The Circuit of Catalunya plays host to this Sunday’s action with Honda duo Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa returning home to their adoring fans.
The reigning World Champion has had a turbulent opening seven races of the season and sits 49 points behind Championship leader Valentino Rossi. Marquez will be hoping that a return to familiar ground will mean a change in fortunes after another fall at Mugello last time out.
Pedrosa on the other hand would see a return to the podium as a positive result as he continues his comeback from arm pump surgery and with a determined fourth place secured at Mugello two weeks ago the 29-year-old could go one better this weekend spurred on by the home support.
Standing in their way is fellow Spaniard and Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo who is arguably in the form of his life, taking maximum points from the last three meetings. Lorenzo has blown the field away since Jerez and expect no different this weekend. The former World Champion continues to impress but was beaten to pole position by Ducati’s Andrea Iannone in Mugello.
Maniac Joe, as he makes himself known, secured his best-ever result in the premier class in his homeland after following up his impressive qualifying performance with a solid second position. Ducati team-mate Andrea Dovizioso had a disastrous weekend at Mugello in contrast to his compatriot after being forced to retire from the race with an issue to the rear sprocket of the GP15.
Championship leader Valentino Rossi will most likely once again be Lorenzo’s biggest challenger this weekend as the Yamaha pair continue to fight for the title with just six points separating the two at the top. The Italian has, by his own admission, struggled to find the right set-up in qualifying thus far, but has matched his team-mate blow for blow in race distance. If Rossi can break his Saturday rut we may well have a race on our hands.
Lorenzo remains the man to beat this weekend, with Honda’s struggles set to continue. A fairy tale win for Marquez at his home track seems unlikely but the 22-year-old has certainly defied the odds before.
Ducati pair of Andrea Iannone and Andrea Dovizioso will be strong again with the long straights of the Catalan circuit playing into the hands of the Bologna team.
Rossi looks set to be the big challenger this weekend again and even though Spain is the setting for Sunday’s race you can bet the Doctor will have plenty of support from the locals in what is all set-up to be a thriller.