction there is a bump in the track surface where the bikes will literally take off in the air at more than 270 Km/h. This will be one of the key points to watch out for, because it is potentially a dangerous part of the track, but also one which will mark out the differences between the top riders.
Just before the “Corkscrew” corner there is another change in the track level where the bikes will almost certainly lose contact with the track, and it comes just before the sharp braking point coming into the “Corkscrew”.
The drop just after the “Corkscrew” is also very spectacular with two fast corners taken at 135 km/h leading up to the steep slope which leads to the very slow corner (60 Km/h) which comes onto the main straight. This could be considered a good overtaking point.
Travel information
The most spectacular permanent racing circuit on the West Coast of America, Laguna Seca is hidden away in a natural bowl in the hills which overlook Monterey Bay. It is two hours drive south from San Francisco but the beautiful and rugged Monterey Peninsular provides a wonderful place to spend some time in quaint Carmel, along Cannery Row or in among the cypress trees at Pebble Beach and along Seventeen Mile Drive.
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
1021 Monterey Salinas Hwy.
Salinas CA 93908, USA
Tel:+1 831 242 82 01
Fax: +1 831 3730533
HOW TO ARRIVE:
Laguna Seca is the most spectacular permanent circuit, located in the American West coast. Is hided in a natural valley between mountains seeing on Monterey Bay. Situated at 2 hours by car from South San Francisco, near the Monterey Peninsular, it offers wonderful where to pass free time: Quaint Carmel, long walk along Cannery Row, la naturalistic Pebble Beach or the Seventeen Mile Drive.
