Stoner and Pedrosa geared up for Qatar

The 2012 MotoGP™ World Championship publicly starts this weekend in Qatar, the small Peninsula off the Persian Gulf, noted for hosting the only race of the calendar under floodlights. The Commercial bank Grand Prix of Qatar is, without any doubt, one of the most impressive races of the season.

Months of development, testing and hard work have gone into the training for this season which sees a switch to 1000cc bikes. In adding up to this change the Repsol Honda Team faces another challenge; defending the Triple Crown they achieved in 2011 when they won the rider, team and constructor titles.

Casey Stoner, the current MotoGP World Champion, has also been the man to beat in pre-season, dominating both tests in Malaysia and Jerez, where his team-mate, Dani Pedrosa, also established himself as one of the fastest riders in the top class.

Stoner’s record at the Losail circuit is impressive: he is the main position with four pole positions and four wins out of six in the MotoGP class. Pedrosa has visited the podium three times in MotoGP and will be fighting, like the Australian, for a strong start to the season.

Casey Stoner:

“After good pre-season Tests in both Sepang and Jerez, we head to Qatar feeling positive, but still have some work to do. This will be the first time with the new bike on this circuit so we will need to expend some time on the set-up to put ourselves in the best position. We've constantly enjoyed good results at the Losail circuit but this is a new season and there are more competitors contesting for victory this year. I'm keyed up to get the season started and fight for another World Championship.”

Dani Pedrosa:

“Each year is different and there are always a variety of obstacles to go through during a season. I’ve had good and bad races in the past, but a big part of these results are resolute by how you have prepared yourself in the winter. I’ve worked very well this year, I had a good pre-season with the bike and with my physical training; I hope that luck is on my side this time, so we can have a good championship. Qatar is significant because it’s the first race of the season, but you have to minimize risks. If you don't win this race you can at rest win the championship, but on the other side, a mistake can make difficult the year. I’m ready. Let’s see how everything goes and where each person is.”

Dovizioso, Pedrosa begin battle for third

Repsol Honda team -mates Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso start this weekend's Japanese MotoGP estranged by just 15 points in the championship.

It's a somewhat artificial 'battle' - given that Pedrosa missed three races through injury - but has exacting significance for Dovizioso.

The Italian is set to lose his Repsol seat as the team scales back to two riders for 2012 and finishing third in the title would do his prospect employment prospects no harm.

Dovizioso suffered his first non-score of the season after a first-lap accident at Aragon, but his strong memories of Motegi - having taken his first MotoGP pole at the Honda-owned track last year, earlier than finishing second in the race, behind future team-mate Casey Stoner.

"We go to Japan focused on returning to the podium, this has to be our target," said Dovizioso. "We will turn up at the Japanese GP this year in the same position we were last year - straight from a crash and zero points, but I'm strong-minded to transform this disappointment with extra inspiration.

"Last season we had a great race and we almost won, so I'm certain to repeat a great performance at Motegi, a circuit that I like and where I have been on the podium in all the three classes.

"Moreover, this is Honda's home GP and it's very significant to score a good result here," he continued. "Concerning the Championship, we are third in the World Standings and we aim to strengthen our position, improving some points on Lorenzo and maintaining the gap to Dani."

Pedrosa's 2010 title chances ruined when a technical problem caused a collarbone-breaking accident during practice for last year's Japanese GP. The Spaniard proceeds seeking his third race win for 2011.

Dovizioso closes on Lorenzo with fifth podium

Andrea Dovizioso's hopes of challenging for the runners-up spot in the 2011 MotoGP World Championship were known a boost at Brno with a strong run to second, a result that closes the gap to Jorge Lorenzo.

The Repsol Honda rider has been an instance of consistency this year, finishing all but one race inside the top five, performances that place him a comfortable third heading into the second-half of the year.

Although he is yet to taste the winners' champagne this season, Dovizioso's second place – from seventh on the grid - marks his fifth trip to the podium and puts him 23 points at the back Lorenzo in the overall standings.

“I'm really happy to be back on the podium, it's a good result after a hard weekend and second position is so important for the Championship,” the Italian said. “In the warm-up we made some small changes and my feeling improved. I arrived at the race very strong-minded and I made a very good start from seventh position.

“In the first laps I was riding carefully to save the tyres. I had good pace and when Dani pedrosa crashed I tried to stay with Casey but I made a mistake at turn 13 and I approximately went off the track. I lost contact and from that moment Casey stoner built a gap that was not possible to catch. I'm happy of how I managed the race first with Lorenzo and then with Simoncelli to uphold second position.

“In the final five laps I pushed harder, lapping under 1'58 to uphold the margin from Marco. I didn't want to fight with him in the last corners. I want to thank Honda and the team for the good work, in spite of the fact that we struggled slightly over the weekend, we have established one more time that in the race we are there and I'm really looking forward to Indy in two weeks' time.”

Pedrosa: I want to take pleasure in the bike

Dani Pedrosa heads into the second-half of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship looking to make the best of his condition following his inspiring ride to victory at the Sachsenring over the weekend.

In only his second race back from injury, one that ruled him out of three races to all but scupper his title ambitions, Pedrosa was champion in Germany, boosting his confidence heading to Laguna Seca for the United States Grand Prix this weekend.

Indeed, the Spaniard feels the pressure is off for him now, enabling him to enjoy his racing, not least at Laguna Seca where he was a winner in 2009 and was in argument for victory last season when he crashed out.

Even so, the Repsol Honda rider feels the circuit's characteristics will mean he struggles extra than he did in Germany

"It was nice to stop, even for if only for couple of days at home to enjoy the win in Germany with my family and friends, who also deserved to celebrate.

“The United States Grand Prix will be another challenge for me. I know that I will suffer more in Laguna Seca because there are many hard braking areas and very fast direction changes. Anyway, it will be another race and I'll try to get ready well and enjoy it as I did in Sachsenring.

“The track is very different to the European circuits and the atmosphere there is special. With the exemption of last year, when I crashed, and in 2008 when I couldn't race due to injury, I've forever had fun racing in Laguna and the victory in 2009 was very exciting.

“In the second half of the season I want to enjoy the bike and gain the best results probable and would like to close the first part of the season with a good feeling.”

Stoner on 1000cc expansion and riding style

Casey Stoner is the most victorious rider of the 800cc era. Since the 800cc motors were introduced at Qatar in 2007, where Stoner celebrated his first premier class victory, through last weekend's Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, Stoner had won 27 races. The greater part came in 2007, when he collected ten race victories en route to the 2007 MotoGP World Championship.

With a brilliant start to this season, the 25-year-old Australian has sustained to add to his tally. Through the first eight races Stoner has four wins, a second, and two thirds. The only time he's unsuccessful to finish on the podium was at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez when he was knocked out of second place early in the race.

Stoner has been called the fastest rider by a number of his peers, counting team-mate Andrea Dovizioso. His five poles in eight races bear that out. But now that the 800cc era is drawing to a close, we thought we'd get Stoner's opinion on the move to the 1000cc era.

Elias receives three-race ultimatum?

Toni Elias is reportedly under pressure to turn his MotoGP season around over the next three races or face the axe from his LCR Honda team.

The Spaniard, a former winner at MotoGP level, has endured a troublesome time since being rewarded with a return to the top flight as a result of his dominant Moto2 title victory in 2010.

Beginning the year significantly off the pace, though Elias has begun to set up some constancy in recent races, his results remain a far cry from the usual top ten finishes being achieved by Randy de Puniet last season.

Elias's position in the team is supported by Dorna as a way of promoting the reliability of Moto2, while Honda even complete a new chassis from the Catalunya Grand Prix.

However, sponsors are allegedly unhappy with the current results, which top out with an eighth place at Silverstone, and Elias is now under force to deliver over the next three rounds.

Furthermore, Elias is unspoken to have been experiencing a conflict of opinion with the LCR team over the set-up of his bike, a rumour apparently confirmed by LCR press officer Oscar Haro.

"Mugello was a disaster,” Haro is quoted by Catalunya Radio. “Toni has realized that it didn't go well. From Germany, [we go] back to the settings that HRC and our crew chief will make a decision and Toni to presume his role as pilot and technician. The RC212V has more than proven to be super competitive.”

Rossi and Hayden inspired for Catalunya

The Ducati Team riders are keenly anticipating this weekend’s Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya, at a circuit they both enjoy.

Both Ducati Team riders like the Catalan Grand Prix, citing both the track’s layout and the large crowds that forever heat up the Spanish races. Valentino Rossi, who did not take part in the 2010 round due to injury, has scored wins at the track in every class, collecting an inspiring nine victories and a further four podiums. Nicky Hayden also made the podium in 2006, on his way to the MotoGP title.

Valentino Rossi:

“The Catalan Grand Prix is one of the nicest of the season, for a number of reasons: Barcelona is a beautiful city, the track is really nice – almost certainly my second-favourite after Mugello – and finally, as is always the case at Spanish races, the grandstands are packed with enthusiastic fans. I’m really happy to return to the track, since I had to watch the race from my house last year. I’ve always been quite strong at the track, so I have many nice memories, the most recent of which is the 2009 win after a great clash with Lorenzo. We’re very aggravated and we’re working really hard on the bike; step-by-step, we can see that we’re making progress. We know there’s still a lot of work to be done, but we need to keep annoying to get closer to the front.”

Nicky Hayden:

“Any race in Spain is huge, and Catalunya is no exemption. It’s a good track. I made the podium there in 2006, although I haven’t gotten the results I’d like there in recent years, particularly last season. I’m looking forward to it. The two weeks off have been okay, but I like this part of the season, with back-to-back races. The next month and a half is leaving to be busy, because this is when the season really gets going. Even though our end result wasn’t a lot better in Le Mans, I absolutely think we were closer to the front. Ducati hasn’t stopped functioning over the last couple of weeks, and we’ll see at Barcelona if we can keep going on the right path.”

Lorenzo fastest in morning test session at Estoril

Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo (Yahama Factory Racing) led at the midway point of the MotoGP official test session held at the Portuguese circuit, subsequent yesterday’s race. The test is split into two parts: 10.00 -13.00 and 14.00-18.00 local time. Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) were second and third quickest correspondingly.

On a gloriously warm day in Estoril, Lorenzo was the first rider to emerge on track in the morning session. The reigning MotoGP World Champion’s quickest lap of the morning sitting was 1’37.170 which was 0.240s ahead of Edwards. The Spaniard was absorbed on new electronic components and working on the suspension of his factory M1 machine. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider worked on the race setting from yesterday, as did Stoner. Edwards and his team were also trying to find more grip from modifications on the chassis.

Estoril race winner Dani Pedrosa called an early halt to his test session after only carrying out a few laps. The Spaniard tried a new clutch and worked on the race setting of his factory RC212V, but was in too much pain to carry on and will now rest in the lead up to the next MotoGP race in Le Mans. Pedrosa was fifth fastest, just over half a second slower than Lorenzo’s fastest lap.

MotoGP action back on at Estoril

After an comprehensive break in the MotoGP calendar the premier class returns to action at the bwin Grande Prémio de Portugal this weekend, and there is bounty to watch out for at Estoril in Round 3.

Almost four weeks after the Jerez round – the extensive break being due to the postponement of the Japanese GP until October – the MotoGP World Championship returns to action at Estoril this weekend, where the bwin Grande Prémio de Portugal hosts Round 3 of the 2011 season. This will be the 14th time that there has been a Portuguese GP.

There was no lack of talking points following Round 2 in southern Spain, where defensive World Champion Jorge Lorenzo took his first win of 2011 in the wet, and was followed onto the podium by a Dani Pedrosa struggling with his recovering left arm and Nicky Hayden. Casey Stoner’s incapability to finish the race after being taken down in an incident involving Valentino Rossi, the latter of whom managed to remount his bike and finish fifth, merely added to what was a extremely eventful race at Jerez.

Yamaha Factory Racing rider Lorenzo has a frightening recent record at the Estoril track, having won for the past three consecutive seasons from pole position. The Spaniard has now finished within the top four for 22 straight races, and leads the early Championship standings by nine points in front of rival Dani Pedrosa. The Repsol Honda man arrives in Portugal hopeful that surgery right away after Jerez will have eased the discomfort caused in his left arm, and in spite of that he secured a 90th GP podium in the last round making him only the tenth rider to arrive at the milestone in the World Championship’s 63-year history. .

Pedrosa eager to get back to exploit in Portugal

The Repsol Honda rider underwent a custom medical check on Monday, and gave an update on his recovery from his latest surgery in his blog.

Dani Pedrosa had a custom medical check on Monday to assess the status of his getting better left arm, following surgery a fortnight ago. The Repsol Honda rider – who cracked his left collarbone last October in Japan – had the titanium plate and screws fixed to the bone in the result of the injury removed following the Jerez round at the start of the month, after he had begun to skill a compression of his left subclavian artery.

Writing in his blog on Monday following a check-up, Pedrosa discussed the revival process following his surgery at the start of April. “The truth is that it went well and in the days that have followed I’ve familiar my custom to the recommendations made by the medical team, so that the recovery goes as well as it probably can. Today (Monday) I had a custom medical check and it seems that things are going well, even though we have to be cautious until I get back on the bike in Portugal.”

The Repsol Honda rider is now eager to get back on his RC212V and test out his fitness, although he will have to wait until the opening day’s practice at the bwin Grande Prémio de Portugal on April 29th.

“I’m eager and aggravated to return to competition to test the feeling I have on the bike, and to see if I can forget about these problems as soon as possible,” he continued. “The past few days I have been calming at home, getting in the rest recommended by the doctors. Even though a break in the calendar has coincided with the healing I have a lot of motivation to return to competitive fitness, operational with the team and above all getting on the bike.”

Successful operation for Pedrosa

The Repsol Honda rider had the titanium plate and screws set to his collarbone removed during surgery in Barcelona.

Dani Pedrosa has undergone victorious surgery at Teknon Medical Centre, in Barcelona, to decompress his left subclavian artery and is expected to recover satisfactorily. The involvement was performed by the Dr. César García-Madrid, vascular surgeon, and Dr. Joaquim Casañas, trauma and orthopaedic surgeon, both specialists at Teknon.

In order to release the arterial density, the titanium plate and the screws fixed to the collarbone have been detached. The subclavian artery has also been estranged from the fibrotic tissues that surrounded costoclavicular space. At the same time, intraoperative angiography by plainly invasive transfemoral approach confirmed the return of the subclavian flow.

The medical checks performed last week at Institut Vascular Sala Planell, counting several physical tests and four dimensional CT with contrast in specific positions, established that the symptoms of pain, numbness and lack of strength in Dani’s left arm were due to compression of the subclavian artery secondary to the collarbone fracture.

Dani Pedrosa will remain in hospital for a further 48 hours to carry on treatment with analgesia and anti-inflammatories. Next week he will visit the doctors again to decide his rehabilitation, in order to contribute in the Grand Prix of Portugal, to be held in Estoril on May 1st.

MotoGP: Pedrosa’s Shoulder Not 100% Fit, Doctors Rule Out Any Complication

Dani Pedrosa underwent further medical checks after recurring from Doha to seek an answer to the discomfort that returned to his left arm throughout the Grand Prix of Qatar last weekend. 

The Repsol Honda Team rider, who despite the pain managed to take a third place finish at Losail, suffered from lack of feeling and lack of strengh in his left arm during the race and suspected that the injury he suffered in Japan last October had not completely disappeared, which encouraged him to re-visit specialists.

Dani passed several tests, consisting in a three-dimensional CAT scan with difference and MRI. The results showed that there is no vascular or nerve compression in the canal of the collarbone, but there is a small stretch in the plexus, which is gradually civilizing but will need more time to finish healing

DANI PEDROSA

“I honestly didn’t expect my arm would respond in this way because during pre-season I didn’t feel too much trouble and I consideration the problem was solved. However, I felt really bad in the Qatar race and was aware that the injury is not totally healed. It was a shame because in Qatar I had a good feeling and until the second half of the race - which is when the pain started - I was really strong and I saw a sensible chance of winning. I would be lying if I said I’m not disappointed because this year the bike is working very well and physically I feel good, but unluckily this complication has arisen and I have nothing else to do but give my best until the wound heals completely”.

Pedrosa: "This year will be very spirited"

The Repsol Honda rider, satisfied with the official Tests held at Sepang, faces the last meeting in Qatar before the start of the Championship.

The start of the Championship is future and Dani Pedrosa as well as his team-mates of the Repsol Honda Team, Casey Stoner and Andrea Dovizioso, have shown that they are the MotoGP competitors in shape during the pre-season. The Repsol Honda rider is certain of his and his bike’s chances, after winter Tests in which he has suffered none of the bodily or technical problems he had had in previous years.

From the first test in Valencia in November 2010 until the last tests held at Sepang, where have you enhanced the most with your bike?

“Basically, the bike has not changed so much, so what we have tried to do is to get better it in the most critical areas, such as the braking or the electronics.”

What is your assessment of the last tests in Sepang?

“The best thing is that this year we have better foundations, opposing to what happened in the previous years, when we had to develop and improve the bike during the Championship. This season we start with a very positive training that will allow us to face the first race of the Championship with a good level of presentation.”

Is there something still to be done in the next Qatar test or will it just be used to get ready the first race of the Championship?

“There are always things to be done, but the main aim of the Qatar test will be to learn to make the most of the set-up we will use in the race. If the track situation are good, we will be able to take advantage of it.”

Dani Pedrosa Sepang Test Wallpaper

Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa is in the best probable condition ahead of the second MotoGP pre-season practice of 2011, which will be held at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia from Feb. 26-27.

Pedrosa, the runner-up in the 2010 MotoGP World Championship, continues his revival from the motorcycle crash and injury he suffered in the Japanese Grand Prix; the Spaniard continued a double crack to the left collarbone.

Although the motorcycle rider was flown home and operated on in the USP Dexeus clinic in Barcelona, the heavy bruise and bulge had caused a numbness and lack of strength in Dani Pedrosa's left arm while riding his Honda.

To no avail, the Honda RC212V rider in progress the first practice of the year in Malaysia strong. Dani Pedrosa twisted the fasted lap on the second full day of testing with a time of 2 minutes, 0 seconds and 770 thousandths on his old race bike, that was 1 second and a half faster than the pole set by Jorge Lorenzo last October.

The MotoGP time set by Dani Pedrosa on his fourth lap was the fastest ever at this circuit on a motorcycle but was later beaten by another Honda rider, the sophomore Italian racer Marco Simoncelli.

Dani Pedrosa (Honda RC212V MotoGP Bike) say: "I don't think we have ever been so fast on this circuit, but you just find physically a bit fresher in the morning and I put in four very good laps. I was not after a fast time but I saw that the track surface was good and I went for it."

Dani Pedrosa: Rossi is Rossi…

Dani Pedrosa says Valentino Rossi can never be inexpensive as a title contender, despite the somewhat unpromising start to the seven-time MotoGP world champion's career as a Ducati rider.

Rossi finished the first pre-season test of 2011 in a modest 11th position overall, while Pedrosa – jointly with Honda stablmates Casey Stoner and Marco Simoncelli – have been in the middle of the main pace setters.

Despite this, Pedrosa is refusing to get rid of Rossi from the equation of title challenger, maintaining the Italian has the aptitude to turn things around in time for the start of the new season.

“The great unknown amount will perhaps be Rossi,” he said in his latest blog. “It's his first year with Ducati and in Malaysia he wasn't amongst the fastest riders. But Rossi is Rossi, and you can not at all rely on anything. Even when he's in last place on the Saturday he still has the ability to surprise.”

Additionally, Pedrosa is wary of reigning champions Yamaha, pointing out that and Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies carry on to display the most convincing race pace.

“Right now the Honda RC212V seems to be performance well. We'll see what happens when we get to the first GP of the year, because the whole thing could change there. You never know, but at the instant everything points towards a tough World Championship.

“The Yamaha continues to have a good rhythm lap upon lap. Lorenzo, as the defending Champion, is a rival to beat, and Spies had a huge season in 2010 and will certainly be better this year.”

Honda presents its sporting programme in Tokyo

The HRC riders flew directly to the Japanese capital from Sepang, where they took part in a stunning occasion to mark the start of the season.

The Welcome Plaza headquarters of Honda Motor Company in Tokyo was the setting for the Japanese factory's appearance of its 2011 sporting programme this week, which included national and international behavior connecting both motorcycling and motorsport.

The three riders on the Repsol Honda team this year, Dani Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso and Casey Stoner, flew straight from Sepang for the event, along with Japanese rider Hiroshi Aoyama. Also present was Gresini Racing Moto2's Yuki Takahashi, who represented the middle category riders, the class to which Honda is the official engine supplier.

During the event, at which Honda Motor Company President and CEO Takanobu Ito was present, Dani Pedrosa commented that he was “very pleased both with the result of the Sepang Test and the condition of my shoulder after the operation this winter”. With regards to his aims for the season, Pedrosa said that “the most significant thing is to continue working hard and learning, which is the only way to get better and to get better each year. I hope to be reliable and get good results in every race.”

Repsol Honda trio sustain solid momentum

Dani Pedrosa, Casey Stoner and Andrea Dovizioso engaged three of the top four positions on the timesheet on day two of the Sepang Test.

The Repsol Honda team enjoyed another creative day of Testing at Sepang on Wednesday, as Dani Pedrosa, Casey Stoner and Andrea Dovizioso all finished inside the top four on the timesheet whilst accomplishing a solid amount of work on the development of their RC212V machines.

Pedrosa topped the timings with the initial and so far only lap under 2’01”, lapping at 2’00.770 on only his fourth turn of the circuit in the morning. The Spaniard spent the day trying out different chassis set-ups, the new RC212V engine and also worked on deferment with Öhlins technicians.

“I think it's the first time I've ridden so fast on this track, but you're just fresh in the morning and I did four very good first laps,” said Pedrosa, whose best attempt was just 0.252s off Valentino Rossi’s circuit best lap, set in 2009. “I was not looking for a time, but I saw that the track situation were good and I pushed. The closer you get to the limit, the clearer the changes you are doing on the bike become, which guide you in the right direction.”

He continued: “Today I tried the new engine, which has enhanced from Valencia, some chassis configurations and rear shocks. Tomorrow the plan is to carry on comparing both bikes and it would be great to come away with the chassis and engine determined for the next test."

Recap 2010: Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix

motogp's complete summary of the ninth round of the season at the Laguna Seca offers you the chance to re-live the best of the action, with easy one-click access to the video highlights.

Marking the halfway point in the season – the ninth of 18 rounds on the 2010 MotoGP calendar – the Californian sunshine welcomed the premier class to the Laguna Seca in late July, and provided the chance for the premier class stars to enjoy some of the glitz and glamour thanks to the close nearness to Hollywood.

Taking advantage of that were Jorge Lorenzo, Ben Spies and Colin Edwards, who were connected by the MotoGP legends Eddie Lawson, Kenny Roberts and Wayne Rainey as Yamaha riders past and present were treated to a trip around the American TV presenter Jay Leno’s extensive collection of cars and motorcycles. Meanwhile over on Sunset Beach, Dani Pedrosa was surfing and then took a skydiving lesson in a wind tunnel courtesy of Red Bull.

The serious commerce began at the pre-race press conference where Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Spies were joined by Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden. The famous Laguna track was also navigated by MotoGP legend Kevin Schwantz, who gave a tour of the circuit layout.

View this : Trophy time for vettel

OnBoard at Valencia: Dani Pedrosa’s race start

The special cameras captured the Repsol Honda rider’s blistering start off the grid at the GP Generali de la Comunitat Valencia. Witness his first lap in this motogp.com video!

Dani Pedrosa made one of the starts of the season in the final round of the 2010 campaign at Valencia on Sunday, and the OnBoard cameras caught it all from the Spaniard’s Repsol Honda RC212V machine.

You can review Pedrosa’s fantastic start and first lap in the attached motogp.com video!

2010 season finale in Valencia

The 18th and final round of the 2010 MotoGP World Championship this weekend will see the runner-up spot decided, with the following Official Test offering an immediate taste of what is to come in 2011.

The Ricardo Tormo Circuit hosts the Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana this weekend for the 12th year running, and what has since 2002 been the traditional season-ending round. The 18th instalment of the 2010 MotoGP campaign will see runner-up to already-crowned Champion Jorge Lorenzo decided, with Dani Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi the candidates still able to take the honour.

Despite having wrapped up the title with three rounds to spare Lorenzo is still hungry for victories, as proven with his eighth of the season last time out at Estoril. The Fiat Yamaha rider is also on course to set a new record for the highest number of points scored in a single season in the MotoGP class as well as equal a number of other milestones, with the added incentive that Valencia is just one of three circuits on the current calendar at which he has not won in any class. He did finish on the podium last year however and will now aim to go one better.

The man with the most success at the venue is Pedrosa, last year’s race winner and with five victories in total across the premier (twice), 250cc (twice) and 125cc classes. The Repsol Honda rider currently has the best chance of finishing second in the Championship, holding a 19-point advantage over third-placed Rossi, but he is still recovering from his collarbone injury having only made his return to racing in Portugal having sat out three races.

Rossi has winning form at Valencia from 2003 and 2004, but is yet to taste victory on an 800cc machine there. The Italian, along with Lorenzo, will be aiming to deliver Yamaha their first win in the format, and came close last year in finishing second.