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Round 14 of the FIM Motogp World Championship makes it's yearly sojourn to the arid climate of Alcaniz, Spain for the third of four Spanish rounds at MotorLand Aragon.
Weather:
The Dorna PR hype train is focusing on whether or not we will have our 9th different winner of the 2016 season. My prediction is that we will not see our 9th winner of the season due to weather conditions being similar to Misano for race day. In fact, I will predict one of the 8 race winners will find themselves on the top step of the podium Sunday when the chequered flag waves. In the long run, the odds start to balance themselves out and while the tire shenanigans of Michelin continue, I will hold to my belief that the race winner will be sitting on either a Movistar Yamaha or a Repsol Honda. I will be picking Marc Marquez to take victory this weekend, and my alternate pick is Dani Pedrosa. Valentino Rossi will be in contention for a podium position. Rossi returns to site where his 2015 meltdown began as the pressure mounted on him to deliver the elusive 8th premier class title. 2016 looks a little different with Marc Marquez leading the championship and Rossi chasing him. Marquez will be looking to not repeat last year's DNF during the race.
Will the saga of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo heat up as the media and VR46 fans try to fuel the fire further? After the MotoGP Forum conclusive proved VR is a dirty rider and hypocrite in spite of vehement opposition from noted VR troglodyte Moto Vudu, the matter on the forum was considered not worthy of being discussed. However at the first sight of a battle on track, you can be sure announcers, Nick Harris, Neil Hodgson, and Keith Huewen will be screaming about something. Or! What if Dani Pedrosa dares to race Rossi for the second year in a row? Will we be treated to another post-race press conference where Rossi goes full blown Area 51? Just know, racing VR these days can be a risky proposition.
#NeverForgetSepang2015
In other more important news, the ceiling in Jums' home was covered in what I will call Hayden Love Juice™ when 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden was tapped to ride a Marc VDS Honda RC213V in place of the injured Jack Miller. If memory serves me correctly, Troy Bayliss is the last man to win a WSBK and MotoGP race during the same season when he won the final GP race at Valencia. Of course in spite of Troy's great performance, the day really belonged to Nicky Hayden when pole sitter and championship leader Valentino Rossi c̶r̶a̶s̶h̶e̶d̶ choked under the pressure, and was unable to mount a charge to get the points he do desperately needed to clinch the title.
Nicky last rode a proper RCV in the 800cc era when he was still at Repsol Honda. However, he is on a Marc VDS, which is like being on a slightly more retarded Ten Kate Fireblade. If this race were in the rain, he might have a chance. Instead, he'll be battling it out with the backmarkers again because Honda is too busy stringing Nicky along with promises of a better WSBK machine.
Alex Lowes makes his return on the Tech 3 Yamaha for the third consecutive race and we may see the return of Loris Baz on the Avintia Ducati since his nasty Silverstone crash. Andrea Iannone plans on racing at Aragon regardless of being 100%. The only thing that remains is clearance by the Aragon medical staff. But if not, Michele Pirro will stand in if necessary.
I almost feel bad that I barely mentioned anything about what the Ducati team might do this weekend. Pencil in one rider for the top 5 or 6, and maybe a couple of obligatory shots of Stoner (who has been suspiciously quiet on social media as of late) sitting in the garage looking like he knows he could do better than either Iannone or Dovizioso.
Suzuki will be looking for another strong performance out of Vinales who is being anointed the next alien. Yet no one seems to blink at how easily the term alien is tossed around these days. Vinales while talented, is most certainly not an alien rider. The GSX-RR as I've stated multiple times is a great bike, and actually I would say it is better than the Desmo GP16. If it weren't for Esparagaro being on the second bike, the gap in the constructor's standings would be much closer between the two factories. If Iannone stays out of trouble in 2017, and the bike continues to progress, he will be in line to have a great season. Vinales may ultimately regret his decision to go to Yamaha.
Expect Cal Crutchlow to say he plans on contending for a race win. But the Crutchlow Carriage should beware in case the clock strikes midnight soon and his LCR, or rather he turns into a pumpkin.
Let the games begin!
