Laguna Seca Raceway
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Monterey , California , USA | ||
Route type: | permanent race track | |
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Owner: | Monterey County Parks Department | |
Building-costs: | $ 1.5 million | |
Start of building: | 1957 | |
Opening: | November 9, 1957 | |
Track layout | ||
Route data | ||
Important events: |
MotoGP , Champ Car , American Le Mans Series , AMA Superbike , IndyCar | |
Route length: | 3.601 km (2.24 mi ) | |
Curves: | 11 | |
Records | ||
Track record: (automobile) |
1: 07: 722 min. ( Hélio Castroneves , Penske , 2000 ) |
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Track record: (motorcycle) |
1:21:229 min. ( Dani Pedrosa , Honda , 2012 ) |
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http://www.laguna-seca.com |
Coordinates: 36 ° 35 ′ 5 " N , 121 ° 45 ′ 10" W.
The Laguna Seca Raceway (officially WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca ) is one of the most important race tracks in the USA . It is located in the state of California in Monterey County , between the cities of Monterey and Salinas .
One lap is 3,601 meters long, with a height difference of 55 m. The route consists of 11 curves and a special feature of the route are turns 8 and 8A, the famous "corkscrew", which is hidden behind a crest and is reached after a long straight at high speed, so that strong has to be delayed in order not to miss the chicane that descends steeply downwards, first to the left and then to the right.
In addition to various US racing series (e.g. the American Le Mans Series and AMA ), the Laguna Seca Raceway was also the venue for the US Grand Prix as part of the motorcycle world championship . While all classes drove in 1964, 1965 and from 1988 to 1994, only MotoGP started from 2005 to 2013 . Between 1995 and 2004 and since 2013, the Superbike World Championship has been held here every year .
history
The area was first used in 1867 with the establishment of the Laguna Seca Ranch , where pasture and horse farming was carried out for 140 years.
After the nearby course of the "Pebble Beach Road Races" was classified as too dangerous, the construction of the "Laguna Seca Raceway" began in 1957. The construction costs amounted to 1.5 million US dollars and were financed primarily by local companies and private individuals. The Monterey County Parks Department has owned all property rights since 1974 .
The first race, which took place on November 9, 1957, was won by Pete Lovely in a Ferrari .
When the Superbike World Championship races were held for the first time in 1988 , the track had to be rebuilt due to the existing rules of the FIM in order to achieve the minimum required track length. The run-off areas have also been improved. In 2006 the point at the end of the Rahal Straight was flattened a little. However, some MotoGP riders are of the opinion that this would create additional disruptions from the wind.
After Mazda became the official main sponsor of the track, the track was renamed “Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca” due to the contract.
WeatherTech has been the main sponsor since April 2018 , which led to the name being changed to "WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca".
In 2016, the race track was the destination of the fourth stage of the Tour of California road bike race .
The distance
The starting line is on a small knoll in a slight left bend. The then sloping section bends in a wide arc (1) by approx. 15 ° to the left. The hairpin, Andretti Hairpin (2) follow a 105 ° right-hand (3) and after a short straight, a 75 ° right-hand bend (4), which is followed by a longer, slightly to the right piece of straight and a wide one 100 ° left curve (5) follows. After another straight and an 80 ° / 10 ° left (6), the vehicles accelerate up the Rahal Straight to the "corkscrew curve", Corkscrew slightly to the right (7) without any view over the crest, sharply left (8) down, immediately into a right bend (8a) further downhill into a long left Rainey Curve (9) and then an 80 ° right-hand bend (10) past the pit entrance, the last, a sharp 105 ° left (11) closes the course to the slightly uphill straight back to the goal .
The official course record was set in the CART season 2000 with 1: 07: 722, driven by Hélio Castroneves in a Penske . The fastest lap so far was on May 19, 2012, Marc Gené with 1: 05.786, as part of a Ferrari Racing Days event with a Ferrari F2003-GA , Michael Schumacher's historic winning car and winner of the 2003 Formula 1 season.
Results
Champ Car
Champ Car Marlboro Challenge
season | winner | chassis | engine | team |
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1989 | Al Unser, Jr. | Lola | Chevrolet | Galles Racing |
1991 | Michael Andretti | Lola | Chevrolet | Newman / Haas Racing |
American Le Mans Series
A1 Grand Prix
season | Sprint race winner | Main race winner |
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2005-2006 | Salvador Durán | Salvador Durán |
Superbike World Championship
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Motorcycle world championship
500 cc class
season | winner | machine |
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1988 | Eddie Lawson | Yamaha |
1989 | Wayne Rainey | Yamaha |
1990 | Wayne Rainey | Yamaha |
1991 | Wayne Rainey | Yamaha |
1993 | John Kocinski | Cagiva |
1994 | Luca Cadalora | Yamaha |
MotoGP class
year | winner | team | machine |
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2005 | Nicky Hayden | Repsol Honda | Honda RC211V |
2006 | Nicky Hayden | Repsol Honda | Honda RC211V |
2007 | Casey Stoner | Ducati Marlboro | Ducati Desmosedici GP7 |
2008 | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha Motor Racing | Yamaha YZR-M1 |
2009 | Dani Pedrosa | Repsol Honda | Honda RC212V |
2010 | Jorge Lorenzo | Yamaha Motor Racing | Yamaha YZR-M1 |
2011 | Casey Stoner | Repsol Honda Team | Honda RC212V |
2012 | Casey Stoner | Repsol Honda Team | Honda RC213V |
2013 | Marc Marquez | Repsol Honda Team | Honda RC213V |
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Detailed course map by Whitson Engineers ( memento of the original from September 4, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Ferrari claims unofficial lap record at Laguna Seca. autoblog, May 23, 2012, accessed August 4, 2012 .