MotoGP™ Fantasy – it’s a tricky business, isn’t it? The first year of the game has arguably been played in conjunction with the most unpredictable season ever, giving MotoGP™ Fantasy team managers across the globe a headache every race weekend. However, motogp.com is here to help you out ahead of the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya.
With his recent run of form, Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Joan Mir seems like a must-have. Mir has finished P2, P4, P3 and P2 in his last four races and at the Misano double-header, the Spaniard came from P8 and P11 on the grid. Mir hasn’t been getting good qualifying points, but the points per position gained (two points per position) is a bonus for Fantasy team managers. In the last three races, Mir has scored 29 points on average – better than anyone else.
The Suzuki man is now second in the overall points tally on 144 points, only Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) has more in 2020, so the man fourth in the Championship should be going into your teams if he isn’t already. 784 players have already transferred Mir into their teams for the Catalan GP, while on the other hand, teammate Alex Rins is the most transferred out.
Next on the list is Pramac Racing's Francesco Bagnaia. The Italian was seven laps away from being the highest points scorer at both Misano races, with 38 and then 43 points, before disaster struck and the front-end of his Ducati washed out from beneath him.
But fear not, if you have the Italian in your team then keep the faith. If you don't have him in your team, then make him a priority. Ducati have had recent success in Catalunya with victories in 2017 and 2018, and were right in the mix in 2019 before Jorge Lorenzo wiped out Andrea Dovizioso. After breaking his leg in Brno, he's getting fitter by the day and looks set to bag another large points haul this weekend.
Another man worth keeping your eye on is Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Pol Espargaro. A second podium of the year at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix put the Spaniard third on the list when it comes to most points over the past three Grands Prix. The Spaniard has been on the front two rows of the grid all but twice so far this, collecting some valuable Saturday points and now appears to be putting it together on a Sunday too. He's definitely worth adding to your watchlist.
And if we're talking about Sunday consistency, look no further than Honda's leading light in 2020 - Takaaki Nakagami. The LCR Honda Idemitsu man is the only rider in the MotoGP™ World Championship to have finished inside the top ten at every single round so far this season, a run that has helped him average out at over 20 points a Grand Prix and sees him sit sixth in the highest points scorers of the season. A podium finish doesn't look too far away and with consistency like that, he could be a key differential to select and leave as a silver rider for the duration of the season.
Finally, a considerably cheaper option at only 1.7M is Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). It's fair to say the Moto2™ World Champion hasn't had the easiest start to life in MotoGP™ but there were obvious signs of progress last time out. A career best premier class finish and a handsome 29 points to go with it at Misano, plus heading to his home round in Barcelona this weekend, a venue he's taken three consecutive podium finishes at including two victories over the past three years, and the 24-year-old might be worth a punt this weekend.
The fight to be crowned overall Champion is most definitely on with Italy's Quartararismo currently holding a slender 4.5 point lead over Norway's Street Fighters. But with the halfway point only just reached, there's plenty of time to rise up the table and take the inaugural MotoGP™ Fantasy title come Portimao in November.
Don't forget, it's never too late to join MotoGP™ Fantasy and challenge your friends! The game is FREE and available now on motogp.com, fantasy.motogp.com and in the official MotoGP™ app – so get started on your MotoGP™ Fantasy now if you haven't already!