bwin Grand Prix of Spain 2014

Posted on Apr 28, 2014 by Nick Harris

ROUND FOUR 2014 MotoGP™ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY 4 MAY

After three long flyaway trips the British MotoGP™ riders return to Europe for the fourth round of the championship, the bwin Grand Prix of Spain at Jerez on Sunday. Leading the charge is 23 year old Bradley Smith who secured his first ever grand prix victory at Jerez in the 2009 125cc race. After crashing out in Qatar the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rider has finished fifth and seventh and is ninth in the world championship.

His former team-mate Isle of Man based Midlander Cal Crutchlow is expected to return on the factory Ducati. He missed the race in Argentina after having a pin inserted into the broken little finger on his right hand damaged in his Austin crash.

Gloucestershire’s Scott Redding, runner up in last year’s Moto2™ World Championship, is finding his feet after three MotoGP races on the GO&FUN open class Honda. He struggled in Argentina but still picked up points in 14th place. Ulsterman Michael Laverty has finished all three races but out of the points and deserves a change of fortune on the Paul Bird Motorsport machine at the opening European race of the season.

World Supersport Champion Sam Lowes has made an impressive start to his Moto2 career. The Lincolnshire Speed Up rider is tenth in the championship and will look forward to racing in Europe. Londoner Gino Rea has had a tough time with arm pump and chases his first points of the season in the 26 lap race on Sunday.

Wiltshire’s Danny Kent lies eighth on his return to the Moto3™ class riding the Red Bull Ajo Husqvarna and will be looking to push towards the form that saw him clinch two Moto3 wins in 2012. Oban based Scotsman John McPhee looked set for his best ever grand prix result in Argentina before he crashed. The SaxoPrint – RTG Honda rider has shown plenty of pace already this season.

Bradley Smith:
“Jerez has very special memories for me with that first grand prix win. After the Qatar crash we’ve scored points in Austin and Argentina and now we need to push on. It’s great to be back in Europe especially at Jerez that we all know so well.”

Marquez returns home after perfect start
Twenty one year old Marc Marquez returns home to compete in the Bwin Grand Prix of Spain at the legendary Jerez circuit following his perfect start to the season. The Repsol Honda star is the first rider since 15 times World Champion Giacomo Agostini in 1971 to win the opening three races in the premier class from pole position.

He comes home after the three flyaway races to do battle in front of patriotic home fans round the 2.748 miles Jerez circuit with a commanding 19 point lead in the championship from team-mate Dani Pedrosa who has finished second in the last two races.

While Marquez chases his first win at Jerez, Pedrosa has won two MotoGP races including last year. The factory Yamaha team of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo has a great record at the circuit situated on the tip of southern Spain near the port of Cadiz. Rossi, who is third in the championship, has won six times while Lorenzo, delighted to be back on the podium with third place in Argentina, has won twice.

Italian Ducati riders Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone have made good starts to the season for the Bologna factory. Dovizioso is fourth despite only finishing ninth in Argentina while Iannone has scored in every round on the Pramac Ducati with sixth place in Argentina pushing him into fifth place one point in front of the LCR Honda of Stefan Bradl.

Three former 125cc Jerez winners chase MotoGP points on Sunday. The Monster Tech 3 duo of Bradley Smith and Moto2 World Champion Pol Espargaro have made solid starts to the season but for Spaniard Alvaro Bautista it’s a crucial 27 lap race. The GO&FUN Gresini Honda rider has crashed out of the opening three races and pressure is on in front of his home crowd. Aleix Espargaro was another faller in Argentina but remounted the NGM Forward Racing Yamaha to pick up a point in 15th place.

JEREZ FACTS AND FIGURES
Circuit Length: 4.423 km, 2.748 miles
Width: 11m
Pole Position: Left
Longest Straight: 607m
Left Corners: Five
Right Corners: Eight
Pole Position Record: Jorge Lorenzo/Yamaha 1.38.189/162.164 km/h (2008)
Lap Record: Jorge Lorenzo/Yamaha 1.39.565/159.9kmh (2013)

Television Times
BT Sport Schedule (unless stated this will be on BT Sport 2)
Friday 2nd May
12.00pm - MotoGP 2014: Grand Prix of Spain - Free Practice LIVE

Saturday 3rd May
8.00am - MotoGP 2014: Grand Prix of Spain – Free Practice/Qualifying LIVE

Sunday 4th May
9.30am - MotoGP 2014: Grand Prix of Spain - Moto3/Moto2/MotoGP Races LIVE

Monday 5th May
10.00PM – MotoGP Highlights Programme – ITV4

Tuesday 6th May
8.00pm - MotoGP Tonight: Episode 4 (BT Sport 1)