As the MotoGP™ grid heads to the GP Aperol di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini in Misano this weekend there is once again only one thing on riders’ minds – how to close the gap to championship leader Marc Marquez.
Last time out in Silverstone it was Yamaha Factory Racing’s reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo who managed to figure it out by beating the Repsol Honda Team rookie sensation with a bold move in the final few corners. Lorenzo will aim for much of the same as he tries to cut the lead to the Repsol Honda men, including Dani Pedrosa, who will look to convert his outright pace into a win to get his title challenge back on course. Marquez may prove tougher to beat in Misano however, as he will have recovered further from the left dislocated collarbone he picked up in a crash in Sunday Warm-Up at the last race.
Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi is aiming to find his end-of-race pace directly off the start line, as that looks to be the weak link stopping him from challenging for a podium or win once more. GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista on the other hand will be searching for a way past the famous Italian, having lost out to him narrowly in the last three races. LCR Honda MotoGP’s Stefan Bradl has been somewhat off-colour in recent races, despite showing great pace over one lap. He will need to rediscover the race pace that saw him take second in Laguna Seca, whereas Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Cal Crutchlow will look to forget his crash-plagued Silverstone and get back to challenging for the podium.
The Ducati Team duo may fare better at Misano than in previous outings, as they occasionally use it as a test track during the season. Yet no doubt they will have Tech3’s British rookie Bradley Smith to contend with, who has recently been tussling with the Ducatis on track. Ignite Pramac Racing’s Ben Spies is once again replaced due to injury by Ducati test rider Michele Pirro, who will make it a fully Italian garage alongside Energy T.I. Pramac’s Andrea Iannone.
Power Electronics Aspar’s Aleix Espargaro still looks near unstoppable as top CRT on his ART machine, and the likes of NGM Mobile Forward Racing’s Colin Edwards and Avintia Blusens’ Hector Barbera will have a tough job chasing him down.
World Championship Standings MotoGP™
1- Marc Marquez SPA Honda 233
2- Dani Pedrosa SPA Honda 203
3- Jorge Lorenzo SPA Yamaha 194
4- Valentino Rossi ITA Yamaha 156
5- Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha 136
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