Fabio Quartararo took his fifth win of the 2021 MotoGP season in impressive fashion in the British Grand Prix last time and the Frenchman could continue his dominant form in Sunday’s Aragon Grand Prix.
Quartararo leads the championship by 65 points, but he insists he is not allowing thoughts of the title to affect his approach.
The 22-year-old Yamaha star will start third, just as he did at Silverstone, after being overhauled late in qualifying by the Ducatis of Pecco Bagnaia and Jack Miller.
That was a bit of a surprise, since Aragon hasn’t historically been the best of circuits for Ducati. Bagnaia broke the track record with his pole lap, which is only the second of his premier-class career and first since the season opener in Qatar – a race in which he finished third.
Pole Man Bagnaia Has Plenty to Prove
Bagnaia’s only podium in the last eight races was when he was second in the chaotic Austrian Grand Prix, and he fell through the field like a stone in Britain last time as his tyres gave out before the end of the race, finishing 14th.
With all six manufacturers in the top six at Silverstone, it truly is anyone's game in #MotoGP!
Which factory will reign supreme this afternoon at Aragon?
#AragonGP
pic.twitter.com/6eycy22tfx
— MotoGP
Miller, already with two victories to his name this season, looks a more likely winner than his Ducati teammate.
A close-up fourth at Silverstone, Australian Miller was third at Aragon in 2019, although that is his only ever appearance in the top eight at the Spanish track in MotoGP.
Marquez Still Trying to Recapture His Form
Marc Marquez is the king of Aragon with four straight victories between 2016 and 2019 and the six-time champion will be hopeful of adding another to his tally from fourth on the grid.
The MotoGP legend missed a full calendar year with a serious arm injury, and while he made it back onto the top step of the rostrum in Germany this year he has looked a shadow of his former self.
Marquez retired on the opening lap at Silverstone after tangling with Jorge Martin, who again starts alongside him on Sunday.
That was the Honda rider’s fourth failure to finish in 10 outings this season but this is a track he loves and improvements are expected to be made
Vinales Returns in New Colours
Maverick Vinales, who won the opening race of the season in Qatar, split acrimoniously from his Yamaha team after the Styrian Grand Prix. But after missing two racing weekends, the Spaniard is back at Aragon with Aprilia – the team he had already agreed to join for next season.
He is jumping on the bike at the right time with Aleix Espargaro having claimed the team’s maiden podium at Silverstone, however while Espargaro starts sixth on Sunday Vinales is down in 19th. But that is still one place higher than last year’s Aragon winner Alex Rins.
*All odds correct at time of writing.