Marquez lost an
ace in Texas and heads onto home turf on the back foot. Can the likes
of Rossi and Rins keep the momentum in Europe?

So as we head for Jerez – and the 300th MotoGP™ race since the category
was introduced – it’s not the Spaniard at the top, it’s Andrea Dovizioso
(Mission Winnow Ducati). The Italian has been on damage limitation in
the second and third races of the season over the last couple of years,
but in 2019 he emerges nine points clear of Marquez as the ‘European
season’ begins and he hits the milestone of 200 premier class starts.
His record at Jerez isn’t the best and it can be a more difficult track
for Ducati, but we’ve said that before and watched the number 04 defy
that idea as the Italian machine continues to develop. Is ‘DesmoDovi’
armed for a serious attack on Andalucia? Or will those walking taller
after Texas have the upper hand at a venue where Marquez has never been
imperious?

The first name to mention is the second man in the standings: Valentino
Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). The ‘Doctor’ has a great record at
the track – as he does at most – but it includes a more recent triumph
as Rossi obliterated the competition in 2016. Only three points behind
Dovizioso now, a win in Jerez could catapult him back to the top. And
teammate Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) will be hoping
the bike is underneath the two to try and do just that, but all signs
have been positive in 2019 – the Spaniard seems to have the tools to dig
himself out of P12 after a tough start. In front of the home crowd
he’ll be aiming to do just that – as will Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda
Team).

After a tough start to the season marred by injury, Lorenzo is back to
nearer fully fit and only gaining experience on the Honda. Jerez has
been serious hunting ground for him with the Spaniard’s record at the
track enough to make anyone jealous – and it’s where he took his first
podium with Ducati. In a stage of adaptation once again, there could be
no better place for the number 99 to race next and the final corner even
bears his name. Will it be a turning point for him?

In Texas though, we may have witnessed a turning point for someone else:
first time premier class winner Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar). Rins
fought off Rossi like a veteran and kept calm to carry on under some
serious pressure, crossing the line to make a serious statement. The
Suzuki man has arrived, and there’s no reason why he won’t be fighting
for a similar result in front of the carnival home crowd at Jerez.

Meanwhile in the Independent Team rider standings, it’s another COTA
hero: podium finisher Jack Miller (Pramac Racing). His first premier
class podium in the dry couldn’t have come at a better time and the
Australian is on good form in 2019. The fastest man in Jerez testing,
Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) isn’t too far behind him though,
and the Japanese rider’s teammate Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol)
dented his place in the standings with a crash at COTA. The three-time
Grand Prix winner will want to hit back quick and take top Independent
honours, if not much more.

Rookie of the Year should be a thriller in Jerez, too. Fabio Quartararo
(Petronas Yamaha SRT) has led the way for much of the season and the
Frenchman will be confident he can continue the trend in Spain – giving
him a good foundation for his upcoming home race in France. But
Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) is gaining some traction and Joan Mir
(Team Suzuki Ecstar) has been quick when avoiding errors like his COTA
jump start. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), meanwhile, has been
shining and causing a headache for new Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider
Johann Zarco – can he continue that in Jerez? And can the top man for
the Austrian factory, Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing),
continue to pull out all the stops as he impresses race on race?

The Gran Premio Red Bull de España Rolls into the Circuito de
Jerez-Angel Nieto from the 3rd to 5th May as MotoGP™ starts to gain
momentum and the season hits top gear. Will Marquez find some redemption
in front of the rowdy home crowd? Can Dovizioso protect or increase his
lead? Or is the ‘Jaws’ music set aside for the two men who ruled COTA –
Rins and Rossi, on a roll and ready to rock…

The Italian
crashed out at COTA and Tom Lüthi took over as the class of the field.
Will that prove an anomaly once we race in Andalucia?

The bad news for his rivals is that the number 7 will definitely be
walking into the venue high on confidence despite the COTA crash. Texas
has always been a more difficult track for him, he’s still ahead in the
standings…and he won the 2018 Spanish GP. That’s certainly enough for
everyone to have a serious eye on the Italian as a favourite, although
the likes of Lüthi and Schrötter will be gunning for more glory and are
within striking distance in the points.

Home hero Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) is another man who’ll be fired
up as well. With one podium so far this season, taken in Argentina, the
number 73 has had some good pace so far – and was the man who took the
win in Jerez the year before Baldassarri. It was his first in the
intermediate class and the 2014 Moto3™ World Champion was just
unbeatable from pole, so he can’t be counted out and will be looking for
that tiny bit more than his pace in testing at the track. In preseason
he rounded out the top five, though there’s plenty mileage been raced
since then.

Two men hoping that’s not changed all that much will be the fastest duo
back in preseason: Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Sam Lowes (Federal
Oil Gresini Moto2), who ended the test split by thousandths. Neither
have had the start to the season they likely imagined back before the
lights went out in Qatar, but the Spanish GP could be the perfect reset
button so dominant were the two on the timesheets.

Then there’s the likes of Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team), home hero
Xavi Vierge (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46)…and
Jorge Navarro (HDR Heidrun Speed Up), who took his first intermediate
class podium last time out. And the fight for Rookie of the Year sees a
lot at stake too, with Spaniard Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) looking
to make up some ground on home turf.

There’s everything to play for in the Red Bull Gran Premio de España and
plenty of riders gunning for glory in front of one of the most
incredible crowds of the year. Will the home heroes fly the flag, will
the pacesetters in testing fight back, or will Baldassarri blast right
back out the blocks where he left off in Argentina? It’s one thing to
win two in a row, it’s another for that to be the new normal. See if the
frontrunners have chased down the Championship leader from the 3rd to
5th May.

Masia and Canet head the Championship with 45 points apiece so it’s everything to play for in Andalucia

Masia certainly has. The sophomore took the second best result of his
rookie campaign at Jerez in 2018 as he came home fifth, a highlight of
an incredibly impressive debut year. Now he’s a year older, a race
winner and the Championship leader it’s a different kind of pressure in
front of the home crowd but he’ll be gunning for glory for sure. COTA
podium man Andrea Migno (Bester Capital Dubai), meanwhile, was the
highest finisher still in the class when Moto3™ raced at Jerez last
season, but it’s another Italian who has the best record in Andalucia:
Romano Fenati (VNE Snipers). So far the returning rider has struggled to
find some clear traction, but Jerez was his first win in 2012 and
another win in 2014 – a better rap sheet than Canet. Could this be where
it starts?

There’s more. Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) can’t be
counted out now he’s back up to full health, Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58
Squadra Corse) wants to make amends for his COTA crash, Tony Arbolino
(VNE Snipers) has shown great speed this season and the likes of John
McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) have seem yet to show their hand. The
fight for Rookie of the Year could play a role near the front in Jerez
too as Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Raul Fernandez (Sama
Qatar Angel Nieto Team) are split by only a point just outside the top
ten in the standings – and both have more than enough experience at the
track to really get in the mix. Meanwhile the Italian duo in third and
fourth overall and aiming to spoil the home party as the paddock heads
back to Europe are Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) and Niccolo
Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse), neither of whom have records to write
home about when it comes to the Spanish GP, but can they turn that
around?

Will we see another tactical masterclass from Canet, the return of
Fenati or an almighty shuffle at Jerez’s final ‘Jorge Lorenzo’ corner?
Find out from the 3rd to 5th of May in the Gran Premio Red Bull de
España.

2 – Aron Canet (SPA – KTM) – 45

3 – Lorenzo Dalla Porta (ITA – Honda) – 32

4 – Niccolo Antonelli (ITA – Honda) – 32

5 – Kaito Toba (JPN – Honda) – 31