After a three-way battle for the win ending in a photo finish at Mugello, the title fight is closer than ever: second place finisher Marco Bezzecchi (Redox Prüstel GP) is now on 83 points, with Italian GP winner Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) trailing him by three and third place man, Martin’s teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio, on 75. It’s close, and that means everything hangs in the balance for Barcelona.
Aside from the three emerging as the men to beat, however, there are some key names looking to get back on top. After a solid sixth for Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing) at Mugello, he’s lost some ground but the season is long, and that’s true of Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0), who took P11 in Italy and wants to get back on the top step. It’s tough to escape the pack at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya but it can be done: Maverick Viñales and Alex Marquez have showed that.
The likes of Andrea Migno (Angel Nieto Team), his teammate and Le Mans winner Albert Arenas, Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA BOE Skull Rider) and Marcos Ramirez (Bester Capital Dubai) will be aiming to make that as difficult as possible, however – as will the rookies, who get back onto familiar turf at the track. A venue on the calendar of the FIM CEV Repsol, Catalunya is known to Alonso Lopez (Estrella Galicia 0,0), Dennis Foggia (Sky Racing Team VR46), Makar Yurchenko (CIP – Green Power) and Jaume Masia (Bester Capital Dubai).
It’s also a home race for many on the grid, as well as the closest to it for some – with a lot of riders resident in or around Barcelona. So the stakes are high, not least in the Championship – will Bezzecchi strike back, Martin keep his momentum or Di Giannantonio take his first win? Or will it be another name entirely crowning themselves the Moto3™ king of Catalunya?
Find out from the 15th to 17th June.