MotoGP™ has arrived at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo for #TheDecider, and it’s not just two World Championships that go on the line in Valencia. For MotoGP™ Fantasy gamers, there is everything still to play for, and lots to think about ahead of what is set to be an enthralling Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana! Without further ado, let’s check the form guide after a nail-biting Malaysian GP.
Who made the Dream Team at Sepang?
Fittingly, two riders stood out in MotoGP™ Fantasy at the Malaysian Grand Prix, namely our World Championship contenders, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™). Bagnaia won the race after a brilliant start and opening lap from ninth on the grid, battling with future teammate Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) in an encounter which caused lots of tension on the pit wall for Ducati but thoroughly entertained the local fans. Pecco scored 48 MotoGP™ Fantasy points and if you had also selected Quartararo as one of your Gold Riders, then the Frenchman delivered another 34 points for you. He scored the majority of those points by gaining nine positions over the course of the Grand Prix, having qualified just 12th before launching his Yamaha all the way to the podium in a ride which kept his title defence alive.
Bastianini, of course, pushed Bagnaia all the way and his runner-up result at Sepang helped him score 29 MotoGP™ Fantasy points. ‘La Bestia’ was therefore one of the Dream Team picks as a Silver Rider, and the other one was Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), who scored 28 MotoGP™ Fantasy points. True to his nickname, though, ‘Thriller’ did so in very different fashion, with 16 of those points coming because of the net eight positions he gained in taking the chequered flag in sixth position from 14th on the grid.
Who won the constructors’ battle?
With so many Ducati riders near the top of the MotoGP™ Fantasy results in Malaysia, it was no surprise that the Bologna factory came out on top so far as the constructors’ battle was concerned. The results of Bagnaia and Bastianini meant that Ducati scored 38.5 points for the weekend, with Yamaha next-best on 22.5 points. All up, it means that if your Gold Riders were Bagnaia and Quartararo, your Silver Riders were Bastianini and Miller, your constructor was Ducati, and you also used a Motul 300V Boost Turbo Rider boost on Bagnaia, you scored a massive 197 points!
What to look out for at Valencia
Looking at the two MotoGP™ World Championship contenders, Bagnaia’s stocks are on the rise given the Italian’s recent form. That makes him a dependable choice, but also a pricey one this weekend at 4.8M, and Salary Cap management is going to be crucial. So, what about his title rival? Quartararo is significantly cheaper at 3.5M and the Frenchman is looking at a literal must-win scenario in Valencia if he is to retain the crown – is it worth fitting ‘El Diablo’ into your MotoGP™ Fantasy team?
Speaking of Champions, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) has won twice in the premier class at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, including his last appearance there in 2019. The Spaniard clearly likes anti-clockwise circuits, but he does come with a 3.7M price tag. Another Spaniard worth a look could be Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), who is out of title contention but still locked in a big fight for third in the Championship, and will be determined to bounce back after a tough period. Aprilia’s ‘captain’ will now set you back a relatively low 2.8M and could be a good value pick.
But that’s enough from us. Now it’s up to you to go for glory for the final time in 2022, so get your MotoGP™ Fantasy picks in now!