MotoGP Arrives at Jerez de la Frontera for the Spanish GP, the first European round of the 2018 Season
Following on from the first three overseas rounds of the season, the Ducati Team has now arrived in Spain, where the fourth round of the MotoGP World Championship will be held on Sunday at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in Andalusia.
Andrea Dovizioso comes to the Spanish track leading the championship and, even though the Jerez circuit has never provided him with much satisfaction, he is confident he can produce a good race. Until now the best result for the Italian rider at Jerez has been a fifth place, which he obtained three times: in 2012, in 2014 and last year.
Jerez on the other hand has always proved to be a happy hunting-ground for Jorge Lorenzo, who celebrates his 31st birthday on Friday. In ten races at Jerez the Spanish rider has been on the podium eight times, winning the Spanish GP in 2010, in 2011 and in 2015. Last year Jorge scored his first podium for Ducati with a third-place finish.
The Jerez de la Frontera weekend gets underway on Friday morning with the first free practice session at 9.55 am, while the 25-lap race is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 14.00 CET.
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 1st (46 points)
“We come to the first European round of the season first in the standings, a situation that is clearly much better than last year, and this is certainly positive. We managed the first three rounds well, but we could also see that our rivals are all really fast. In November last year we did a good test at the Jerez circuit and the new asphalt had good grip, but it was colder then so we will have to wait for Friday to get a better idea of the track conditions.”
Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team #99) – 16th (6 points)
“After the difficult race at Austin it’s now time to change the situation and I come to Spain determined to do well. The Jerez circuit is one of my favourite tracks and I’ve got some good memories here, including my first podium for Ducati last year. I think it is the right circuit to begin to reverse the early season trend and it will be important to begin well on Friday and see what the track surface is like with the new asphalt. We’re working hard and we must continue to think positively. I don’t intend to give in.”
The Jerez de la Frontera circuit
Built in 1986, the Jerez circuit hosted its first GP the following year, rapidly becoming one of the most popular tracks of the entire MotoGP calendar. The circuit is situated in a valley in Andalusia in the south of Spain, offering spectacular views and nearly always characterized by excellent weather. Its numerous grandstands provide perfect viewing facilities for over 150,000 spectators and the track was resurfaced in 2017.
Fastest Lap: Lorenzo (Yamaha), 1’37.910 (162.6 km/h) – 2015
Circuit Record: Lorenzo (Yamaha), 1’38.735 (161.2 km/h) – 2015
Best Pole: Lorenzo (Yamaha), 1’37.910 (162.6 km/h) – 2015
Top Speed: Iannone (Ducati), 295.9 km/h – 2015
Track Length: 4.4 km
Race Distance: 25 laps (110.6 km)
Curves: 13 (5 left, 8 right)
Race Start: 14.00 CET
2017 Results
Podium: 1st Pedrosa (Honda), 2nd Marquez (Honda), 3rd Lorenzo (Ducati)
Pole Position: Pedrosa (Honda), 1’38.249 (162.065 km/h)
Fastest Lap: Pedrosa (Honda), 1’40.243 (158.842 km/h)
Andrea Dovizioso
Bike: Ducati Desmosedici GP
Race Number: 04
Age: 32 (born on 23rd March in Forlimpopoli, Italy)
Residence: Forlì (Italy)
Races: 279 (181 x MotoGP, 49 x 250cc, 49 x 125cc)
First GP: 2001 Italian GP (125cc)
Wins: 18 (9 x MotoGP, 4 x 250cc, 5 x 125cc)
First Win: 2004 South African GP (125cc)
Poles: 18 (5 x MotoGP, 4 x 250cc, 9 x 125cc)
First Pole: 2003 French GP (125cc)
World Titles: 1 (1 x 125cc)
Jorge Lorenzo
Bike: Ducati Desmosedici GP
Race Number: 99
Age: 31 (born on 4th May 1987 in Palma di Mallorca, Spain)
Residence: Lugano (Switzerland)
Races: 271 (177 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
First GP: 2002 Spanish GP (125cc)
Wins: 65 (44 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First Win: 2003 Brazilian GP (125cc)
Poles: 65 (39 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
First Pole: 2003 Malaysian GP (125cc)
World Titles: 5 (3 x MotoGP, 2 x 250cc)