Once an essential round of the Grand Prix world championship, the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca – for naming reasons – has disappeared from the radar since 2013. It is therefore time to look at a monument of our sport.
Established in 1957 not far from Monterey, California, Laguna Seca enjoys direct interest from motorsports fans. All possible and imaginable categories have set their wheels there, apart from Formula 1. By the 1980s, the circuit was installed in the landscape and established itself as one of the greatest American circuits, at least by reputation.
Not by size. Indeed, the route is tiny, even smaller than the Sachsenring. Barely 3,602 km of winding, ups and downs. Let's take a tour. First of all, the pit straight, which goes uphill and leads to an extremely fast left turn. This is the first difficulty encountered by the pilot. You have to look for the rope blindly, at the top of the bump in order to be in line for braking for turn 2.
Called the “Mario Andretti pin” in honor of the 1 Formula 1975 world champion, the latter is treacherous because you should not hope to come out wide. You have to go at speed to lose as little time as possible, and not stop the bike. Then come turns 3 and 4, which are not very complicated but we begin to notice the narrowness of the track which will follow us until the end of the lap.
“Super Sic” at Laguna Seca in 2010. Photo: Motoracereports
A straight end takes us towards turn 5, a left uphill. This is one of the most popular turns for drivers, but be careful not to stray from the planned trajectory. Jorge Lorenzo was trapped there in 2008, for one of the biggest highsides of his career.
A severe climb takes us towards turn 7, one of the most technical. It's a raised break, with the rope blind. Here, the pilot must build a precise reference point to initiate his turn. A little too early and it stops, a little too late and it's sand outside. The “Rahal Straight” follows, it is an impressive climb which leads to the most famous bend: the Corkscrew.
The corkscrew, in French, is a rapid left/right downhill, with blind entry. Everything is unique with this complex. First of all, the driver brakes early, but he must take into account the fact that the braking phase will end at the top of a bump, and therefore plan to unload the rear. Going out in this place is common, even for older people. Valentino Rossi, in 2012, saw his motorcycle slip through his fingers, ending up in the wall opposite.
The first left rope is blind, so getting in at the right time is very difficult. The right rope too, since it is on a severe descent; you only see it when you're already in it. Finally, the compression at the bottom is phenomenal, and you also have to anticipate it. If you're not a world champion, don't even think about overtaking there. Impossible to omit the gem that Rossi left us in 2008, when the latter took on the inside of Casey Stoner in a Dantesque battle, undoubtedly the most popular in the history of the sport (the video published by the MotoGP YouTube channel in 2013 accumulates 44 views at the time these lines are written).
Marc Márquez also found the opening right here on “The Doctor” in 2013, but he had no choice but to cut the corner slightly in order to pass. The overtaking congratulated by Rossi himself is still worth a look. If you're still in the saddle, don't worry about the Wayne Rainey curve. It's an unforgiving left turn, which is also steep, offering unrivaled sensations. Compression when entering banking is also dangerous, keep it in mind.
Every motorsport fan knows the Corkscrew. A lot of things happened there. This is the place that Jorge Lorenzo selected to celebrate his victory in 2010, dressed in an astronaut suit. He simulated a walk on the moon. A moment amplified with his helmet specially decorated for the occasion – an Xlite X802 “Lorenzo Moon” -. Photo: Box Repsol.
After having negotiated Turn 10, a fairly quick but classic right-hand bend, you are about to approach the last turn, originally named “Turn 11”. The latter is a tight left pin, with a blind exit: the low wall of the stands hides the view. You have to brake early and not tempt the devil. Casey Stoner, still in 2008, fell there after overestimating his braking.
Bravo. You managed to complete the lap in just over one minute and twenty-two seconds, which is still two seconds slower than the track record set in 2012 by Lorenzo. Talking about the exploits and battles that took place there during the fifteen Grands Prix would be endless. But let's spare a thought for Nicky Hayden, who crossed the finish line in tears in 2006 after his triumph. John Kocinski, atypical character There was also a victory for Cagiva in 1993, an important moment.
But then why is this route, so technical, so meticulous, no longer on the calendar? ? Several reasons for this. First of all, the lack of boxes could not accommodate the three categories. Only MotoGP was running all weekend, which is not consistent with viable economic development. Then, this old-fashioned circuit knows almost no clearance, at the time of bitumen in all sauces, of all colors around our beloved routes. Fortunately, Superbike still passes through California once a year, which allows you to enjoy the regional sun and the legendary Corkscrew.
Cover photo: Raniel Diaz
