The 2020 season has introduced a factor that has not been relevant – or even existent – for almost the entire history of MotoGP, in the form of back-to-back races. A normal season of MotoGP racing involves the paddock travelling from country to country, having just a single weekend at each circuit to figure out the best setup for the bike, find the optimal lines, form a strong mentality to fight it out on the Sunday. This year, we have already had three occurrences of two weekends in a row at the same circuit, allowing the riders a second opportunity to find their best possible form and push the absolute limit come race day. It is a unique situation, born of the difficulties of running a compact MotoGP season amongst a global pandemic, but it has brought some very interesting and exciting racing over the course of the year so far.
We can look at last weekend’s race as a good reference point, as a lot of the context should remain the same given that there has been no real change in weather or temperature. The frosty track temperatures benefited those who were able to get results from tires with little to no heat in them; the Suzukis and Yamahas were far and away the most consistent bikes over the practice sessions and Saturday’s qualifying, and the Ducatis were almost non-existent up until race day due to their difficulties. This would change somewhat for the race itself when the track temperatures finally allowed for some variety in tire choices, but we can expect some similar times and differences between manufacturers on Friday and Saturday.
But perhaps we can also look at the previous back-to-back races to gain an understanding of who to watch in the Teruel weekend. Riders such as Alex Marquez and Nakagami have shown an incredible boost in speed and consistency in the second races at Jerez, Austria and Misano, bettering their overall pace and position at the chequered flag every time. This kind of consistent improvement is difficult in a season like the one we face in 2020, as the riders need to not only improve their own talents but also keep up with the improvements of the rest of the field. Conversely, some riders like Dovizioso have fallen lower in the standings at most or all of the second races of the year, struggling to keep up with the quicker race pace and more competitive field every time.
Trying to predict a winner should in theory be easier when we are returning to the same circuit we raced at one week ago, but with the inconsistencies of 2020 it can still be a frustrating task. Rins and Marquez were steely in their grit and control in the Grand Prix of Aragon, so they should be obvious candidates to repeat their success, but with the chasing pack likely having more riders and being closer together, perhaps that controlling pace and technique will not be as strong an option. Quartararo and Morbidelli both failed to make good of their qualifying, so one could easily rule them out for this weekend, but they have both shown strength under pressure all season, and if the Yamahas as a whole can learn from their mistakes of last week they may find themselves much more able to fight for the win.
In truth, anything could happen this weekend. In just ten races this year, we have seen eight unique race winners, and fifteen different riders finish on the podium. We have seen manufacturers like KTM dominate one week, only to fail to put a rider in the top ten a week later. We have seen strong riders crash, unexpected results from others, and almost the entire paddock struggling to maintain any kind of consistency or form. It is a wild season we find ourselves in the midst of, but perhaps that is a good thing: we can almost guarantee that whatever happens when the lights go out this Sunday, it will be a pleasure to watch.
Solomon Talks Bikes 