“The atmosphere is fantastic!”: Thursday talking points in Jerez

Hear from Bezzecchi, Bagnaia, Rins, Viñales, Marini, Quartararo, Alex Marquez, Martin and… Bastianini! 

Thursday, 27 April 2023

We are BACK! Jerez hosts as we gear up for the Gran Premio MotoGP™ Guru by Gryfyn de España, and three press conferences kicked us off on Thursday. The first comprised Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol), the second Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), and the third Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and the returning Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team). Here are some key quotes!

How important were the two top 6s in COTA?

MARCO BEZZECCHI: “Yeah, as you said Texas for me was not easy. I had some issues on Friday and then I was outside of qualifying two, so I had to pass through qualifying one. But anyway, I was able to recover in a normal way and bring home a decent race. Of course, it wasn’t the best, but it also wasn’t the worst, I hope. In the end I got some points, even if I was struggling, so it was important to make it better than last year in Texas, which is what I needed, so it was OK.”

Do you expect do be as strong here as you were in Portimao and Termas?

“Well, honestly I don’t know what to expect. It’s a track that I really like and it’s a fantastic track. All the atmosphere and the weather are fantastic as well, so I’m really looking forward to riding the Ducati here and also with this new bike. I’ve never tried it at this track so now I can do it. I’ve studied a lot, I’ve studied Pecco’s lap from last year, but also every Ducati rider as well, so I can’t wait.”

These are special times for the team…

“Yeah, the team is really working well. The atmosphere in the team is fantastic. We also eat very well because our hospitality guys are fantastic as well. So yeah, everything’s nice at the moment. My crew personally is really putting a lot of effort into what they’re doing, but also Vale from home and also all the other VR46 Academy guys. So yeah, we are now in a positive trend and we hope to continue like this and continue to fight for some more races!”

Do you have a clear understanding of what caused the crash?

FRANCESCO BAGNAIA: “Sincerely I think not just the Saturday but all weekend in terms of performance it was one of my best in MotoGP. We were so competitive, we were going very very fast in the Sprint and in the race on the Sunday. I think after seeing the data and checking everything, I think I maybe underestimated the conditions at Turn 2 because it was a corner where all weekend I was faster than all the Ducatis, and I followed doing the fastest there in the race and maybe it wasn’t the conditions. But I want to remain with the positives, I think we were so competitive so I think for the race we were there fighting again like Saturday, but that’s it. We have to take the positives and remain at the same level this weekend, it’s one of my favourite races, favourite weekends, favourite tracks, so I’m confident and happy to start a new weekend.”

Where do you think the new bike will be strong in Jerez?

“In terms of handling this track is one of the more technical, you have to be very precise and the new bike is a bit better on handling. We have three strong brake points where you have to be very competitive and it’s a point where I think we can be strong, but let’s see. Every year the conditions are changing and it looks like it will be very very hot like 2020. So let’s see.”

What are Ducati bringing to the test?

“Sincerely we don’t have many things to try because the season started one month, two months ago. It’s something where we can improve the feeling on the bike but nothing too big.”

How do you assess your start to 2023?

ALEX RINS: “Well for sure, as you mention, more than the race, we had a very good weekend. Starting on Friday, going direct to Q2 then in QP, for some moments I had pole and then Pecco arrived. Starting second, we finished second in the Sprint, and then in the race it was unbelievable, when I was trying to follow Pecco, and when he crashed, I was never in that position with the Honda. That lap I did some small mistakes but then I was trying to focus on myself and my way. The pace was super nice, and super-fast and I was able to get the victory. For this GP, we haven’t made any bet yet with the team members, but you know, here we start from zero. It’s my first time with Honda here. It’s a track, as Marco mentioned, that many riders like. It’s quite different to the previous tracks. This is quite small, less wide than COTA for example. We will try to be at the maximum as always starting from Friday and we will try to go to Q2 and then let’s see what we can do!”

What are the expectations in Jerez?

“We got the victory in Texas but the target is the same. We need to improve the bike. We need to find a good base and try to be close to the top guys. There two with the Ducati are going super-fast. So, the target, whether winning in COTA or finishing ninth in Argentina, is the same.”

Is there a change of status after a win?

“Maybe yes, maybe no. Every time I jump on the bike I give my best. Every time I go back to the box I try to be clear, to give them my experience to improve the bike. If they want me to test something, I’ll test it. I want to improve the bike. This morning my crew chief told me they’ll give me the chassis to try that Joan is using for this race, but with the schedule, we don’t have too much time to test. I prefer to stay focused this GP with the two bikes at the same level, same chassis and everything, and on Monday we will test.”

Is there more to come?

MAVERICK VIÑALES: “Yes, the feeling is that we have a good speed. Still we have to improve in a few areas. There are a few points where we will suffer here in Jerez. As last year it was easier, we had the tests and we had time to work on it, but this year we have a tight Grand Prix schedule. But yes, somehow I feel the potential is really high. Every time I feel like I have more speed and I feel better on the bike. Austin, on paper, wasn’t the best track for Aprilia. But yeah, I rode as fast as the front guys and I feel like we could have achieved better in Austin. We missed the start on the two starts and I let some points slip. But I feel like we could have done a good result and we could have been on the podium, especially on Sunday. So it’s a matter of putting everything together. I feel really ready, I feel motivated, I feel as happy as ever and honestly I want to start the weekend because I know if we do well, we’re going to be able to fight for the victory. So qualifying is something that we always try to be very concentrated on but it’s an important thing that we are improving on. I had bad luck in Austin when I had the yellow flag because we could have gotten onto the front row, but overall I think everything is very positive. I feel every time I can push more and more. So yeah I want to start pushing here a little bit more.”

Is there anything you’re going to try differently on the starts?

“Yes, somehow we need to find the thing we need to improve which is the bite on the clutch. The way I was always used to starting was in a different way, so we are working more. But it’s clear that as a manufacturer we are not the best for starts, so it’s something that we must improve. For me, honestly, it’s a shame because I always feel like I have an amazing potential, especially in Portimao I started in the front, I did my own race, and I was closing the gap to Pecco at the end, so somehow I feel if we can make clear that point, our objectives can be the ones we are fighting for, so we must push for that.”

How do you think the weekend will pan out?

“Yeah, the chances are there and they’re high. I must have a good weekend. I think this is one of the tracks where the bike works in a good way and I feel like we have a good potential. Last year I was struggling but the lap times were really good, so this year now that I come here with a lot of motivation and a different feeling with the bike, and especially the team has changed quite a lot. I think we have a lot of possibilities to have a fantastic weekend.”

Must be really satisfied after the start to the season?

LUCA MARINI: “Yeah exactly it’s like this. I have now very good memories from Austin which I’ve never had good results there but now it’s the past and I need to focus on this race. I think this race will be even more difficult because everyone is really strong here, every manufacturer has done a lot of tests here and has a lot of data, so it won’t be easy. For sure the qualifying is the key to have two good races here.

Studying other riders: have you learnt from Rossi or is it natural?

“I think everybody more or less does the same thing. You want to watch the best rider in that moment, looking at the data if it’s the same manufacturer and you try to improve what you did. So it’s just something natural, Alex is really strong in Austin and I would like to understand where he can make the difference with two different manufacturers.”

Will you have anything to test in Jerez?

“Nothing!”

Is that a worry?

“No, I’m just focused on myself and what I can do with my team. I think that it will be a very important weekend, if the weekend isn’t so good it will be bad, maybe my lap time is bad or my pace in the race isn’t strong we can work a little bit, but if everything is good as in the past races I think on Monday we don’t have to ride so much!”

On having Valentino Rossi in the paddock:

“It’s amazing, fantastic to have him here. I hope he can give me some good advice!”

Was it the perfect time for a podium?

FABIO QUARTARARO: “Well yeah, we had great pace in Austin. Of course, the podium felt great but the goa lis to be up there for many more races and this is a good place to do it so let’s see how it’s going.

You have a great record here. It suits the Yamaha, or do you really like it?

“Both. We do many laps on the track, a track I really like. I’ve always been fast…in Moto3™, in Moto2™, well I’ve never been fast at all tracks but in MotoGP™ I’ve always been fast. It’s been to be great, we just need to focus and be clear about… and set our target in qualifying because this year has been pretty tough.”

What’s the importance of the test and any new toys to bring?

“Basically, I’ve heard nothing big about the problem. We know where it is but we cannot sort it for this year so…. We will have some items, but nothing crazy.

“To be honest I don’t know. I report clearly after all three race where is the problem, where we can improve, considering we can’t touch the engine. It’s up to them to find the solution and find me something in this area especially at tracks like Austin.”

Is it acceleration?

“It’s many things, not just acceleration. We cannot use the power because we have wheelie and this is the main problem right now and we have to fix it but we can’t put wings because on the straights we are not that fast, so we can’t put bigger wings. In the end, it’s one problem that brings many more.”

Fitness update:

ALEX MARQUEZ: “Yeah, we were really unlucky, unfortunately at the weekend in Austin with the Sprint race and later in the big race. We lost a really great opportunity to have my first win in MotoGP. But anyway, I think the potential that we showed during the weekend was really good. You know, the crash was really, at one point I was going towards the wall between both bikes and I was really scared. But I’m quite OK, I just have a small fracture on my muscle, on the external muscle, and a little bit in the ligaments, but in the end I’m quite fine. I’m not 100%. I’m about 95% I would say, but we are here to again keep our progression going because we’re coming quite good after Austin.”

Do you expect to be battling for the podium?

“Yeah, I mean, for sure we will try. It’s true that we are coming to a track that’s really different compared to Argentina and compared to Austin, but we’ve come back to Europe and now the tracks and the layouts will be really different compared to them too. We need to keep going on like we have done, we are in a better position than how I expected to start the season, unfortunately like you said, we have two DNFs in Austin and so it’s really important to achieve points and go up in the championship. But anyway, we need to keep going. I’m really happy about how I’m feeling on the bike and with the team and we will try to do our best things step by step.”

How special would it be to get your first MotoGP™ win here in Jerez?

“Yeah, I mean for sure it’s a dream for all the Spanish riders. It’s a dream to win here in MotoGP. I had the opportunity to win my first Moto2 race here in Jerez and it was really special so i can’t imagine how it would be to win the MotoGP one. But it’s not our targer we need honestly more to arrive and be able to come and fight for a win in normal conditions. It’s true that in Austin we were not really far compared to Pecco, who was the maximum opponent for us, he was really fast and really consistent. But anyway, I think as we said, we start again here and everyone starts from zero so we need to keep the mentality cold to achieve points for the championship.”

How much you looking forward to Jerez?

JORGE MARTIN: “First of all I’m happy to see Enea back after his injury because I know it’s never easy to have an injury and to see Alex is ok. About the season it’s been a rollercoaster but it’s been like this in all the races. I had a good opportunity in Austin on Sunday, I felt super strong, I had a good start and then I made this big mistake but anyway I feel we are strong, we have a good package and I am fast. This is the main thing, now the important thing is to put everything together and finish races.

Expect the Sprint to be a crazy fight?

“Let’s see. It will be important to understand which tyre to use in the Sprint, I remember last year here with the soft you couldn’t do a lot of laps so maybe it’s the first time we can use the medium, it’s important to understand well. Depending on the tyre, depends on the type of race but I think we will all push a lot, and yeah it will be a fast race for sure.”

Areas to work on in testing?

“It will be a difficult test, we don’t have a lot of things to try so that’s why it will be difficult, you need to try things but not lose the way. I think we need to find a bit of rear grip, this is the main thing, but the rest I’m quite happy and I don’t need to change the bike a lot.”

How is the shoulder?

ENEA BASTIANINI: “I’m very happy to be here again. It’s difficult to watch the Grands Prix from home but now it’s better. On Monday I tried to get back on the bike with the Panigale, the feeling was quite good. I know the situation, I’m not 100% but it’s important for me to get the confidence with the bike again and try to bring up some points, no? I’m not here to win this event, but I have to try 100% and will be important to gain my confidence back. That is my idea for this weekend!”

How long will it take to get up to speed?

“Depends on the shoulder recovery. I want to arrive at Mugello at 99%, this is possible. From that race, my Championship starts. Right now, I’m not in a situation to be strongest for all the race distance but maybe in Mugello I can be ok.”

Thoughts on 2023 so far?

“It’s very strange the first part of the Championship. Strange situation and this new format is different and for some riders it can be a bit strange. I saw Pecco is competitive but made some mistakes. I saw Alex is very fast, but he crashed with Jorge in the last one. Marco Bezzecchi is also really fast and won his first Grand Prix and is quite consistent and this is important for the Championship. But there is a long list, all the MotoGP riders are fast! Let’s see how it is at the halfway point of the season.”

Introducing: MotoGP™ Guru!

It’s the fans for the win in 2023, so says the MotoGP™ Guru

As the biggest season of MotoGP™ ever gets in gear, a whole new fan experience just landed: MotoGP™ Guru. MotoGP™ Guru is a game giving fans the chance to predict who they think will prevail in 11 different events over a race weekend, ranging from P1 in Practice 1 to the podium positions in the race. Correct answers score points, and those with the most points ascend the leaderboard each weekend – and throughout the season. MotoGP™ Guru began to roll out at the season opening Grande Premio Tissot de Portugal, and is now available at www.motogpguru.com.

Accompanying the platform is a new weekly video series, Guru Speak. Nick Harris, a legendary voice of MotoGP™, is the host of Guru Speak, while the co-host is none other than Jorge Lorenzo, the outspoken five-time World Champion and an undisputed Guru of the sport. Together, Nick and Jorge welcome guest Gurus to the show each week as they cast and discuss their predictions for the weekend’s sessions. The show will feature on motogp.com on Thursday’s before each race weekend, and on motogpguru.com.

A foundational feature of MotoGP™ Guru is the league creation tool, which enables fans to create and invite their friends to a league where they can compete each race weekend to see who amongst them is the MotoGP™ Guru. In the paddock Private Leagues amongst the riders themselves, teams and sponsors create a fascinating look inside the thinking of those closest to the sport.

Prizes for fans are a cornerstone of MotoGP™ Guru and for the first time ever, one lucky winner will take home the Gresini Racing 2022 Ducati Panigale V4 R, which was used in 2022 by now factory Ducati Lenovo Team rider, Enea Bastianini. This amazing prize will be delivered at the end of the season to a random fan who creates a MotoGP Guru account and shares their predictions for the win.

At every Grand Prix, those in attendance at the track will also have the chance to win the MotoGP™ Guru Paddock Experience with Gresini Racing MotoGP™ and the MotoGP™ Guru team. They will be notified by text and email after completing their MotoGP™ Guru account and sharing who they’ve predicted for victory. 12 lucky winners each weekend will enjoy a day of hospitality with Gresini, meet the riders, visit the box, receive an exclusive bag of merch and be hosted in the paddock for an unforgettable day with the Gurus of MotoGP™ racing.

As if that isn’t enough awesomeness, MotoGP™ Guru also offers fans the chance to win some team and rider merchandise every weekend. Furthermore, fans who share their predictions For The Win on social media also have the chance to be plucked from the crowd by the MotoGP™ Guru to win some incredible prizes, become part of the show and join the illustrious list of Gurus.

The team behind MotoGP™ Guru may be familiar: Animoca Brands and Gryfyn sponsored last year’s Grands Prix in San Marino, Aragon and Phillip Island, and this year they continue their support of MotoGP™ with the sponsorship of the Spanish and Australian Grands Prix.

Their presence in the paddock also includes sponsorship of Gresini Racing MotoGP™ and riders such as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder. Animoca Brands also publishes the incredibly popular MotoGP™ game MotoGP™ Championship Quest, available on the App Store and Google Play, as well as MotoGP™ Ignition. MotoGP™ Ignition Manager, a new fantasy sports game where you manage the race team, is also coming soon.

As part of Animoca Brands’ REVV Motorsport ecosystem, these MotoGP™ experiences enjoy the benefits of collaboration and expertise across multiple motorsports and entertainment brands, contributing to and sharing in the growth of the  REVV token, available on most crypto exchanges worldwide.2023: the year of the Guru! Head to www.motogpguru.com now and get involved!

About Animoca Brands

Animoca Brands, a Deloitte Tech Fast winner and ranked in the Financial Times list of High Growth Companies Asia-Pacific 2023, is a leader in digital entertainment, blockchain, and gamification that is working to advance digital property rights and contribute to the establishment of the open metaverse. The company develops and publishes a broad portfolio of products including the REVV token and SAND token; original games including The Sandbox, Crazy Kings, and Crazy Defense Heroes; and products utilizing popular intellectual properties including Disney, WWE, Snoop Dogg, The Walking Dead, Power Rangers, MotoGP™, and Formula E. It has multiple subsidiaries, including The Sandbox, Blowfish Studios, Quidd, GAMEE, nWay, Pixowl, Forj, Lympo, Animoca Brands Japan, Grease Monkey Games, Eden Games, Darewise Entertainment, Notre Game, TinyTap, Be Media, PIXELYNX, and WePlay Media. Animoca Brands has a growing portfolio of more than 380 Web3 investments, including Colossal, Axie Infinity, OpenSea, Dapper Labs (NBA Top Shot), Yield Guild Games, Harmony, Alien Worlds, Star Atlas, and others. For more information visit www.animocabrands.com or follow on Twitter or Facebook.

About Gryfyn

Gryfyn is a joint venture between Animoca Brands and Hex Trust to provide a custodial crypto wallet that allows anyone anywhere to easily and safely access digital experiences, own and handle digital assets, and connect with their favorite brands. Hex Trust provides its fully licensed bank-grade security and custody infrastructure to connect seamlessly to the rapidly expanding Web3 ecosystem. Gryfyn offers a secure, reliable and stress-free environment to store, interact with, and acquire digital assets. People around the world use Gryfyn as a digital passport to engage with events, entertainment, and each other. For more information, visit gryfyn.io.

Quotes from #93 Marc Marquez

The Repsol Honda Team rider explains his recovery process and decision to sit out the Spanish GP

Thursday, 27 April 2023

Marc Marquez: “I was expecting to be here competing. The Spanish GP is one of the most important ones for me, for the team, for Repsol, for all the sponsors and but especially for the fans and it’s one of my favourite circuits, but realistically speaking, the doctors from the beginning said between 6-8 weeks. I’m optimistic always and I was very optimistic and I said OK I will try to do in four but then on Tuesday, when we had the CT scan, the Madrid medical team with Ignacio Roger de Oña, the Clinica Mayo clinical team also the Red Bull APC center medical team, in a unanimous decision, they said that it was too risky, there was a very high risk of destroying the surgery. Then, for that reason I said OK I cannot go against the doctors and then we decided to not compete here. Tonight I will go back home to continue with my rehabilitation because now is the time to have a good routine and to be very precise on these things because in two weeks we have another race so the main target is to be in in Le Mans but it is not a 100 percent sure.”

Would the “old” Marc have made the same decision?

“For me yes, when three different medical teams say if you ride, you will destroy the surgery, it doesn’t matter if you are 20 or 30 years old. I need to take care of myself but of course I want to come back to the racetrack as soon as possible because I want to help and continue growing the Repsol Honda Team. Last race, a Honda won, so we are in a good situation.”

On his absence from the Jerez Test:

“It’s a very important test, because the next test is in Misano and we won’t have more tests during the season, but there will be very good riders there like Mir and Rins, and also Stefan Bradl that will try the things. Unfortunately, I can’t help in that way because I can’t ride. Yeah let’s see, keep going. The good thing is in Portimao I felt really good on Friday and Saturday so yeah, keep going and now the main thing for me is to try come back as soon as possible and take care of myself in a good way.”

2024 is coming: save the dates!

Dates for the first GP and for pre-season testing for 2024 can now be revealed

Thursday, 27 April 2023

The dates for the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix can now be announced! The 8th to the 10th of March 2024 is the provisional date to be proposed to the FIM as MotoGP™ prepares to return to Qatar’s spectacular floodlights for the first event of the season.

Before an exception in 2023 due to extensive renovation to the circuit facilities, Qatar had opened the Championship for the past 16 seasons consecutively and will now do so once again. The 2023 Qatar Grand Prix will be held on the 19th of November, for the penultimate round of the year, before MotoGP™ is set to return less than four months later for the 2024 opener.

Testing for 2024 will begin as soon as November as we get our very first taste of next year’s grid in a one-day test just after the 2023 season finale. The Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, as the host for the final round of the season, will stage this one-day test on Tuesday the 28th of November 2023.

The pre-season itself will start in February with the Shakedown Test and Official Test at Sepang International Circuit:

SEPANG

Shakedown Test: Thursday 1st – Saturday 3rd of February (for test riders and rookies only)

Official Test: Tuesday 6th – Thursday 8th of February

Qatar will host the second and final test later the same month:

QATAR

Official Test: Monday 19th – Tuesday 20th of February

There will also be three days of in-season testing during 2024, which marks an increase of one day compared to 2023. The venues for the in-season tests will be confirmed in due course.

Welcome to Jerez: see you at the final corner!

MotoGP™ returns to a true classic: a rider & fan favourite with a final corner just made for a grandstand finish

Wednesday, 26 April 2023

The Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto is legendary for a reason, with plenty of history already made here and a guarantee that more is just around the corner. With a packed-out stadium section, a wealth of chances to overtake and a layout that builds to that final “Jorge Lorenzo” corner, itself perfectly poised to invite a last lap lunge, there’s not much we can add. Except a word on the atmosphere, which is only another reason to get suited and booted to head for Spain’s own motorcycle racing cathedral. So where were we?

MOONEY VR46 RACING TEAM

If you’d asked for predictions of which single team would have been on every Grand Prix podium so far, with both riders, and would be leading both the teams’ and riders’ Championships on the way to Jerez, few would likely have said the VR46 camp. But they are, and it’s truly a deserved feat. Marco Bezzecchi remains the Championship leader after a less explosive but perhaps alarmingly, for his rivals, consistent Americas GP – and now we’re back onto turf he knows even better. If he can take two sixths and keep banking those points at a tougher track, what can he do when we get to venues that really do suit?

Luca Marini, meanwhile, finally got that first Grand Prix podium to add to the feat he achieved in the Tissot Sprint in Argentina, and is another not to be underestimated. We’ve seen it before: hitting that milestone can unlock some form. So what can the duo do at Jerez?

DUCATI LENOVO TEAM

How do you solve the problem of the fastest man+machine combo in the world? That’s an issue the field haven’t actually had to deal with as yet, with Francesco Bagnaia heading up a near-perfect Portuguese GP with a mixed bag of results since. The Termas Sprint seemed calm and controlled, and the Sunday crash was in the rain, so it seemed a blip as he bounced back in the Texas Sprint. But then… down he went again on Sunday. As much as the outside picture could be one of a season derailed already, and the inside one a painful experience for the rider in the middle of it, the reigning Champion is still securely second overall – and Jerez is turf he reigned last year. Betting against him bouncing back would have lost you a lot of money in 2022.

The reprieve of the rest seeming to take it in turns to challenge Bagnaia may soon be over, however. Enea Bastianini is expected to be back in business this weekend, and will travel to Jerez to do a medical check on Thursday. If he is back, the ‘Beast’ will not be shy. Will he be back to full fitness yet though? That remains to be seen, but his presence will be more than welcome after pre-season promised much in the red rivalry. Having only really seen his pace at Portimao, and that not one of his best venues, Jerez will be an interesting stock take.

LCR HONDA CASTROL/IDEMITSU

If Alex Rins’ CV didn’t impress you enough before, what do you think about it now? Few riders have won on two different machines, few riders have won with an Independent Team, and no riders other than Marc Marquez have won with Honda since 2018. Qualifying was one of Rins’ best, the Sprint was impressive, and then Sunday was simply a masterclass. Can he follow it up? It may be a little much to ask for him to do so in Jerez, but his pure quality has been underlined once again – and it brought Honda a much-needed boost, ending their longest winless streak since they returned to the premier class full-time in 1982.

On the other side of the garage though, if there wasn’t enough pressure to perform for Takaaki Nakagami before, there sure is now. The Japanese rider went through a fair bit with injury struggles towards the end of last year, but he will want to move forward a little after watching his teammate win. So that will likely be the aim at Jerez – and at a venue where he’s taken his equal best result so far of fourth.

APRILIA RACING

Considering pre-season form, it’s not got off to the best start for Aprilia in 2023. But that said, the season is long, the speed has been there, and every weekend is a new opportunity to see it all come together. Maverick Viñales currently sits comfortably in the upper echelons of the Championship thanks to some consistent finishes, but he’ll want some more visits to parc ferme – and to sort out those starts. One of the fastest riders in the world once the race is underway, Viñales has given himself a lot of work to do off the line at times. But then, he’s more than got that work done and made his way back through. Without it, though, you’d imagine he’d be even further up the table and buying some excess baggage for the trophies.

Aleix Espargaro, meanwhile, has had some bad luck and trouble to start to the season. Still, the number 41 has shown some good speed and a venue like Jerez, much more familiar turf for all, is probably a better place to start assessing the lay of the land for Aprilia. Can both factory machines move back forward this weekend?

PRIMA PRAMAC RACING

It’s been a quieter start to the season than Pramac are used to, in terms of points at least, and both Johann Zarco and Jorge Martin will want a good few more from Jerez. Zarco has already been on the podium in the wet and will want to polish off that dry pace, and Martin remains searching for some consistency between amazing speed, bad luck, and mistakes. For the former there’s also still that first win on the table – and this is the last round before his home turf.

For the latter, Jerez is that home turf already, and represents a new opportunity to get the season back on the rails. Sunday form is likely a focus as Martin has not scored more than 13 points at a single round yet, and he wants much more than that from 2023 as he aims to prove a point about his credentials vs the likely-returning Bastianini…

MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MotoGP™

Bad luck doesn’t last forever, and finally Fabio Quartararo has reason to believe that. The 2021 MotoGP™ World Champion was back on the podium in Texas to put his Sprint crash – and Argentina bad luck – to bed, and that can only be good news for everyone except his rivals. Jerez is a venue he has had truly impressive speed at, and to head in with that first podium of the season under his belt whets our appetite to see what he has in the locker on more successful stomping grounds.

For teammate Franco Morbidelli though, it’s gone the other way, or at least it did in Texas. It’s now hard to tell whether COTA was a blip after Argentina proved a turning point, or whether Argentina was the positive blip in a tougher season so far. Jerez, at least, is a land of data – and one he’s known success at before. Can he find that frontrunning form from Termas as we head back to Europe?

GRESINI RACING MotoGP™

Alex Marquez is in need of some luck. After being sick in the Sprint in Texas and then getting wiped out by a slightly ironic Jorge Martin on Sunday, it just didn’t go his way. Marquez has also been left needing to calm down the training ahead of his first home GP to fully recover from the impact. That all said, he’s already a podium finisher with the Ducati, had some amazing speed on Friday in Texas, and now we’re heading for a venue he’s always gone well at – possibly one he’d take as a free choice for where to try and bounce back from a tougher weekend. Wish granted, what can the number 73 cook up on home turf?

Teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio will be hoping the change of scenery can improve his situation too, with a good record at Jerez. After a difficult few races so far with only flashes of pace, the Italian will need to stay calm and collected as he looks to take a step forward.

RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING

There hasn’t since been the blast of fireworks to echo Brad Binder’s Argentina Tissot Sprint win, but the South African has remained quick if in search of some better luck. When he did have it, it was a fifth place in the Sprint in Texas. Now at Jerez, with a lot more experience and some incredible memories from that back of the grid very first Moto3™ win, can the number 33 find that calling card consistency to pair up with his pace? For teammate Jack Miller it’s a similar search. The Australian has impressed from the outset and will be aiming to bounce back from that crash out of a podium place in the Americas, and Jerez is a circuit where he’s won in MotoGP™, too.

Someone else who’s ready to race this weekend has been on the top step in Jerez: Dani Pedrosa. The MotoGP™ Legend and three-time World Champion returns to the ranks at Jerez as a wildcard, on track to provide even more information to the Austrian factory’s push towards the front. Hopefully, to enjoy it too. And for the fans in the stands it’ll be something special – a hero of another era still making his mark in this one.

CRYPTODATA RNF MotoGP™ TEAM

We missed him in Argentina and we certainly noticed his return in Texas. Miguel Oliveira had a solid Sprint as he got back in action, and then followed it up by immediately getting back into the top five in the Grand Prix. He was also right on Maverick Viñales for a few laps, although the Top Gun managed to pull away. What can Oliveira do in Jerez with even more time to recover?

Raul Fernandez, meanwhile, continues to struggle to make those steps we’d started to see in pre-season. Aprilia – and RNF – seem patient with the former Moto2™ record breaker, and it is a lot to ask to immediately go from rookie on one machine to frontrunner on another. He’ll want to get something to click soon though, and Jerez is another chance to take on more familiar turf as he searches for that speed.

GASGAS FACTORY RACING Tech3

Rookie Augusto Fernandez is having a solid start to his MotoGP™ career, with some good consistency and managing to get up in the mix a couple of times. He’s also now had his first top ten finish, and he’s scored points at every round. With a first home race on the horizon, he’ll be aiming to do the same again, but one step better. Meanwhile, Jonas Folger will be on a similar mission to home in on his new teammate. His debut at COTA saw him garner a couple of points in a race of attrition, and the German will be wanting to take another step forward at Jerez.

REPSOL HONDA TEAM

On one side of the Repsol Honda garage, Joan Mir will be looking to reset as the paddock returns to Europe and to home turf. After some bad luck and some injury struggles, it’s a good venue to arrive to as he continues his adaptation – and he’ll want to stay calm despite Rins’ early lead in those stakes. It’s still early doors, both for Mir on the Honda and the Honda on its mission to take a step forward. Stefan Bradl is also expected to be back out wildcarding, so that’s some more data.

The biggest question, however, was the 93 side once again… but now we have the answer. Marc Marquez won’t be back just yet, and instead it’s a familiar face from our paddock and that of WorldSBK who is set to step in: Iker Lecuona. It’s been a hot minute since he was out on track in Grand Prix racing, but he’ll be back in the saddle in front of his home crowd, now with Honda.

SHOWTIME

Friday’s practice sessions decide the automatic entrants to Q2, before the MotoGP™ grid qualify on Saturday morning. This weekend the Tissot Sprint remains set for lights out at 15:00 on Saturday, but the Grand Prix race is an hour later, so it also starts at 15:00. Set your alarms!

Tissot Sprint: Saturday 15:00 (GMT +2)

Grand Prix Race: Sunday 15:00 (GMT +2)

Can Arbolino attack on Acosta’s home turf?

Austin staged a classic duel between Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), and the former just came out on top in one of the first big clashes of the titans this season. Arbolino still retains that Championship lead, however, and will be eager to hit back and extend it as the paddock heads for Acosta’s home turf at Jerez.

We can also likely expect the likes of Alonso Lopez (CAG SpeedUp) and Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) to have a little more in the locker on their home turf, and it will be another interesting shuffle. Who’ll come out on top at that final corner? Fireworks may well be on the horizon, so make sure to tune in for Moto2™ at the later time of 13:15 (GMT +2) on Sunday!

Equal points: who can pull ahead in Jerez?

As we head onto his home turf for the first time, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) remains the Championship leader in Moto3™, but solely by virtue of having taken a win as Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) is now equal on points with the Spaniard. Who will leave Jerez ahead?

They’ll be in the spotlight once again, and Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) will want to join them after a first podium of the year in Texas. Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) once again looks to bounce back… and new winner Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) will want to double down! See them head out for another showdown this Sunday at the slightly later time of 12:00 (GMT +2)!

Sign up to be a World Champion – Rookies Cup 2024

The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup is where you drive your World Championship ambitions. Rookies have already won 10 world titles in the Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP classes.

Apply here and now for the 2023 Selection Event and show us that you have the makings of a Grand Prix winner and World Champion. Successful applicants will be invited to show their abilities on track at the Selection Event later this year and from there a small number will be invited to join the Rookies Cup 2024.

Applicants must be born before March 31st 2009 as they have to be 15 before the start of the 2024 racing season. We are looking mainly for applicants who will be in the 15 to 19 age range next season and they must have high-performance motorcycle experience.

In most cases, this will be racing experience and after filling out the online application form, you will send us your race results through the 2023 season.

If you need inspiration, watch past Rookies Cup races on our website or RedBull.tv

So act now and follow some of the greatest riders in the World. Champions like Brad Binder, Pedro Acosta, Joan Mir and the reigning Moto3 World title holder Izan Guevara. 2021 Moto3 World Champion Acosta started the 2023 Moto2 season with victories in Portimão and Austin.

At the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas ex-Rookies filled the top 14 places in Moto3. Over 50% of past Rookies have gone on to race in GPs. Of those, 1/3 have stood on the podium and 1/4 have become Grand Prix winners.

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