MotoGP hits Catalunya this weekend – Preview – Who is your tip..?

2024 MotoGP World Championship
Round Six – Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya
Preview

The Barcelona-Catalunya circuit is relatively new, having been built in 1991 in preparation for the 1992 Summer Olympics. It has been used on numerous occasions for a variety of non-motorised sports (such as cycle races), but has hosted MotoGP every year since 1996.

A MotoGP movie, ‘IDOLS’, a Warner feature film based on MotoGP, will start shooting at various MotoGP events during the second half of this season, starting this weekend in Catalunya and continuing in subsequent events held in Italy and Spain.

Last year, 2023, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) established the new all-time circuit lap record during Q2 at 1m38.639, while Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) set a new maximum speed record at 356.4 km/h.  This year, the Grand Prix returns to its usual place on the calendar in spring, at the beginning of June, instead of at the beginning of September last season. This will bring some changes, particularly in terms of air and ground temperatures, although the weather is still usually mild in Catalunya at this time of year, and the forecast for this weekend is for fine conditions with little chance of rain and temperature maximums in the mid-20s.

The circuit is 4.627 km long, with six left turns and eight right, along with a straight of 1,047 metres. The tarmac at Catalunya is so smooth that MotoGP bikes can spin their rear tyres at speed even in a straight line, so tuning of the traction control and anti-slip systems will be pivotal.

The circuit is also highly demanding on brakes, with more than 30-seconds of the lap spent under brakes and five of the turns requiring more than three-seconds of application.

Bagnaia’s statement in Jerez remains as stunning as the day he made it. To stand face to face with one of the names already in the debate for greatest of all time, before he’s even retired, and not only not back down but come out on top? A statement made as you build your own legacy.

Martin’s throwdown at Le Mans is likewise more than the sum of its parts, taking on not only the reigning Champion but that same duel from Jerez and beating both. In serious style, too, to make his own big statement. A different style to Bagnaia in Jerez, and a different style to Marquez.

Three approaches to attacking the same goal is part of what has made the story so electric so far. Martin has explosive pace, Bagnaia has unruffled poise, and Marquez? Marquez redefined an era and is now making his mark on another. The new era is also responding.

Marquez’s season so far can be almost summed up by the vision of him screaming back onto the scene into the chicane at Le Mans when it looked like the fight for the win was a last-lap duel, and he made sure it wasn’t. From P13 on the grid and last year’s bike. Now, he just needs to do it again, and again, and again – but no one else on the grid has his experience of doing just that. Three riders, three approaches, one incredible show.

Still, however much the last couple of races have been a stunning showdown between the reigning Champion, the pretender to the throne and the benchmark of an era, all determined to show each other exactly what they’ve got, it’s not a grid of three. It wasn’t in Qatar, or Portugal, or the Americas, or Jerez, or Le Mans in front or that record-breaking crowd. And it won’t be in Barcelona as one of the most packed fields in MotoGP history rolls into town ready to paint another masterpiece.

The results for the French GP are also deceptive in some ways. If Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) hadn’t cut that apex and been given the Long Lap penalty, the ‘Beast’ would surely have been in the podium hunt. That would also likely have kept him in the top three in the standings. But he wasn’t and isn’t, and there are no takebacks in MotoGP… only comebacks. As the rumours around the future swirl, can Bastianini make his own statement in Barcelona? He’s been far from slow in 2024, he knows what it takes to win, and he has a very good track record at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. He also probably wants to remind everyone exactly why he’s on the machine he is – he won four races in the seat Marc Marquez occupies now, and two were in the first four.

Enea Bastianini

“Unfortunately, I don’t have good memories of Barcelona last year, given the accident I had in the race that forced me to miss three more GPs. Despite that, I arrive at Montmeló serene and confident: race after race, I manage to be faster, and I am constantly improving. We have a good base from which to set the work for the weekend, and the goal is to continue fighting for the top positions.”

Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), meanwhile, was pretty fast in France but crashed out, so he’ll want to bounce back after that uptick in Jerez, whereas team-mate Fabio Di Giannantonio will be keen to show he has the upper hand regardless.

Marco Bezzecchi

“We have two challenging weeks ahead of us, but on two very beautiful tracks. The final sector in Barcelona is a unique sequence of corners. I can’t wait to get back at work, in France we confirmed that we can keep up with the pace of the best guys, but in the race we weren’t able to solidify our performance. The goal is to be able to stay with the strongest riders from Friday.”

Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) got that coveted finish after some solid speed, taking P7, but that still won’t be enough for him. And for Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) – on home turf and a track where he has a good record – it’s definitely a mission to get back in that postcode he occupied in Jerez.

For Aprilia Racing, it’s a case of “no pressure, but-” looking back on the factory’s 2023 Catalan GP. Aleix Espargaro did the double, and Maverick Viñales took P3 in the Sprint before making it a 1-2 on Sunday. It’s unlikely the marque won’t be at the front in 2024 too, but it will be interesting to see if the pecking order changes. Espargaro has a great record at Catalunya, but Viñales has had his measure more often than not in 2024 – already having won a Grand Prix race and two Sprints. Which is an understatement for Vinales, as his COTA win is most definitely one of the most otherworldly masterpieces hanging in the 2024 gallery so far.

At Trackhouse Racing MotoGP, Miguel Oliveira will want to turn it around after Le Mans, with a solid Jerez not proving a building block as yet. He did knock Marc Marquez out of Q2, though, which is no small scalp. His team-mate, Raul Fernandez, will be an interesting watch too – he’s on the machine that won the 2023 GP, and he had a solid French GP getting the measure of Oliveira.

Miguel Oliveira

“It’s always nice to come to Barcelona. It’s a track that is a part of my early days in racing – I have always raced in Barcelona. I have a good memory here with Aprilia from last year and hopefully will be able make an even more memorable one this season. It’s a quite technical track; you need to pay a lot of attention to the first chicane, you can lose a lot of time there. Then there’s the fast section and the double right corners in the last sector. As it’s a track that doesn’t have much grip, you always need to manage the tyres to be competitive through to the end of the Grand Prix. I’m really confident for Barcelona.”

It was a tougher weekend at Le Mans for KTM and GASGAS. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) found himself in a shocking last place on the grid after a nightmare run up to the lights going out, but on Sunday he pulled off a classic Binder and came home a solid eighth.

For rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) it was almost the reverse as he qualified P7 and then made his first and only Sunday mistake so far, crashing out – alone by a hair’s breadth – to bring his run as the only rider to score in all Sprints and GP races so far to an end.

Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), meanwhile, is missing the later race pace and will want a solid finish, and Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) scored points in France but is still looking for that step forward.

At Yamaha, there was plenty to celebrate in France from Fabio Quartararo’s (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) home GP, even if the points didn’t end up on the board. The Frenchman went straight through to Q2 and, on Sunday, was up in sixth before a crash out.  Riding with the new aerodynamics package that he tried at the private Mugello test last week makes the Frenchman even more eager to start work.

Fabio Quartararo

“After the private Mugello Test, we settled on an aerodynamics version we’ll try here this weekend. I’m interested to see what it will be like. For sure, we’ll do our best, as always. It’s a Monster Energy-sponsored GP, so the team is fully motivated. Barcelona is one of my favourite circuits as well – I rode some really good races here, especially in 2022. We made a step with the setting in Le Mans, so let‘s see if we can get some good results this weekend.”

Álex Rins used the private Mugello test to do a reset to find a solid base setting as well as to evaluate new items. Born in Barcelona, Rins is a local hero.

Alex Rins

“This is the first Monster Energy GP of the season and it’s also my home GP, so for sure that adds a bit of extra excitement. We have been working hard trying to make the most of the extra track time the private Mugello Test gave us. This weekend we will have a new aeropackage available to us, the version I liked. So, all in all, I am just really looking forward to start riding in Montmeló.”

Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) pulled some gap on his fellow Honda riders at Le Mans and he’ll want to keep that roll going.

After a more positive Jerez, Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) will want a solid finish to hit back, and the mission continues for Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) and Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) to move forward as the project looks to make a big step. After a test at Mugello and with a wildcard this weekend for Stefan Bradl, it’s all hands on deck for Honda.

Joan Mir

“I am excited to be back in front of the home fans, it’s always a busy weekend for us as riders but you enjoy it no matter what. We arrive here in a positive way, our final result in France is not what we wanted but in the last two races we have been able to make good progress during the weekend. This is what I want to maintain, improving and taking the maximum we can from our package. Let’s have a good weekend and put on a nice show for all the fans!”

MotoGP Championship Standings

Moto2

Following a flawless ride to a second victory of the season at Le Mans, Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) lands in Barcelona back in the hot seat as the Moto2 World Championship leader. No rider laid a glove on the Spaniard in France’s Sunday outing and after two wins in his last three starts, Garcia will be oozing confidence arriving at a circuit he collected his equal-best result at in his rookie campaign – a P4.

Garcia has a winning pedigree in Barcelona too thanks to his 2021 Moto3 Catalan GP effort, so beating the #3 is set to be a tricky prospect for the likes of second in the title race, Joe Roberts. P4 in Le Mans ended the OnlyFans American Racing Team star’s string of three consecutive P2 finishes, but it was more solid points collected for the American and he was only a whisker off the rostrum.

The podium places last time out went the way of comeback King Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI), who will be craving a Saturday improvement to enable his Sundays to become less hassle, and Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors SpeedUp) as we witnessed the first Moto2 podium since Valencia 2013 to not feature a Kalex rider. That’s some stat. And with Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors SpeedUp) having a quiet weekend in Le Mans, the Spaniard is another Boscoscuro star who will expect to be on form again on home soil. Aron Canet (Fantic Racing), meanwhile, has good form in Barcelona and will be back to fuller strength.

Last year’s Catalan GP winner, Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar), will be another rider on a Kalex seeking to find an extra burst of speed though, not yet off the mark fully in 2023 as a tantalising title fight in the Riders’ and Constructors’ Championships continues to unravel.

Australian Senna Agius took a huge step in the right direction at Le Mans with his strongest qualifying to date, giving the youngster confidence that all the hard work with his crew will pay off in time for the decisive qualifying session.

Moto2 Championship Standings

Moto3

Jerez’s error was a tough pill to swallow, but David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar) responded in the best way possible: winning. The Colombian pipped title rivals Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) and Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) to the 25 points in Le Mans. Ahead of a date with Barcelona – the scene of Alonso’s second Moto3 win in 2023 – the #80 is now a solitary point behind Holgado in the Championship chase.

The latter kept up his impressive start to the season in France. It’s now just Jerez’s P7 that stands as Holgado’s non-top two finish in 2024, but his one win is in comparison to Alonso’s three so far, so the #96 will want to add a second victory soon enough. So will Veijer, with the Dutchman 32 points away in P3 overall after claiming two podiums in a row.

Joel Kelso is enjoying his strongest-ever start to the season and will want to keep that pace going, while rookie countryman Jacob Roulstone will be fighting to get back inside the championship top ten.

Moto3 Championship Standings

MotoE

The FIM Enel MotoE World Championship put on another stunning show in Le Mans, and we’re about to reset, recharge and do it all again. The classic Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya hosts next and it’s just two points in it at the top between reigning Champion Mattia Casadei (LCR E-Team) and compatriot Nicholas Spinelli (Tech3 E-Racing), with everything to play for in Barcelona.

Casadei arrives from another two podiums in France and a new record in his back pocket for most consecutive rostrum finishes in the electric category: 11. The Italian has kept his elbows out but balanced that with impressive consistency, including that last lap decision at Le Mans that there was no gap – and sometimes it’s better to not risk making one. Whether he’ll feel the same as the rounds roll on is another question, because his closest rival as it stands – Spinelli – is on a serious roll.

The Tech3 Racing rider has now won three of four races in 2024, and he finished 2023 off with his maiden victory too. The only rider to have defeated Spinelli in 2024 is arguably Spinelli as he jumped the start and then crashed out of Race 2 in Portugal, so can he overhaul Casadei this time out and keep the roll going?

It’s not a two-horse race, however, with plenty more contenders looking to hit back. Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE) will be high on the list after his supreme speed in France brought him no rewards. Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) was in one incident with Alessandro Zaccone (Tech3 E-Racing) in Race 1 – we’ll let the fans argue that one out – before another with Andrea Mantovani (KLINT Forward Factory Team) in Race 2, they’ll all want some more luck in Barcelona. All are race winners too, as are Lukas Tulovic (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE) and Miquel Pons (Axxis-MSI) – the latter a winner in Barcelona.

Kevin Zannoni (Openbank Aspar Team) is now third overall after taking his best MotoE result yet in France too, and home hero Jordi Torres, also with Openbank Aspar Team, will want to start attacking for podiums. Where better than home turf? Another rider looking to re-find some form he’s already proven time and again is Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE), who has the second most victories in MotoE overall but has had a tougher start to 2024 so far.

Meanwhile, rookie Oscar Gutierrez (Axxis-MSI) marches on. After a podium in Round 1 in Portugal, he did it again at Le Mans and at a venue he’s never raced.

MotoE Championship Standings

2024 FIM MotoGP World Championship calendar (Updated)