It was unimaginable after qualifying 13th for the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, but a recovery ride to P4 on Sunday means Mission Winnow Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso leads the MotoGP™ World Championship heading to Jerez.
A win in Qatar, a third in Argentina and his fourth place in America sees the Italian sit on 54 points, three clear of his nearest challenger Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), with Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez within nine points of Dovi. Meanwhile, Ducati currently sits top of the Constructors Championship too, with Mission Winnow Ducati also occupying top spot in the Team Championship.
MotoGP™ standings (top 3):
Riders:
1. Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati) – 54
2. Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) – 51
3. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – 49
Constructors:
1. Ducati – 57
2. Honda – 51
3. Yamaha – 51
Teams:
1. Mission Winnow Ducati – 84
2. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – 65
3. Team Suzuki Ecstar - 57
But it’s not just in the MotoGP™ paddock where the Bologna factory has made a good start to the season. Former Grand Prix rider and 125 World Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) has a record-breaking 11 WorldSBK races in a row on the new Panigale V4 R this season, with this 100% win record at the start of the season seeing him sit 53 points clear of reigning champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK).
11 out of 11 for @19Bautista!@mickeyvdmark finishes 2nd after a crossing the finish line so close to @jonathanrea ????#NLDWorldSBK ???????? pic.twitter.com/j3w50ZGOwZ
— WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) 14 avril 2019
WorldSBK standings (top 3):
Riders:
1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) – 236
2. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) – 183
3. Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) – 126
Manufacturers:
1. Ducati – 236
2. Kawasaki – 183
3. Yamaha – 141
Ducati riders have never been crowned MotoGP™ and WorldSBK Champions in the same year. Troy Bayliss brought the crown back to the Italian manufacturer in WorldSBK in 2006 and 2008, with Casey Stoner claiming the 2007 MotoGP™ title on the GP7 in between. Maybe this year will be the year both Championships will be painted red?