Can Bezzecchi fend off Bagnaia at his brilliant best?

The pressure is on in MotoGP™ as Bagnaia looks to repeat history for his title defence as MotoGP™ Fantasy returns in Jerez

MotoGP™ returns to Europe as the Gran Premio MotoGP™ Guru by Gryfyn de España draws ever closer with plenty for fans to digest following an action-packed weekend at the Circuit of the Americas just two weeks prior. It was Alex Rins (LCR Honda CASTROL) who made the headlines with his maiden Honda victory, but all eyes will be on championship protagonist Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) who will be looking to repeat his 2022 Spanish Grand Prix victory in hopes of retaking hold of the championship from the 2022 Rooke of the Year Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) after the reigning champion crashed out of the past two Grand Prix. With plenty to play for in Jerez, we run you through everything you need to consider for your MotoGP™ Fantasy ahead of the action at the Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto.

Who formed the COTA dream team?

Alex Rins (LCR Honda CASTROL) was a popular victor at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas, and with a 2nd place in the Tissot Sprint the Spaniard came out on top of the pile coming away from Texas with 51 fantasy points.

Alex Rins, LCR Honda Castrol, Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas

A recovering Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) was a consistent scorer in Austin, despite missing out on podium honours. The Portuguese rider joined Rins in the Fantasy dream team scoring 36 points as a gold rider after bagging 8th place in the Tissot Sprint, and a heroic top 5 in the Grand Prix.

Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) enjoyed superb form at the Circuit of The Americas, with the Italian on the money from the moment the green flag dropped in P1. Despite bagging his first front-row start, the Mooney VR46 man struggled with tyre life in the Tissot Sprint but came back strong with his maiden podium taking 2nd place in the Grand Prix. This saw Marini bag the top spot as a silver rider, securing his place in the COTA dream team.

The final spot in the dream team went to the 2021 World Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) who broke his 2023 podium drought in fine fashion in Austin, Texas. Despite crashing out of the Tissot Sprint, the Frenchman had done enough to secure 28 MotoGP™ Fantasy points after taking 3rd place from 7th on the grid which makes him the final rider in the Fantasy dream team.

What to consider ahead of the Spanish GP…

The first place to look would be the World Champion Francesco Bagnaia who despite his recent visits to the gravel trap, is carrying strong form with him and will be looking to repeat his 2022 victory at the Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto. With a point to prove and championship honours to play for, Pecco goes into the Gran Premio MotoGP™ Guru by Gryfyn de España with a reduced price tag dropping down to 3.3K having lost his spot as the most expensive rider. This could be a good opportunity to bag points in MotoGP™ Fantasy without breaking the bank completely.

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Lenovo Team

If you're looking for the Italian dream team for your MotoGP™ Fantasy then look no further than championship leader Marco Bezzecchi. The Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto is a circuit the Italian will be well acquainted with and as the European season kicks off, it's the perfect opportunity for the Bezzecchi to pile on the pressure in the championship fight. The Mooney VR46 man is priced at 2.3K and could earn you solid points as either a gold or silver rider.

Fabio Quartararo pushed Bagnaia right to the chequered flag at the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix picking up 2nd place behind the Italian. The flying Frenchman can never be discounted, but at 3.6K is a big commitment for your fantasy team. The Aprilias are also often a force to be reckoned with and cannot be discounted. Aprilia Racing's Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales are priced at 2.9K and 2.3K respectively, and with the fast-flowing Jerez circuit suiting the Spaniards riding styles, they could also be strong options. At 2.2K Miguel Oliveira cannot be overlooked either after the Portuguese rider bagged a spot in the COTA dream team.

The Ducati armada are always a strong force in MotoGP™, so if you're looking for a strong Fantasy line up then the Ducati satellite riders must be taken into account. Both Prima Pramac Racing riders Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco have shown their worth in 2023. Zarco is priced at 2.8K and could be a possible contender, with Martin looking to take victory on home soil after a strong but unfortunate performance in Texas. The Spaniard could be a strong force in MotoGP™ Fantasy for just 2.4K. Equally Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) has been gelling well with his Ducati and at just 2.2K could bag some serious points at on home soil.

Which manufacturer will come out victorious?

It's no secret that the force from Ducati Corse has been strong in 2023, having taken the most points in MotoGP™ Fantasy at every round so far. Aprilia are also a good option with their strong 2023 lineup, and a thirst to return to the top step. The underdogs of KTM, Yamaha, and Honda cannot be discounted however as all 3 have thrown surprises into the mix in 2023.

With everything to play for, history beckons for MotoGP™ at what promises to be an unforgettable weekend in Jerez de la Frontera. Make sure to join in on all the MotoGP™ Fantasy action throughout the weekend, and ensure you don't miss a thing with the action underway from Friday, 28th April on motogp.com.

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