The Circuit of the Americas welcomes the MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 teams ahead of this weekend’s race. The American race measures 5.5km in length, has 11 left and 9 right hand corners and has a long straight of 1200m. Valentino Rossi is heading to the Austin track with the Championship lead and some hungry competitors ready to bite at his feet. Marc Marquez will be looking to redeem himself after a devastating start to the season. The same can be said for Jack Miller who crashed on the last lap in Qatar. Marc stated in the Repsol Honda press release that he is looking forward to Austin and putting Qatar behind him. Marquez is aiming to work hard in FP1 in order to gain the momentum he needs to be on the podium. His teammate for the weekend is Honda test rider Hiroshi Aoyama who is filling in for an injured Dani Pedrosa. The good news for Pedrosa fans is that his surgery was a success. Dani is expected to be back on the bull sometime soon. We wish Dani a speedy recovery.
Valentino on the other hand is confident going into the race weekend but is aware of the disadvantages the track poses for the Yamaha. Rossi stated in the Yamaha press release that even though Austin is a modern track, the two long straights are actually a weak point for the team. However, Rossi’s teammate Jorge Lorenzo is ready to rock and roll. He is eager to race and feels very fit and mentally strong. The barbeques will be cooking, the bulls in action and the points on offer crucial for those who are aiming for a Championship title. Congratulations are in order for Nicky Hayden who will be taking part in his 200th Grand Prix at home in America. This is a wonderful achievement for Nicky who has one World Championship title to his name. The challenges for the Aspar MotoGP Team are clear though Nicky will do his best to stay competitive.
In the Moto2 and Moto3 paddocks, the racing intensity will be at a high level after such dramatic race finishes in Qatar. Tito Rabat needs to utilise the first few opening laps to find a rhythm and finish the race in the top five if his dreams of becoming the first back to back Moto2 World Championship holder is to come true. Whereas, Johann Zarco felt that the end result in Qatar was unfair although he is completely aware of how incredibly unpredictable road racing can be. Drive M7 SIC’s Moto3 rider Jakub Kornfeil feels that the team is more prepared for Austin and is excited about his chances of starting on the grid in a more comfortable position. Finally, talented Australian rider Remy Gardner is expected to recover from a nasty crash in Qatar. He is feeling up to the challenge and former World Champion and father Wayne Gardner knows that Remy can improve race by race!
