After three opening rounds overseas, the first European round of the 2017 MotoGP season is set to take place at the Circuit de Jerez in Spain. Home round to many of the riders, with the changes made since 2016, it is surely set to be a cracker and it is significant for the MotoGP as it is the 3000th race for the class!
Rossi hoping to continue success in Jerez
Last year turned out to be the perfect round for nine times world champion, Movistar Yamaha rider, Valentino Rossi. The Italian dominated throughout the weekend at the Spanish track. It began during Free Practice 3 when he was able to top the timesheets. During the Final Free Practice Session, his former Movistar Yamaha teammate, Jorge Lorenzo took the top spot.
During Qualifying however, Rossi was on pole. He was joined on the front row by both Lorenzo and 2016 MotoGP champion, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) who were both keen to win on home turf. Rossi led the race from start to finish leaving the two Spaniards to battle it out with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) for the remainder of the podium spots. Lorenzo finished second, unhappy with his podium and Marquez claimed the final spot.
Rossi also managed to set the fastest lap of the race on lap three which, although it was over two seconds off the best ever lap record set by Lorenzo in 2015, was enough to help to secure him the win.
Issues ironed out with the Michelins this ear?
For Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) his bad luck continued into the beginning of the 2016 season as he experienced issues with his rear Michelin Power Slick. He was thrown from his bike, and for his own safety decided to collect his third DNF of the season, just four rounds in.
While Rossi seemed to be happy with the performance of the new Michelin Power Slick tyres, as the French tyre manufacturer where still starting out as suppliers to the elite class, Lorenzo complained of how he felt the grip was so bad that he compared it to racing in the wet. Marquez too also struggled and to see Rossi on the top spot happy started speculation with whether he was being dealt a better tyre.
A year on however, all manufacturers have a year’s race data, and some test data, under their leathers, but the changes in the paddock that were brought on from Lorenzo’s decision to move to Ducati mean that for some riders they may as well be back to square one.
About the Circuit de Jerez
Jerez is a favourable track for many including the riders and the fans. Based in Andalusia, South Spain the track that was built in 1986 has hosted 19 Grand Prix so far, meaning the 2017 Gran Premio Red Bull de Espana will mark the 20th anniversary.
The 11 metre (36 ft) track measures 4.4km (2.75 miles) that is raced clockwise is a predominantly right hand track consisting of eight right hand corners and five left; the longest straight measures just a mere 607 metres (1991 ft).
The layout in Jerez, Spain
Turn one comes at the end of a short drag from the start line, is just tighter than a right angle, and leads down a short run to a loose hairpin bend. Turn three is a fast sweeping left hander that is followed by another sweeping left hand turn. Following on is another straight that leads into a long and fast right hand turn, Sito Pons corner, that leads onto the main straight.
Next follows a series of twists and turns; turn six is a hairpin that causes riders to almost double back on themselves, before another short run to an obtuse left hand turn seven. Another short runs to turn eight, another long and curved left hander. This is followed by another short straight that it met by two right angled right handed turns, Angel Nieto (9) and Pelugui (10).
Another straight leads to fast right turns 11 (Alex Criville) and 12 (Ferrari) before the final short run before the tight left-hand hairpin named after Lorenzo, that leads them onto the start-finish straight and always proves a vital part of the race. The MotoGP class will complete 27 laps completing 119.4km (74.3 miles), with two thirds of lap distance covering 18 laps; the Moto2 class will complete 26 laps with two thirds of race distance being considered 17 laps, and the Moto3 class will race 23 laps with 15 laps being two thirds race distance.
Tyre availability from Michelin
The greatly popular and highly technical track that was resurfaced in 2005, is said to have quite low grip. With intermediate tyres out of the picture this year, the riders will have the Michelin Power Slick available to them in soft (white band), medium (no band) and hard (yellow band) compounds for the front and rear.
The medium compound tyre will be an asymmetrical design with a harder right hand wall, whereas the other two compounds will be symmetrical in design. The Michelin Power Rain tyre, should conditions take a turn for the worse, will be available in soft (blue band) and medium compounds on the front and rear.
Rossi dominant in Jerez
In the MotoGP class it is Rossi who has proven to be the most dominant as he tops the leaderboard having claimed seven wins in his time there; he has won in Jerez nine times throughout his career. Lorenzo has won three times and Pedrosa has won twice. Both Rossi and Lorenzo have claimed five pole positions whilst Pedrosa has claimed the prime spot twice.
Lorenzo holds both records at the Circuit de Jerez. Both set in 2015, he set the fastest ever lap when he claimed pole position with a tie of 1:37.910. During the race, that he went on to win that year, a win that helped him to become the 2016 champion with Jorge Lorenzo, he set the new circuit records (that can only be set during the race) with a time of 1:38.735.
Sam Lowes, Jonas Folger and Mika Kalio, now all missing from the Moto2 class, all have won aboard 600cc machinery. Tito Rabat, Lowes and Kalio all have secured pole positions. But it is Lowes who set the fastest ever lap in 2016 with the Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 team when he claimed pole with a time of 1:42.408. Folger has the official Circuit lap record with a time of 1:42.876.
In the Moto3 class, Romano Fenati has the most wins with two at the Circuit de Jerez whereas former Moto3 champions Danny Kent and Brad Binder have also proved victorious here. Alex Rins has the most pole positions with two, and both Nicolo Bulega and Fabio Quartararo have both led the pack away.
Competition tough in the MotoGP class
For the MotoGP class, current championship leader Rossi is hoping to continue his reign both at the track and in the championship. He has a lead of six points over his new teammate, Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha) who won the two opening debut rounds for him with his new team. Vinales is fast, and he is wanting to make up for crashing out of the third round in Austin, Texas.
Rossi has admitted however that the Spanish circuit is one of his favourites; his history of success proves that. He is clearly determined after shedding extra weight that he did not need to lose, in order to be competitive amongst riders who he towers above. In order to collect what would be his 500th victory, he will have to fend off 10 hungry Spaniards wanting to do well at home. Marquez also has a title to protect, and where else to put in a great performance for your new team than on home turf as many will want to do.
Will other manufacturers emerge successful?
At Jerez, Honda and Yamaha have equal contentions in emerging victorious with both manufacturers having collected seven victories apiece. Ducati have only won once in Jerez, when Loris Capirossi won from pole position; their last podium was in 2011.
Pol Espargaro was the highest placed independent rider in 2016 with the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team. He has since moved on to new pastured with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team who will be making their official race debut in Jerez, and he and his teammate Bradley Smith, will want to do well for their sponsors.
Record for Espargaro as Rins ruled out
For Pol’s brother Aleix Espargaro, who is completing his debut year with Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, the Gran Premio Red Bull de Espana will be his 200th grand prix starts.
Riding for the Tech3 team this year however is two of the four rookies in the class Johann Zarco and Jonas Folger. Folger has a great record as mentioned in Jerez, and made a promising start to the pre-season only to be outshone by his double Moto2 winning champion teammate Zarco, who led in Qatar before crashing out, but before that frightened the whole paddock.
Spanish rookie, Alex Rins will not be competing for Team Suzuki Ecstar this round as he broke his wrist during practice in Texas. Once again he will not participate in the race, at Jerez, and will instead be replaced by Suzuki test rider, Takuya Tsuda.
Whole new podium in the Moto2 class
In 2016 in the Moto2 class, race winner Lowes was joined on the podium by Folger and Rins. However, with those three, and Zarco, out of the way, the opportunity to win could be anybody’s.
Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS teammates Franco Morbidelli and Alex Marquez have made a highly competitive start to the season. However, whereas Morbidelli has collected all three wins during the opening rounds, Marquez has crashed out, or missed out on the podium due to mistakes and so will be hoping to make up for it on home turf.
Thomas Luthi (CarXpert Interwetten) is strong however, and they will face competition from other contenders such as Miguel Oliveira who has been making history with Red Bull KTM Ajo, Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team).
Binder ruled out, Cardus in
The 600cc class will once again be without 2016 Moto3 champion Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) who is recuperating after undergoing a third surgery on his wrist that he broke at the final round of the 2016 season in Valencia; the plate that was inserted to assist in the quick healing had come loose. Binder will be replaced again by Ricard (Ricky) Cardus who will be taking the reigns for the second consecutive meeting.
Kent parts ways with Kiefer Racing
The Moto2 class will also line up without British rider Danny Kent who after not competing in the third round with his new team Kiefer Racing, announced that they have parted ways. Instead, Kent is set to become a test rider with Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Moto3 team in Jerez after the meeting, and will be making a wildcard appearance for the team in the 250cc class at the fifth round in Le Mans, France.
Bulega and Fenati favourites in Moto3?
Brad Binder, Bulega and Francesco Bagnaia made up the podium at the 2016 Moto3 round in Jerez, and with Binder and Bagnaia out of the mix as they continue their rookie year in the Moto2 class, it is Bulega who should prove successful. He hasn’t had as successful a start to 2017 whereas however, Fenati who has won twice in Jerez is returning after his emotional first win with his new team Marinelli Rivacold Snipers at COTA.
The Gran Premio Red Bul de Espana Moto3 race is the home round for around a quarter of the field in the 250cc class, all desperate to dow well at home. Four of those, including Joan Mir (Leopard Racing), Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0), Juanfran Guevara (RBA ROA Racing Team and his teammate Gabriel Rodrigo), and Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) have all proved to be key players as the 2017 season has gotten underway.
Not to be underestimated either however, are the likes of John McPhee (British Talent Team), Philipp Oettl (Sudmetall Schedl GP Racing), Enea Bastianini (Estrella Galicia 0,0), Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) and Sky Racing Team VR46 rider Andrea Migno.