Qatar Race Debut Right Around The Corner
The first round of the MotoGP season is almost here. On the 26th March 2017, the nerves will grow, the riders are sure to be excited yet anxious and teams are looking forward to battling once again both on and off track. The rivalry is growing as teams unveil their aerodynamic fairings and race pace on track. Ducati has already thrown their punch to the paddock by unveiling the new hammerhead fairing design. Repsol Honda in addition to Ducati showcased their new fairing structure even though their primary focus was previously on the engine and electronics. Repsol Honda utilised their time at the test by refining their general race set up in preparation for the Championship bid and are guaranteed to be charging hard.
The Qatar test featured more crashes than any other test. Marquez crashed three times though believes if they were starting tomorrow he could fight for the podium. Marquez does have some kind of pressure on his shoulders to perform due to the fact that he was the World Champion last year. On the other hand, Maverick Vinales finished on top of the time sheets once again and shook up the paddock with his ability to adapt from one circuit to the next. In terms of his race pace, Vinales feels comfortable and is excited about his chances at the Qatar circuit when the event takes place just around the corner. His fitness is at 100% and his current state of mind is that if they can arrive at the Qatar race with the same feeling as the test, it is game on for the victory and also the pressure is on for Valentino Rossi to compete with the Spanish rider.
Valentino Rossi has not had the strongest start to 2017 with many issues arising and his confidence with the bike not where it needs to be. Rossi feels as though his bike is lacking and he is not sure on how make the bike work at its maximum level. This is very concerning for the Doctor considering the race is only a short time away and he is aiming for a tenth World Championship. On a side note, Rossi is hard on himself and there is no doubt that he will find a way to make himself faster and stronger before the first few races are completed. In contrast to Rossi, Cal Crutchlow rounded out the Qatar test feeling optimistic and ready for the first event. The plan they originally set up was completed and Crutchlow is bridging the gap to the factory Repsol Honda Team lap by lap. It is great to see when the team comes together to fix a problem and look out for Crutchlow as he attempts to win more races in 2017 on board his LCR Honda MotoGP machine.
Overall, there are two riders who are beyond excited for their race debut at Qatar and that is Jorge Lorenzo and Alvaro Bautista. Both of the Spanish riders have exceeded expectation in the pre-season and are aiming for top results in the weeks and months following. On the final day of testing Lorenzo finished in fourth position on the time sheets whilst Bautista was fifth. Ducati will be smiling one from side to the other as they watch their investments in the sport grow. Bautista’s goal for Qatar is to have the same feeling from the testing schedules and to continue enjoying the support from the factory Ducati team that is provided. Lorenzo on the other hand had eyes all over him as well as teammate Dovizioso when they showcased the new hammerhead fairing. Talk about a shark attack attitude to the new challenges that are waiting for them in 2017. The riders and crew will weigh up the pros and cons before making a decision on what bike structure and set up to utilise in the first race. We will have to wait for this. Lorenzo is much more confident after the Qatar test although is very aware of the decisions to be made including which tyres to use, the race pace that is required to be at the front and remaining optimistic as an athletes state of mind is essential to winning!
