Eight months and seventeen races since the start of the 2016 championship in Qatar, the MotoGP teams and riders have arrived in Spain for the final round of the season, the Valencia Grand Prix at the Ricardo Tormo circuit. The track, which is located at Cheste on the outskirts of Valencia, is the fourth race this year on Spanish soil: it runs in a counter-clockwise direction and has one of the slowest average speeds on the calendar.
Following the splendid victory of Andrea Dovizioso in the Malaysia GP at Sepang two weeks ago, this weekend will be an important one for the Ducati Team, because it will also mark the final race in Ducati for Andrea Iannone. In his two years in the factory team, the man from Vasto has rapidly become one of the quickest riders in MotoGP: he has finished six times on the podium, set two pole positions and obtained three fastest laps. Furthermore, with his triumph in Austria in August, he had the honour of bringing the Borgo Panigale manufacturer back to the winners’ podium in a GP for the first time since 2010.
As always, Sunday’s race will be followed by the two-day IRTA official test session, which kicks off the 2017 season and which on Tuesday and Wednesday will see Andrea Dovizioso flanked by the three-time world champion, Jorge Lorenzo, who makes his debut on the Italian bike.
The Ducati Team has scored two MotoGP wins at Valencia, with Troy Bayliss in 2006 and with Casey Stoner in 2008. Andrea Dovizioso has taken part in eight MotoGP races at Valencia, with his best result a third place in 2011. Last year he finished seventh after starting from the third row. Andrea Iannone will be taking part in MotoGP for the fourth time at this circuit: in 2015 he qualified on row 3 with seventh quickest time, but had to retire after a crash in the early laps.
With one round left in the championship, Dovizioso lies fifth overall with 162 points, while Iannone is tenth on 96.
The Valencia weekend programme gets underway on Friday morning with the first free practice session at 09.55 CET while the thirty-lap race is scheduled for Sunday at 14.00 CET.
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 5th (162 points)
“It was a really special feeling for me to win in Sepang, because it was important to win a race this season, and now I can go to Valencia with this off my mind and fully aware of my worth. My goal was to arrive fifth in the championship and I have a chance to do that but above all I’m happy with the improvements made this year by the bike, the team and on a personal level, so now I’ll do everything to finish the championship in the best possible way in Spain.”
Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team #29) – 10th (96 points)
“For me Valencia will be a difficult circuit from a physical point of view: I’ll try and do my best but it won’t be easy. It will also be my last race with Ducati and so I’ll be giving 100%. I’ve had four fantastic years in Ducati, especially the last two as factory rider, and we’ve done an incredible job together, especially since the arrival of Gigi, with whom I’ve always had a really good understanding. When you manage to work so well with a group of people, it’s always tough to go separate ways, but life goes on and from Monday I will have a new challenge ahead of me.”
The Valencia circuit
Completed in 1999, the Valencia circuit first held a MotoGP round in the same year. The track has several layouts with varying lengths and runs anti-clockwise. Although the circuit itself is quite small, the massive grandstands can seat up to 150,000 spectators. The layout allows all parts of the circuit to be seen from anywhere and helps to create a unique atmosphere enjoyed by the enthusiastic Spanish public, which as always will arrive in force for the final race of the season.
Fastest Lap: Lorenzo (Yamaha), 1’30.011 (160.1 km/h) – 2015
Circuit Record: Lorenzo (Yamaha), 1’31.367 (157.8 km/h) – 2015
Best Pole: Lorenzo (Yamaha), 1’30.011 (160.1 km/h) – 2015
Top Speed: Dovizioso (Ducati), 335.9 km/h – 2015
Track Length: 4.0 km
Race Distance: 30 laps (120.2 km)
Corners: 14 (9 left, 5 right)
Race Start: 14.00 CET
2015 Results
Podium: 1st Lorenzo (Yamaha), 2nd Marquez (Honda), 3rd Pedrosa (Honda)
Pole Position: Lorenzo (Yamaha), 1’30.011 (160.180 km/h)
Fastest Lap: Lorenzo (Yamaha), 1’31.367 (157.803 km/h)
Andrea Dovizioso
Bike: Ducati Desmosedici GP
Race Number: 04
Age: 30 (born on March 23rd 1986 in Forlimpopoli, Italy)
Residence: Forlì (Italy)
Races: 257 (159 x MotoGP, 49 x 250cc, 49 x 125cc)
First GP: 2001 Italian GP (125cc)
Wins: 10 (1 x MotoGP, 4 x 250cc, 5 x 125cc)
First Win: 2004 South African GP (125cc)
Pole Positions: 16 (3 x MotoGP, 4 x 250cc, 9 x 125cc)
First Pole: 2003 French GP (125cc)
Titles: 1 (1 x 125cc)
Andrea Iannone
Bike: Ducati Desmosedici GP
Race Number: 29
Age: 27 (born on August 9th 1989 in Vasto, Italy)
Residence: Vasto (Italy)
Races: 191 (64 x MotoGP, 51 x Moto2, 76 x 125cc)
First GP: 2005 Spanish GP (125cc)
Wins: 13 (1 x MotoGP, 8 x Moto2, 4 x 125cc)
First Win: 2008 GP of China (125cc)
Pole Positions: 10 (2 x MotoGP, 5 x Moto2, 3 x 125cc)
First Pole: 2008 GP of Malaysia (125cc)
