Spanish trio target victory in Catalonia

Reigning MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo is looking to build on his impressive victory at the Italian Grand Prix a fortnight ago when attention switches to the Catalan Grand Prix this weekend.

Lorenzo, who has won twice at the Montmelo track in 2010 and 2012, still trails compatriot Dani Pedrosa by 12 points in this season’s championship after five races, but brought himself right back into contention with a dominant ride in Italy after a disappointing seventh placed finish at the French Grand Prix last month.

“I’m quite satisfied after our great result at Mugello that completed an almost perfect weekend,” he told Yahama Team Racing’s webiste.

“Compared to Mugello, Montmelo is a little bit slower but at least there are no first gear corners and hopefully that will help us a lot. This is a good track for us and we have to profit from it and try to repeat the victory. It could be great for the Championship.”

Pedrosa though is hoping home advantage can spur him onto a third victory of the season.

The 27-year-old Honda rider hails from Sabadell barely a half an hour drive from the circuit in Montmelo and believes it is difficult to say who will have the advantage as Yamaha and Honda go head-to-head once more.

“It is obviously a good feeling to be coming back to this race because it is always an exciting one for me,” he told motogp.com.

“It’s difficult to say now whether it will be a Honda circuit or a Yamaha circuit, but I hope that the bike goes well there and that we can have a good race against the Yamahas. I would say that victories are key at this stage of the championship and, with strong rivals, it is important to be on the podium.”

And there is another Spanish rider in the championship shake-up as Pedrosa’s young team-mate Marc Marquez currently stands third in the stadings in his first season in MotoGP.

After a stunning start to the season in which he finished on the podium in each of the first four races, including becoming the youngest rider to win a MotoGP when he won the Grand Prix of the Americas in the United States, 20-year-old Marquez lost ground on his compatriots at Mugello as he crashed out when seemingly set for runners-up spot after passing Pedrosa.

However, he has been cleared to race again this weekend and can’t wait to get back on the track.

“After crashing out at Mugello, I really can’t wait to get back on the bike at my home Grand Prix in Montmelo!” he also told motogp.com

“I am more relaxed after seeing Dr. Mir last week and he confirmed there are no complications with my injuries and I am on my way to feeling 100% again.

“This is another track where all the other riders have much more experience than me and they will be extra tough to beat, but we will keep to our own programme, work hard and try our best.”