(Most) of the riders and teams have arrived safely at the MotorLand Aragon as the the MotoGP grid prepares for their 10th round of the 2020 season. Unfortunately, Yamaha hero, Valentino Rossi will be watching from home as he has just confirmed a positive COVID test. Our thoughts go out to Vale and we hope to see him finish his final season with the Monster Energy Yamaha team strong and healthy. With two of the top riders out for this weekend (M. Marquez and Rossi), those remaining in the paddock have some wiggle room and an open door to new opportunities.
Fun fact #1 – Marc Marquez has won the Aragon Grand Prix every year since 2016. Yes, 4 years in a row.
Fun Fact #2 – Andrea Dovizioso has landed himself 2nd on the podium the last 2 years.
Fun Fact #3 – The MotorLand Aragon has been kind to all manufacturers meaning almost everyone has found great success on this unique circuit. Obviously Honda and Ducati have done historically well, but remember in 2018 when Andrea Iannone landed Suzuki on the podium with his teammate, Alex Rins finishing right behind him in 4th? Or how about Aleix Espargaro who has finished in the top 7 on multiple manufacturers, including Aprilia, since 2014? And of course Yamaha, who has always been dangerously close to snatching a podium finish. Need I go on?
Although the championship may not be as close as it was going into Le Mans, a slim 19 points separates the top 4 riders with Fabio Quartararo leading over Joan Mir by 10 points. The excitement does not stop within the leading riders as the race to Rookie of the Year remains tight with Brad Binder leading over Alex Marquez by 15 points. Needless to say, the championship points are as critical as ever as the end of the season lingers on the horizon.
There are a lot of different angles to look at when mentally preparing for a race weekend. Weather, circuit characteristics, historical performances and of course in-season rider “form.” We are here to prepare you, help you focus on the more influential aspects and continue the hype as riders gear up for another weekend that will no doubt be filled with excitement and drama.
For now, check out our pre-race performance rankings and tomorrow, check back for an analytical story around these indexes.