MotoGP 2020: Andalucia GP Pre-Race Talking Points

A Jerez double for Petronas Yamaha SRT’s Fabio Quartararo as the 21 year old Frenchman took his second consecutive pole position of the season for the Andalucia Grand Prix. It was deja vu as far as the top two were concerned with Monster Energy Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales qualifying second. However, there was no storybook comeback for defending MotoGP champion Marc Marquez as he will not take part in Sunday’s race. 

Fabulous Fabio 

The early championship leader is riding a wave at the moment. A win from pole position in last week’s season opener when he looked untouchable is now followed by pole position for round two. Maverick Vinales’ efforts to steal pole fell short as he went beyond track limits and had his laptime cancelled. There appears to be very little standing between Quartararo and his second MotoGP victory on Sunday. Quartararo’s success in qualifying - pole position for the opening two rounds of the season - is the first time for a Yamaha rider since Jorge Lorenzo took pole in the opening two rounds of the 2012 season. If Quartararo wins or even finishes on the podium, he will be looking very good for the championship as only eleven rounds will remain in the 2020 season. 

Rossi recovers

After a less than stellar qualifying and race in the opening round, Valentino Rossi gave his legion of fans something to cheer as he set the fourth fastest time to get on the second row of the starting grid. Michelin’s rear tyre has often been criticized by riders and Rossi in particular has suffered over a race distance. The former seven-time premier class champion has not been on a MotoGP podium since the third round of the 2019 season. One of the riders standing in his way is a VR46 Academy rider, however.

Top Ducati dog

Francesco Bagnaia turned some heads by qualifying third for the Andalucia GP, that too ahead of his mentor Valentino Rossi! More significantly, though, Bagnaia was the best placed Ducati rider, that too while riding for the satellite Pramac Ducati team. His teammate Jack Miller was seventh fastest while the highest placed factory Ducati rider, Danilo Petrucci was only 11th fastest. Perennial championship runner up Andrea Dovizioso was only 14th fastest.

Jerez horror for Honda

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) will be glad to see the last of the Jerez Circuit after Sunday’s race. The opening two rounds have seen their fortunes hit rock bottom. Marc Marquez’s crash and subsequent fracture that will keep him out of the race is an obvious one. Marquez’s brother and Repsol Honda teammate Alex Marquez crashing out of Q1 added to the misery. It led to the truly shocking qualifying classification where two Repsol Honda riders were dead last out of the participating riders. Their highest placed rider in qualifying was Takaaki Nakagami who was eighth fastest. It appeared to be going so wrong for Honda, that even their future rider crashed in qualifying! We are referring to Pol Espargaro who is currently riding for KTM but will be Marc Marquez’s Repsol Honda teammate from 2021.