The 2016 MotoGP championship resumes in the beautiful Italian circuit Mugello. Jorge Lorenzo seized a comprehensive victory in Le Mans followed by teammate Valentino Rossi and a shock podium for Suzuki rider Maverick Vinales. Even in the 2-week gap to Mugello, the grid has been buzzing about “silly season”.
It has officially been confirmed that Maverick Vinales will be Rossi’s new teammate at Yamaha, Andrea Dovizioso has been retained by Ducati to partner Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa extends his contract with Honda and Andrea Iannone will fill the seat vacated by Vinales.
Other 2017 seats confirmed are Sam Lowes with the Gresini team onboard the Aprilia, Bradley Smith moves to the new KTM team from Monster Yamaha and his replacement will be German rider Jonas Folger. With that, the 2017 grid is all but settled. But 2017 discussions will have to wait because we are in Mugello this weekend so let’s find out what’s in store.
The Track:
Officially called the Mugello Circuit, it is located in Mugello, high over the Tuscan hills in Italy. It has a capacity of 50,000 spectators. The track length is 3.259miles/5.245kms with a 14m width and the front straight at a whopping 1141m, a perfect weapon for slipstream racing which will play into the hands of the Ducati-powered bikes.
Jack Miller even joked that he couldn’t wait to see Tito Rabat’s face as he flew down the long, long front straight. There are a total of 15 turns with 6 left turns and 9 right turns. The race distance will be 75 miles/120.6kms and the circuit record is currently held by Marc Marquez with a 1:47.639. Going on a hot lap of the Mugello Circuit we hurtle down the straight and brake hard for San Donato, it is very easy to run wide if you leave the braking too late.
Then you accelerate and brake for Luco which is a left-hand corner and flick it right for Poggio Secco. A short burst of speed and brake for Materassi, another left-hander and flick it right again for Borgo San Lorenzo. Another short straight and you brake and turn right for Casanova and hang the bike left for Savelli.
Then you brake for a right-hander Arrabbiata 1 and again turn right for Arrabbiata 2. A short straight which leads to a right hand corner Scarperia and flick it left for Palagio and a long 180 degree right hander Correntiao and that spits you onto a final sequence of left-right chicanes Biondetti and a short burst of speed until you brake for the final corner and carry the speed through Bucine to get a good exit to either be in a prime position to slipstream or try and escape the slipstream.
Moto3:
Is there any stopping Brad Binder? After winning his maiden race in Jerez, he was at it again in Le Mans by finishing a tenth ahead of Romano Fenati and Jorge Navarro. There are a number of riders in the mix to snatch the win and the main straight will have to final say as to who will cross the finish line first.
There is a saying that goes “the race isn’t over until you pass the final chicane” well for the Moto3 riders the race isn’t over until you cross the finish because there is every chance of someone getting a tow and stealing the win at the line.
Honda and KTM are the favorites to slug it out between themselves but Mahindra are not too far behind and could spring a surprise if they could somehow bridge the top speed gap to its rivals The Italian Stallions: Romano Fenati leads the Italian charge and with him are Nicolo Bulega, Andrea Migno, Niccolo Antonelli, Andrea Locatelli, Francesco Bagnaia, Fabio DiGiannantonio, Stefano Valtulini, Fabio Spiranelli and Lorenzo Petrarca.
Moto2:
Despite the on-track action being less exciting and almost procession-like, the stats reveal a different story. Alex Rins became the first Moto2 rider this season to win a second race after his stellar ride in Le Mans.
But a consistent performance by Simone Corsi is keeping him and other riders on their toes because Corsi is one rider who goes for that gap no matter how narrow and will keep attacking. Luthi, Lowes, Nakagami and Morbidelli will also be great contenders and meanwhile the likes of Zarco, Folger, Alex Marquez and Dominique Aegerter will be hoping to leave their disappointing race in Le Mans behind them.
The Italian Stallions: Simone Corsi and Franco Morbidelli lead the Italian charge; they are joined by Luca Marini, the young half-brother of Valentino Rossi, Mattia Pasini, Lorenzo Baldassari and Alessandro Tonucci.
MotoGP:
Jorge Lorenzo arrives in Mugello with a five-point lead over Marquez and Rossi is a further 7 points behind. But unfortunately, the Italian fans are extremely adept at holding grudges and still haven’t forgotten last year’s shenanigans, so much so that the FIM have forced Lorenzo and Marquez to move around Italy with bodyguards in tow because of fear of being attacked.
In fact, before the season started Marquez was attacked by fanatical Rossi supporters. So Lorenzo and Marquez have been ordered to keep a low profile in Mugello. The 2 Ducatis will have the biggest advantage, especially down the long front stretch.
Dani Pedrosa also won’t be ruled out because he has always been a consistent point-scorer even if Marquez bins the bike.
The Italian Stallions: Valentino Rossi, Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone will be the biggest threats to Lorenzo and Marquez and the favorites to win. The only other Italian in the mix is Danilo Petrucci on the Pramac Ducati.
Live Timings:
UK: BT Sports 2
Friday 20th May:
Moto3 FP1: 8:00-8:40
MotoGP FP1: 8:55-9:40
Moto2 FP1: 9:55-10:40
Moto3 FP2: 12:10-12:50
MotoGP FP2: 13:05-13:50
Moto2 FP2: 14:05-14:50
Saturday 21st May:
Moto3 FP3: 8:00-8:40
MotoGP FP3: 8:55-9:40
Moto2 FP3: 9:55-10:40
Moto3 QP: 11:35-12:15
MotoGP FP4: 12:30-13:00
MotoGP QP1: 13:10-13:25
MotoGP QP2: 13:35-13:50
Moto2 QP: 14:05-14:50
Sunday 22nd May
Moto3 Race: 10:00
Moto2 Race: 11:20
MotoGP Race: 13:00
India: Ten 2, Ten1 HD
Friday 20th May:
Moto3 FP1: 12:30-13:10
MotoGP FP1: 13:25-14:10
Moto2 FP1: 14:25-15:10
Moto3 FP2: 16:40-17:20
MotoGP FP2: 17:35-18:20
Moto2 FP2: 18:35-19:20
Saturday 21st May:
Moto3 FP3: 12:30-13:10
MotoGP FP3: 13:25-14:10
Moto2 FP3: 14:25-15:10
Moto3 QP: 16:05-16:45
MotoGP FP4: 17:00-17:30
MotoGP QP1: 17:40-17:55
MotoGP QP2: 18:05-18:20
Moto2 QP: 18:35-19:20
Sunday 22nd May
Moto3 Race: 14:30
Moto2 Race: 15:50
MotoGP Race: 17:30
Now All we have to do is sit back and wait for the lights to go green.
