2020 MotoGP Round Nine – Catalunya

The MotoGP paddock has travelled straight from Italy to Spain for the third race in a triple-header as MotoGP arrives at Montmeló near Barcelona for the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya which is the eighth round of this truncated fourteen-race season.

Originally scheduled for June of this year, the race at the 4,627m Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was rescheduled for late September following the worldwide pandemic. It was reconfigured and resurfaced in 2018, and this high-abrasive circuit features fast and sweeping corners, a straight over a kilometre long and elevation changes throughout its layout. It’s a track that is favourite amongst riders and often serves up exciting racing and a fantastic atmosphere, which will sadly not be there this season as due to the health protocols there will be no spectators at trackside.

This is the 29th successive year that the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has hosted a Grand Prix, after first being included on the Grand Prix calendar in 1992. With the cancellation of the Dutch TT at Assen and the Italian GP at Mugello, Catalunya is now the second current venue that’s been used consecutively for the longest period behind Jerez (35 successive years).

Four riders split by four points, the top eight within a win, six different winners – four for the first time – and still candidates aplenty to keep that record rolling. The last time there were more than six (or more) winners in a single premier class season was in 2016 with nine different winners (the record in the class).

Despite two races at Misano that saw him pick up a seventh and an eighth, it remains wily veteran Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) in the Championship lead on 84 points. He’s one of only two riders who’ve scored in every race so far, and that’s paying off despite some tougher weekends. The man knows how to finish a race. He also knows how to win at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, over three seconds clear by the flag in 2017. Can he get back on top?

Andrea Dovizioso

“In the last two GPs, unfortunately, we have not been competitive enough, but we try to see the positive side of the two races in Misano: we are on top of the Standings, even if the fight is all open. We still lack speed, and if we want to be able to fight for the Championship title, we can’t waste time anymore. We will have to adapt to the asphalt of Montmeló, which will certainly have less grip than Misano’s, and this could prove to be a determining factor for everyone. I am sure that if we continue to work as we have done in the last few weeks, better results will come soon.”

If Yamaha have anything to do with it, the answer is no. The Iwata marque are the most successful manufacturer in Barcelona with 12 wins, and this season has seen their pace at a couple of venues leave the rest in the dust. But then the question becomes, which Yamaha? It’s Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) who’s second in the standings, one point off Dovizioso, and his recent form at the venue is impressive. In Moto2 he smoked the field in 2018, and in MotoGP last season he took his first podium. That was after a mechanical denied him in Jerez too, and this season Jerez saw him return unbeatable. But then, Misano 2019 to Misano 2020 was a more difficult comparison…

Fabio Quartararo

“It’s great to have another race weekend! Barcelona is a track that I love. One that I’m really looking forward to going to, because I feel that we can manage to get a really good result there. It’s true it has a one kilometre long straight, so we will have to work on a good setup for it. Last year our top speed wasn’t so good there, but we were still able to finish on the podium, so it means we are strong in the other parts of the track. Our pace there can be good, we know that we can be competitive and, of course, I will give my best!”

Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), meanwhile, is also on 83 points. But there’s no such thing as equal in the Championship, so ‘Top Gun’ is third because he has one less win than Quartararo. He’s the most recent winner, however, and escaped the field with Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) to end the Emilia Romagna GP in a different postcode to the other Yamahas.

Maverick Viñales

“The hard work in Misano paid off and that felt really amazing. We have enjoyed that winning feeling a lot the last few days, and it makes us very excited for the next round. Montmeló is my home race, and I love racing here. I did great races here in the past. Last year, we didn‘t get to show our full potential, which was a shame, but we will try our hardest to get on the podium this time. We are working in the right way, and I think we can improve even further, so we need to give our maximum and make it another good race weekend, especially because the championship is very close. I‘m now joint second in the standings and just one point from the lead. We have to make the most of this opportunity!”

And then there’s Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT). Too quick to handle in the first race at Misano, the Italian was then struck by illness the week after, so he’ll be one to watch.

Franco Morbidelli

“I am happy to face the Catalan GP after the two races at Misano. I have stayed at home trying to relax and recover, to make sure I am 100% this weekend in Barcelona. There are a lot of positives from the Misano races to take with us to the race in Barcelona, where we will try to arrive well prepared and ready to attack. The Barcelona-Catalunya circuit is an historical track, with many MotoGP stories that have happened there. The layout is nice, flowy and challenging. In my opinion, it’s one of the most beautiful tracks in the calendar and I usually do quite well there. So I am looking forward to ride there again.”

Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) had great pace before a crash last time out too, and his record at Barcelona is enough to make everyone else blush: five of Yamaha’s 12 wins at the venue come from the ‘Doctor’. It’s also an incredible milestone – although he’s been well ahead of the game for a while – as he’ll start his 350th premier class race. And he’s already started more than a hundred more than anyone else! He was Yamaha’s last winner at the track, so it’s a good weekend for the number 46 to try and hit back.

Valentino Rossi

“We now move on to Barcelona. This is a track that I really like, but it‘s different from Misano. The asphalt and conditions will be different, but I think we can have a good race weekend there. It‘s important to take some points. I‘m not so far from the top of the standings, and the championship is still open. This season has been crazy and there are still many races to come, so we will try our best.”

Going back to nearer the top of the standings though, it’s time to talk about Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar). It was a stop-start beginning to the season for the sophomore, as he crashed, took a top five, crashed again… and then began a run of form that has gone from Jaws music for his rivals to full-on Psycho. He’s outscored everyone else for a while now, and has been that which, they say, is the key to taking titles: consistent. And not in the top ten, but the top five or the podium. He’s still missing that first win – although he seemed on for it before the Red Flag in Styria – but who can bet against him taking one? It’s Saturday that could make all the difference for the Mayorcan, as he’s been fighting through from further down the grid, most recently from 11th to a seemingly effortless second. If they can fix that… can he become the seventh winner and fifth maiden winner this year?

Joan Mir

“It’s important to continue being as consistent as possible, and ideally scoring podiums. I’m really pleased with how the last two races went, but there was potential – especially in Misano 1 – to win. But at the moment my main focus is just on doing the best I can during each session and continuing my good feeling. I really like Barcelona circuit and I hope for a good home race.”

Almost managing that last time out was Bagnaia, who crashed out of a lead that seemed ominous, and then started diminishing, but nevertheless remained healthy. With Viñales the man getting past and taking his first win of the year – and having already won a good few premier class races – the stat of fifth maiden winner and seventh winner of the season remains attainable for Bagnaia, and he’ll be guns blazing to bounce back.  Team-mate Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) will likely be in a similar mindset too, with the Australian forced out of the Emilia Romagna GP after his bike ate a tear off. He’s already won a race, but not this year – although he’s been incredibly close…

KTM could be a force to contend with again too. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) took another podium last time out and teammate Brad Binder looked likely to fight for one before he crashed, but most crucially the Austrian factory blasted straight back into that fight at the front after a tougher first weekend at Misano. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) sliced through from P15 on the grid to the top five too, and his teammate Iker Lecuona was battling it out before a crash. How will they fare in Barcelona? Was it the test that saw them bounce back, or was the San Marino GP an anomaly?

Miguel Oliveira

“I’m motivated to go to Barcelona. After the result we got in the second race in Misano, I think we can relax a little bit and then start working again in Montmeló. I think it’s a track that can fit well to our bike and also my style. I’m really keen to keep working like this and get an even better result than we got at the Emilia Romagna GP.”

The Emilia Romgana GP was also a big step forward for Honda. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was back in the top six (he’s also the second rider to have scored in every race), and rookie Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was only just behind him – ahead of Championship leader Dovizioso. Nakagami will want to keep that consistency rolling, and Marquez could be one to watch if that step forward is a permanent one. He’s won three times at Catalunya, once in Moto3 and twice in Moto2, which actually makes him the second most successful rider on the grid at the track across all classes… behind only Rossi! What can he do?

Alex Marquez

“We arrive in Barcelona in a good way after our best result so far. I am happy with the progress we have made, and I am looking forward to riding in Catalunya with the Honda. Of course, it will be a different experience to normal and I will certainly miss seeing all the home fans in the stands because this is always a special feeling. Hopefully we can put on a good show for everyone so they can enjoy the race like they were here! The last three years I have taken two wins and a podium here, I enjoy the circuit a lot.”

There are plenty more names to look out for too. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was MIA last time out but belongs at the front, Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) is looking for a move forward, Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) is already a podium finisher on the Ducati… Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) has been on pole at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya too, although with a different factory. Can they get further up the fight for the top ten again?

Danilo Petrucci

“After two tough Grands Prix, we are back racing on a circuit where last year I managed to get on the podium. The season is definitely not going as we had hoped. Still, we won’t give up: at Montmeló, we will try to improve the tenth place of Misano, but the conditions that we will find there will be very different: the asphalt and temperatures could prove decisive for our performance. The key will be to be able to interpret these two factors well.”

Cal Crutchlow arrived in Barcelona and went to see Dr. Xavier Mir for a final check on his right forearm and the scar appears to be healing and is in much better condition than last week. Unfortunately, upon his arrival to Circuit de Catalunya, Crutchlow slipped as he stepped out of the PCR Testing Booth, rupturing his left ankle’s ligaments. Nevertheless, despite this misfortune, Cal and the team will try their best to regularly start the Catalan GP on Friday.

Four riders within four points, eight within a win of the Championship lead, six different winners so far and a good few names who could make it seven… who’s leaving Barcelona on top?

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MotoGP Facts and Stats Update

At the Emilia Romagna GP, Maverick Viñales won for the first time since Malaysia last year, for the eighth time in MotoGP and for the 24th overall in his GP career. This is the first time that Viñales won a MotoGP race after qualifying on pole position since Le Mans back in 2017.

Maverick Viñales is the sixth different winner of the season so far. The last time there were more than six (or more) winners in a single premier class season was in 2016 with nine different winners (the record in the class). This is the first time in the history of Grand Prix racing that there are six different winners in the opening seven premier class races of a single season.

At the Emilia Romagna GP, Maverick Viñales became the first Spanish winner of the season, ending a six-race sequence without a Spanish winner, which was the longest sequence since Donington 2008 to Losail 2009, 12 races.

With French, South African, Portuguese, Italian and Spanish winners in MotoGP so far this season, this is the first time there are five different nationalities winning in single premier class season since 2000, with six (the record).

With his win at the Emilia Romagna GP, Maverick Viñales has now scored 1016 points in the premier class, becoming the 25th different rider to score more than 1000 points in the premier class.

Joan Mir came second, equalling his best result in MotoGP from Austria this year. This is his third podium finish in MotoGP and the first for Suzuki in back-to-back races since Alex Rins last year in the Americas and Spain.

With Maverick Viñales, Joan Mir and Pol Espargaro on the podium last time out, this is the first Spanish 1-2-3 in MotoGP since Silverstone last year with Alex Rins, Marc Marquez and Maverick Viñales. This is the 21st premier class podium with three Spanish riders.

Pol Espargaro finished third in Emilia Romagna GP, which is his third MotoGP podium so far along with Valencia in 2018 (in wet conditions) and Styria this year.

Following the Emilia Romagna GP, KTM have scored 104 points in the Constructors’ World Championship, seven points less than the whole 2019 season, which was their best season in MotoGP regarding points scored.

Only two riders have scored points in all seven of the MotoGP races in 2020: Andrea Dovizioso and Takaaki Nakagami. Of them, only Nakagami has always finished within the top ten.

Takaaki Nakagami finished sixth at the Emilia Romagna GP, which is the best result for a Honda rider since he was also sixth in Austria this year. With Alex Marquez in seventh (his best result of his rookie season so far), this is only the second time so far this year there are two Honda riders within the top 10 along with Andalucia. Since the season opener, no Honda riders have been on the podium. This is the first time with no Honda rider on the podium in five or more successive premier class races since Honda returned to the premier class of GP racing in 1982.

Neither of the Honda riders have won in the seven opening MotoGP races. The last time that Honda did not have a win in any of the first seven races of the year was in 2009 when Dani Pedrosa gave Honda their first win of the season at Laguna Seca (the eighth race of the season).

Andrea Dovizioso is still leading the MotoGP Championship with 84 points, the lowest score for a Championship leader after the opening seven races of a premier class season since the current scoring system was introduced in 1993.

Following the San Marino and Emilia Romagna GPs, this is the first time that Andrea Dovizioso has led the MotoGP Championship in back-to-back races since he stepped up to the premier class in 2008.

Andrea Dovizioso is 55 points ahead of Francesco Bagnaia in 15th place; this is the closest top 15 after the opening seven races of the season in the premier class since the current scoring system was introduced in 1993.

With 20 points between Dovizioso and Franco Morbidelli in 5th, this is also the closest top five after the opening seven races.

MotoGP World Championship Standings

Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya Schedule (AEST)

Source: MCNews.com.au

2020 has been a season like no other for Marc Marquez, the Repsol Honda Team rider forced to watch the action from home after an injury in the first round of the season. While watching the races from home is hard, Marc continues to work and train, pushing to return to the circuit and his Honda RC213V when the time is right. Ahead of his home race at the Catalan GP, Marc shared some of his thoughts on the 2020 season, his physical and mental condition and the performance of the Repsol Honda Team.

Q: Marc, we would like to know how you feel physically and mentally?

“About the physical side, now I am in a good moment. But of course, I am still far from my normal level. It’s true that last week, I started to do some running and cycling. From the cardio side, the legs and the left arm, my condition is quite good. But about the right arm, still I need to make some big steps but now we are starting to do more exercises. I am looking forward to starting to push a little bit more in the gym. But at the moment we must respect the timings and just be patient.

“From the mental side it was hard in the beginning. Because you know, there was nothing to do at home, the days and even the hours were very, very long but now we have a plan a for each day. We do two sessions of physio and then we also train in the gym with my trainer, the left arm, the legs, along with some cardio. So now the mental side is feeling much better, the moment where I suffer the most is during the race weekend because you are watching the race, all the practice sessions from the TV and it is not easy. Aside from this, we can say that I’m happy now. I’m happy because I already feel that we have made some steps forward.”

Q: We saw you last week already training with protection, are you still using it?

“Yeah, we have had some different kinds of protections. In the beginning I had a lot of protection, from the hand to the top of the arm and it was like completely rigid. Then step by step we used this carbon protection that you saw on social media that was from the elbow to the shoulder. And now, in normal life I am not using anything expect for training, especially when I am cycling, still I am using that carbon protection because it fixes the bone and the arm in place a little bit better. Now I am starting to forget about the protections, and I hope that next week we are already able to remove the protection from all the things we do.”

Q: How are you feeling now you are training again?

“I have started cycling and running and I expected it to be much worse because for like four, five weeks I was completely just on the sofa watching TV. But I started running and immediately from the first day I felt good and I started to see improvements, with cycling too. The most difficult thing is the muscle on the right arm but even this is better than I expected. The muscle is still there, it’s working well. The most important thing is that all the movements are ok and now step by step with my physio Carlos, he is living with me in my house, we will start to work hard to improve, following the correct steps in the correct time.”

Q: Did you miss training?

“I missed training, especially the first two weeks but what I’m missing more is being on a motorbike. Now I’m in a situation where I hope to come back soon on a small bike or something like this but at the moment, we have to just respect the process, the timings from the doctors. Now I start to feel ready, but this is when it becomes a little dangerous because when you feel ready, you want more and more but I just have to try to understand what my body is saying.”

Q: Already from running last week, many fans said you were really fast!

“I was surprised because normally my running pace is 3:50 per kilometre and I did a 4/4:10 per kilometre so it was a good pace. The next day I was destroyed! My legs were completely empty but then during the week I ran three times, I went cycling one time and it looks like the base is there. So, from the physical side, I feel ready to come back but about the arm specifically, still not.”

Q: Last race in Misano, it was the first race where the Repsol Honda Team were closer to the front. What did you think about it?

“The Repsol Honda Team is, I think, in a difficult situation. Of course, I feel like I am important there and I feel that we can achieve many good results but when you have a rookie rider on the other side of the garage, and then I was out from the first race, then you can lose the direction a little bit. But now it looks like it’s normal, a rookie has a process and my teammate, that’s also my brother of course, has a good process. But the Tuesday test in Misano was very important because they found something there and then from that point Nakagami and my brother, Alex, did a big step. P6 and P7 overall in the final result, I think is a good result for them. I am looking forward to coming back as soon as possible to help the team but at the moment I am just helping from the outside.”

Q: Do you think he (Alex) already made this step?

“Alex is in the process, one important thing for rookie riders is when they have two races in a row in the same circuit. This helps a lot, the most difficult thing in MotoGP is arriving at a circuit with a MotoGP bike and trying to adjust everything. Alex will arrive in Montmelo at the Catalunya Circuit and he will start the process again. But let’s see if he did a step. To do a step is just to be racing from P8 to P12, this is the first step that he needed to do and then from there it is about trying to learn, see where you can improve and then make another step.”

Q: Do you think it’s harder for a rookie this season because the difference from first to 20th is one second?

“It’s difficult for a rookie, but also for everybody. The times are really close, I mean in one second there are 17 riders, 18 riders and this is something amazing because I think the level in MotoGP is really equal now and this is good for the riders because in the end, the final improvement comes from them. It’s a difficult season for everybody but especially for a rookie it’s difficult because you have many races in a row. It’s strange because when you race one time you go home then the body can understand how to improve, but now everything is happening really fast – too fast for a rookie rider. And we don’t have tests, they had a one-day test in Misano and normally during a season we have four or five days test that help a lot.”

Q: Being at home, have you become Alex’s advisor?

“I try to help Alex and on Thursday when they have the tyre allocation, he sends me the photo and I try to give some advice, maybe this tyre can be the option because last year and all these things. But then we have like a rule, he needs to work with his team, we have to be professional and he is working with his team. If he has a doubt about riding style or something like this, he calls me, but I never call him. He needs to call me because he is in the circuit working with his team and he has Alberto there, who also has a lot of experience, and Emilio. But of course, every day we have two, sometimes three phone calls.”

Q: Honda sent a press release where they said you are two or three months away from the track. Which point are we at now?

“Three months is a lot. When I was with the doctors we tried to understand and to listen to different opinions, different doctors and they said around three months. In the beginning it’s a shock to a rider but now, which moment? Now I am in the moment where I start to feel the big steps with my body. So now every day, every week, I feel something different. The first three weeks were the same because I didn’t feel anything, and I didn’t feel any improvement. But now I start to feel some improvements, we start to work at the gym, I start to train. So, in which moment I don’t know, I know that I am closer to being on a bike, that is the most important. I know that we are in a good way, but I don’t know if I will be on the bike in one month, in two weeks or in two months. I don’t know this; this is something that my body will answer.”

Q: In the meantime, you are watching the races at home, it must be super strange for you?

“It’s the most difficult, to watch races at home is the most difficult thing because you are there watching the practice, watching the races, you would like to be there. Then when you see that it’s so equal, many different winners during a season and you see that they have only 84 points after so many races you become even more motivated to come back. But in the end the timing is the timing. It looks strange that after seven races I am only 84 points behind the leader, and I have zero! It’s a strange season and looks like we don’t have anybody who is making a big difference compared to the others.”

Q: What do you think about this season? Seven races to go, it’s still completely open!

“It’s strange, it’s strange because it looks like nobody wants to win! Nobody wants to be at the top, I mean is difficult to understand but if you are a rider you can understand it a little bit. One thing is to be a rider that if you win, it will be fantastic and if you win it will be something incredible but when you are the rider that needs to win then something changes and you have many more doubts because you don’t know if you should attack, if you should defend. You know when you are the rider that is coming from second place, third place, fourth place and you have something in front of you, you have nothing to lose, you just attack and then you ride with more confidence because you don’t have anything to lose but when you are at the top and you have to win, this is when the doubts start to be in your mind, in your body and it becomes more difficult.”

Q: Because not only two riders are in the fight, many factories and also satellite bikes, it’s completely open this year.

“Yeah, I mean it’s good for MotoGP and I think for the show that now a satellite team has an official bike so that means that the bike can win many races. This is something good because then a satellite team can have a good goal for a season, a good goal for a race, they are fighting there. For sponsors, for all these things it is much better.”

Q: You mentioned in an interview with DAZN in Austria that your favourites would be Dovi and Quartararo – is that still the same?

“It’s difficult to say, but it’s true that in Austria I said Quartararo or Dovizioso but, honestly speaking, I expected more from them. Especially from Quartararo, I expect much more because he won the first two races with an incredible level and now, I don’t know what is going on. He struggles a lot, even in one of his strongest points: Qualifying practice. But then Dovizioso is consistent, he is there but he needs more speed if he wants to win the title and we see that Viñales is there, Mir is there, I mean we have eight, nine riders within 25 points so it will be interesting to see the end of the season. And yeah, we will try to experience the show from the inside!”

Q: Home race in Barcelona this week, will you be at home biting your nails?

“Now MotoGP will race just one hour from my home. And yeah, it will be strange, but you know, it’s a strange situation. It’s the first time that I have this experience in my career, it’s true that in the career of an athlete in any sport, if you spend 15 years riding at the limit then one year, you have this possibility. We will try to come back as soon as possible; the motivation still is there.”

Q: From 2013 you have won six titles, now is a hard moment for Honda. Many people are using this bad luck to attack and say the bike isn’t easy and the strategy is wrong. What do you think?

“I have a lot of time now and I read many things but, in the end, if you take the last ten years, Honda has had a perfect strategy. Why? Because it is the team that won more titles, more team titles and more Constructor Championships. I think Honda is doing a great job during all these years. Every manufacturer is struggling for one year, but it’s like this sometimes. We are looking forward to improving the situation for next year because I feel part of Honda and I feel that it is part of my responsibility to be there to bring Honda to the top. And we will come back, but for me the strategy of Honda in the end, means you can suffer one year but you need to take the last ten years, and the last ten years Honda has achieved more than the other manufacturers.”

Q: Does a MotoGP bike need to be an easy bike like people say?

“I mean of course a MotoGP bike is a MotoGP bike. I mean every MotoGP bike has a different character and then the riders must adapt to the bike. Honda has this philosophy for many many years in the 500cc and MotoGP classes. For example, when I speak with Doohan, with Criville, the philosophy was the same. Honda have a good bike, but you need to be 100% fit, you need to push the bike a lot but then when you get the feeling with the bike, you can be really fast. Then when I read ‘no the bike is made only for Marquez style and blah blah’, it’s not like this. I mean we have three official bikes on track, last year it was me, Lorenzo and Crutchlow and all the riders have the same comments. It’s another thing if one rider is faster or slower. But I am the first one that wants a faster bike and an easier one, it will be easier for me as well. But is not like this, it’s a competitive bike and in the last race for example they finished P6 with Nakagami and P7 with a rookie rider, Alex. So, it is a good bike, it has potential but if you want to understand the bike, you have to crash many times, but you will understand it.”

Q: About the last race, a new circuit, Portimao – what do you think about this track?

“Portimao will be interesting to finish the season. I hope to be there, I hope to race there with MotoGP because I tested there with a Moto2 bike in 2012 – a long time ago but I remember the circuit and it was very nice. Many ups and downs, following the natural layout of the land, it was really nice, and it was very fun to race there. I hope I will be able try to be there and to finish the season in a good way.”

Q: Finally, a message to all the fans?

“I just want to say thanks, especially to all the Repsol Honda Team and also to all the fans. I received many, many great messages. I read many, many questions: ‘when will you come back?’ I don’t know, I don’t know when I will come back. I hope to comeback as soon as possible. I feel that it is sooner rather than later, so this is something good also. Let’s see but thanks for continuing to support me, supporting Honda and don’t worry, we will come back to the top.”

Source: MCNews.com.au