MotoGP set to heat up at Aragon - This weekend's Aragon MotoGP shapes as being a classic, after Jorge Lorenzo's victory in San Marino breathed new life into the championship race. readmore Race Results MotoGP Misano San Marino Italy 2011
Heading into the San Marino round, Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner was a clear frontrunner in the title race after three MotoGP wins on the trot handed him a 44-point lead in the riders' standings.
But reigning champion Lorenzo's win on his Yamaha, and the second-placing of Stoner's Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa, cut the Australian's lead at the top to 35 points with five races still to come.
Furthermore, Spaniards Lorenzo and Pedrosa will be racing on home soil in the north-east of Spain at the Motorland Aragon circuit, although Stoner - who finished third in Misano - did claim victory in the corresponding race last year.
Stoner leads the standings on 259 points from Lorenzo (224) with Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso next best on 185 and Pedrosa in fourth place on 150.
Of the other contenders to watch, Marco Simoncelli could be the most in-form, after the 24-year-old Italian claimed a maiden MotoGP podium two races ago in the Czech Republic and followed that up with fourth place in San Marino on his San Carlo Honda Gresini.
Simoncelli's compatriot Dovizioso finished fifth in San Marino, with American Yamaha Factory rider Ben Spies taking sixth.
Seven-time champion Valentino Rossi has endured a nightmare 2011 on his Ducati, with his best effort for the season a third in Le Mans back in May, and although he finished seventh in San Marino the Italian said he was buoyed by some of the work his team had done.
"Last year at Aragon was the best race of the year for Ducati, so we approach this round with our expectations a little higher than usual," Rossi said.
"In addition, after the difficult practice sessions at Misano, we found a good set-up in the end and I had a better feeling with the bike and managed to ride it better in the race, especially in the early laps."
"Now we'll try to combine the two things - the track that seems to work well with the Desmosedici and the good set-up work - in order to find the same feeling on Sunday."
Riders head to the Aragon circuit this year with a clearer idea of what to expect from the 5.34km circuit, which held its inaugural MotoGP race in 2010, and the circuit boasts large elevation changes and several fast corners. (au.sports.yahoo.com)
Heading into the San Marino round, Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner was a clear frontrunner in the title race after three MotoGP wins on the trot handed him a 44-point lead in the riders' standings.
But reigning champion Lorenzo's win on his Yamaha, and the second-placing of Stoner's Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa, cut the Australian's lead at the top to 35 points with five races still to come.
Furthermore, Spaniards Lorenzo and Pedrosa will be racing on home soil in the north-east of Spain at the Motorland Aragon circuit, although Stoner - who finished third in Misano - did claim victory in the corresponding race last year.
Stoner leads the standings on 259 points from Lorenzo (224) with Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso next best on 185 and Pedrosa in fourth place on 150.
Of the other contenders to watch, Marco Simoncelli could be the most in-form, after the 24-year-old Italian claimed a maiden MotoGP podium two races ago in the Czech Republic and followed that up with fourth place in San Marino on his San Carlo Honda Gresini.
Simoncelli's compatriot Dovizioso finished fifth in San Marino, with American Yamaha Factory rider Ben Spies taking sixth.
Seven-time champion Valentino Rossi has endured a nightmare 2011 on his Ducati, with his best effort for the season a third in Le Mans back in May, and although he finished seventh in San Marino the Italian said he was buoyed by some of the work his team had done.
"Last year at Aragon was the best race of the year for Ducati, so we approach this round with our expectations a little higher than usual," Rossi said.
"In addition, after the difficult practice sessions at Misano, we found a good set-up in the end and I had a better feeling with the bike and managed to ride it better in the race, especially in the early laps."
"Now we'll try to combine the two things - the track that seems to work well with the Desmosedici and the good set-up work - in order to find the same feeling on Sunday."
Riders head to the Aragon circuit this year with a clearer idea of what to expect from the 5.34km circuit, which held its inaugural MotoGP race in 2010, and the circuit boasts large elevation changes and several fast corners. (au.sports.yahoo.com)
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