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Who can steal the show at French MotoGP?
Bengaluru, May 15: Marc Marquez put up an impressive display on home turf in Jerez, riding for redemption after his crash out the lead at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) and showed that he is certainly capable of sealing the deal in a dominant race.
In doing so he also took back the FIM MotoGP World Championship lead, and in terms of race wins and track records, Marquez has a solid CV at Le Mans, the venue of the fifth round of the series on Sunday (May 19), as is becoming true everywhere - and the reigning champion will be gunning for his third premier class victory at the venue.
But there is one man who stole some of the headlines in Spain - as well as a few records - and now it is his turn to race on home turf.
Fabio Quartararo has been an impressive rookie since he stepped up, but in Jerez he stepped it up even further.
Breaking Marquez' record as the youngest pole-sitter, he seemed on course for a first-ever premier class podium right behind the reigning champion - before the heartbreak of a mechanical failure. Later, he smashed his new lap record in testing by half a second.
Fast Frenchman
The Frenchman is fast and his home crowd will be behind him every lap - at a track where Yamaha have often reigned.
It's home turf time for Quartararo. Will the Quartararo show start to pick up traction and threaten them as well as the Rookie of the Year crown?
Rins is behind
One man hoping to leapfrog the Frenchman a little earlier in the race this time around is Alex Rins.
The Spaniard followed up his first MotoGP win at COTA with a second place behind Marquez, but Rthe Team Suzuki Ecstar rider had fought through to it from ninth on the grid.
Dovizioso in the mix
Andrea Dovizioso, meanwhile, missed the podium at Jerez by mere tenths and saw himself slip down to third in the standings.
Last year at Le Mans he crashed, but it was out the lead - and it is a track that has been kinder to the Italian than Jerez. A Ducati has never won there, but with the increasing all-round form of the Borgo Panigale factory, is now the time?
Vinales threat
And what of Maverick Vinales? After his first podium of the season the Spaniard could be a key threat, and he won at Le Mans in 2017 when he famously outpaced team-mate Valentino Rossi and the ‘Doctor' went down on the final lap.
Rossi, too, could be one to watch despite a more difficult Jerez, having won there three times in the premier class and boasting the usual impressive record.
Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 15:44 [IST]
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