Within the paddock, the Jerez race is always considered the “real” start of the season. The first date of the European tour, on traditional circuits and where the real level of all the competitors will truly be seen. Of course what we have seen so far counts, but all MotoGP riders have pointed out this Spanish Grand Prix as a key moment.
“We are returning to Europe, we are starting to have back-to-back races, so Jerez is the turning point, either you get your act together or you go to the box,” said the current championship leader, Jorge Martín, whose 21-point lead does not Nobody takes them away from them, even though they don’t give it much importance. “It’s easy to lose them in a moment, so what you have to think about is to keep adding, because the year is very long,” acknowledged the pilot from San Sebastián de los Reyes. Jorge Martín has established himself at this start as the rival to beat thanks to his consistency every time he lines up on the grid. Among the six races and sprints that have been held, Martín has been on all the podiums except last Sunday in Austin, when he finished fourth.
In addition to the Madrid native, the fittest rider at the beginning of the year is Maverick Viñales, overall winner in Texas and who seems to have found his best version with the Aprilia. And the one who should never be ruled out is the two-time champion Pecco Bagnaia, winner a year ago on this circuit and who this year is capable of the best and the worst. From sweeping the inaugural event in Qatar to going unnoticed in Austin. The Italian is having a hard time understanding the new Ducati GP2024.
A packed house is expected at the Jerez-Ángel Nieto circuit, at the Spanish motorcycling festival that this year will be more present than ever. The recovery of Marc Márquez for the cause, once his injury was overcome and with competitive mechanics, gives hope to a fan that idolizes him. Without being one of his favorite tracks, he has three victories in MotoGP (2014, 2018 and 2019), although his ordeal also began on this track, with that fateful fall during the pandemic that destroyed his arm. So far his start to the year has been like a roller coaster, with great moments like his two sprint podiums, but with two zeros on the last Sundays that hamper his options. At least Austin’s last crash was leading the race. And that gives him hope of meeting the best version of himself again.
Acosta, in all the pools
Seeing Márquez win again is not a pipe dream, nor is seeing Pedro Acosta’s first victory in the premier class. “They’ve been waiting for it since the first race, so this pressure is not new for me,” he said, resigned, but with the usual self-confidence of him, the driver from Mazarrón. Taking his last two results (third in Portimao and second in Austin, where he led part of the race) he is progressing towards achieving it, on a track that he knows perfectly and where his motorcycle, the KTM, uses as a test bench. Furthermore, he already knows what it’s like to win in Jerez, in his first year of the World Cup when he was still a newcomer to Moto3. Acosta is in all the pools for Sunday.
And just in case there were few incentives in Jerez, Dani Pedrosa will repeat his ‘wild card’ this weekend, a year after he had a mass bath on his return to the circuits. In theory his role is that of a KTM tester, who has brought a different prototype to this grand prix for the Spaniard to test and give his guidelines for the important test on Monday. But he is still in shape, as he showed last year with his seventh place finish.
Furthermore, in some way, Pedrosa has sponsored Acosta’s start in the premier category. Still in preseason, at the Malaysia circuit, the young rookie followed the veteran’s wheel to learn the lines with a MotoGP, but the Murcian learns quickly and now Pedrosa aspires to be able to follow his pupil: “I hope he gives me a little roll this weekend. Martín, Viñales, Márquez, Acosta, Pedrosa… and those who remain; in addition to the almost absolutist dominance in the small categories for a grand prix in Jerez that will once again be the festival of Spanish motorcycling.
2024-04-25 17:59:08
#Jerez #calibrates #real #start #MotoGP
