bwin Grand Prix of Spain 2012
Posted on Apr 23, 2012 by Nick Harris
ALL ROADS LEAD SOUTH ON SUNDAY
All roads lead to Jerez on Sunday for one of the biggest sporting events of the year, the opening round of the European MotoGP season at the bwin Grand Prix of Spain.
A weekend crowd approaching 200,000 fans will pack the 2.748 mile circuit in southern Spain for the second round of the Championship hoping for no repeat of the rain which blighted the event last year.
The opening round of the Moto2™ World Championship predictably contained great racing, controversy and a close finish. When the dust settled former 125 cc World Champion Marc Marquez completed an amazing recovery from injury to win from Andrea Iannone and Pol Espargaro. Typically he ruffled a few feathers on the way and the battle will continue on Sunday with as many as 10 riders very capable of victory. There will be no less than eight previous Jerez winners on the Moto2 grid.
Bradley Smith made a solid start to his Moto2™ campaign with a ninth place finish in Qatar but had to work hard after a disappointing qualifying position but will face the 26 lap race with confidence. Smith won the first of his three 125cc grand prix victories at the Spanish circuit three years ago.
JEREZ FACTS AND FIGURES
The Jerez circuit will stage its 26th successive MotoGP grand prix on Sunday. Only Assen in Holland has run more successive races. Jerez staged its first Spanish Grand Prix in 1987 and a year later hosted the Portuguese Grand Prix. From 1989 it has always been the venue for the Spanish Grand Prix.
TELEVISION TIMES
Saturday 28 April
1150 – 1505 BBC Red Button/British Eurosport Live Qualifying Moto3, Moto2,
Sunday 29 April
0945 – 1225 British Eurosport Live Moto3 and Moto2 races
0950 – 1205 BBC Red Button/ Live Moto3 and Moto2 races
1230 – 1400 BBC 2/BBC HD Live MotoGP race