Rider photo sourced from MotoGP.com
Round 10 of the 2020 MotoGP season is just around the corner as riders and teams enjoy a much needed week off before a quick stop in Le Mans, France. The only French race held in the series, Le Mans is an event filled with passion and this year will be no exception. With two French riders currently racing the MotoGP class, fans around the world will be watching closely to see who can attest to the home-court advantage.
As we find ourselves about halfway through the championship, we are pleased to see that the standings are as close as ever. Leading the pack is Fabio Quartararo – remember him? The young Petronas rider who locked in Valentino Rossi’s factory seat after only one year in the series? Trailing a slim 8 points behind him is fellow MotoGP sophomore, Joan Mir who has been the Suzuki superstar of the season. 10 points below Mir is Maverick Vinales who is only 6 points ahead of Andrea Dovizioso, the man who was looking like a World Champion contender. If one thing is certain about this crazy season, it is that nothing is certain and there is not a single rider who has had a consistent, unmatchable podium streak. The World Champion title is sure to be handed around like a hot potato as the season evolves with every race holding its weight in gold.
So how do the historical index rankings stack up going into the French GP? Let’s take a look at a few average historical performance rankings at the Le Mans Circuit.
Average Historical Efficiency Ranking
| 1st | Valentino Rossi |
| 2nd | Jack Miller |
| 3rd | Alex Rins |
| 4th | Pol Espargaro |
| 5th | Andrea Doviziozo |
Average Historical Predator Index
| 1st | Alex Rins |
| 2nd | Fabio Quartararo |
| 3rd | Pol Espargaro |
| 4th | Aleix Espargaro |
| 5th | Franco Morbidelli |
Average Historical Prey Index
| 1st | Valentino Rossi |
| 2nd | Jack Miller |
| 3rd | Andrea Dovizioso |
| 4th | Miguel Oliveira |
| 5th | Cal Crutchlow |
Average Historical Speed Index
| 1st | Valentino Rossi |
| 2nd | Andrea Dovizioso |
| 3rd | Jack Miller |
| 4th | Fabio Quartararo |
| 5th | Maverick Vinales |
Average Historical Consistency Index
| 1st | Danilo Petrucci |
| 2nd | Johann Zarco |
| 3rd | Miguel Oliveira |
| 4th | Pol Espargaro |
| 5th | Andrea Dovizioso |
Although the rankings may look simple, there is a hell of a lot of information packed within each rider’s position relative to his opponent. This weekend, soak in the leading riders and next week, check back for a deep dive into what we can learn from these rankings going into the 10th round of the MotoGP season.