MotoGP: Three-Month Title Slog Starts in Misano

After a summer break, of sorts, the MotoGP World Championship returns to action this weekend in Misano for the San Marino Grand Prix. This will be the first of two races held at the World Circuit Marco Simoncelli and the first of nine races to be held over the next 11 weeks. 

Perhaps the biggest news coming into this weekend, however, does not involve the premier class – not directly, at least. Instead, it affects more significantly the Moto2 World Championship, as Jorge Martin has been ruled out of this weekend due to testing positive for COVID-19. The Spaniard lies currently three pints shy of Luca Marini in the intermediate class championship, although his absence in this weekend’s race, and possibly next weekend’s as well, gives his rivals – including the aforementioned Marini, as well as Marco Bezzecchi, Tetsuta Nagashima and Enea Bastianini – an opportunity to take advantage of. Certainly, it is not certain that this will cost Martin the title, but there is no question his task looks more difficult now than it did leaving Austria. 

Fortunately for Martin, of those mentioned, only Bastianini has won in Misano, that coming back in 2015 in the Moto3 race. So, all may not be lost for the Spaniard, but the situation nonetheless illustrates the fragility of not only the riders but the World Championship as a whole. 

And, of course, it should not be forgotten that this news comes on the eve of the first race to be held this year with fans in attendance. Whilst safety precautions will be implemented and strict protocols adhered to, the additional presence in the circuit could understandably cause discomfort in combination with the news of Martin. 

The presence of fans, though, does mean that there is an additional resource for the riders this weekend compared to the races that have taken place so far this year, as the large screens that usually populate the circuit in more normal circumstances will return in Misano. These can be used by the riders to gauge the race. A good example of this was in 2015 at Silverstone when, after the crash of Marc Marquez, Valentino Rossi used the big screen to see where he was relative to Danilo Petrucci who had taken up the chase after Marquez’ fall. 

With Marquez in mind, it is worth remembering the reigning World Champion will not be present this weekend and so the struggles of the 2020 Honda will likely continue. Its fortunes will not be helped by the physical condition of Cal Crutchlow, who had an operation last week in aid of compartment syndrome but which has caused complications for the #35. He will ride in FP1 on Friday morning before assessing his condition for the rest of the weekend. 

In Marquez’ absence, and with Crutchlow’s combination of injuries and poor feeling with the 2020 bike, Takaaki Nakagami has become the flagship rider for Honda. The Japanese rider was looking set to take his maiden MotoGP podium in Styria before the red flag courtesy of Maverick Vinales’ brake failure. It should not be forgotten that Nakagami is riding the 2019 Honda, with which Marc Marquez won the 2019 MotoGP race in Misano, so the opportunity is there once again for the #30 to climb the premier class rostrum for the first time.

Joan Mir faced a similar fate to Nakagami in Styria, missing out on what looked to be a certain maiden win in the second Red Bull Ring race. Mir was leading by over two seconds when the red flag was thrown and no one could match his pace. What was clear in Austria was the Suzuki’s strength in initial acceleration and braking stability, two things which are also important in Misano. However, the temperatures will likely be higher this weekend, which could change things for the GSX-RR. 

Previously the same could be said with certainty about Yamaha, however things have changed. Austria was bad for the Iwata marque but that came down primarily to engine performance which, in Misano, is less critical – you don’t get a chance to really open up a MotoGP bike in the World Circuit, not to the same extent as in Austria, anyway. It is also true that Yamaha need to hope that Misano works well for them, however, since they suffered so badly in the two Austrian races. Valentino Rossi was the top placed Yamaha on both occasions, finishing fifth in the Austrian Grand Prix and ninth in the Styrian round. Fabio Quartararo’s Austrian adventure was positively miserable, as his championship lead was whittled down to three points and he left the Red Bull Ring certain his championship chances were over.

However, Yamaha nearly won in Misano last year, and it was Fabio Quartararo who came the closest. Additionally, Yamaha filled second through fifth positions and have a good record in Misano, winning in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. 

More recently, however, Misano has belonged to the V4 bikes of Ducati and Honda, with the RC213V winning in 2016, 2017 and 2019 with Dani Pedrosa and then Marc Marquez; and Ducati winning in 2018 with Andrea Dovizioso. Of course, neither Pedrosa nor Marquez will be winning this weekend, but Dovizioso has, in theory, a good chance. The #04 suffered in the second Austrian race due to poor preparation on the tyres, something it seems that many riders have suffered with this year, which has seen a new construction rear tyre. As ever, this weekend will be decided by each rider’s ability to work with their team to understand the tyre better than anyone else. It’s just that, this year, understanding the tyre seems to be more complicated than in 2019, for example. 

In Styria, it was not only understanding the tyre but understanding the nature of the Red Bull Ring’s final corner that brought Portugal its first ever MotoGP winner in the shape of Miguel Oliveira. The #88 knew both Jack Miller and Pol Espargaro would run wide in the final corner as they fought on the entry, and he kept his cool to square them off on the exit. With thermal degradation likely proving key this weekend on both the front and rear tyres, keeping a cool head will be crucial once again, and KTM have proven over the past three races – of which they have won two – that they have a bike that can work in different circuits and in different conditions.