MotoGP 2017 season preview

With so many developments and changes, the 2017 MotoGP is going to be anything but predictable. But that’s not to say that you ignore the early signs…

Whoever takes the top step on the podium at the season opener in Qatar, or the other two for that matter, will no doubt set the precedent for what is pegged to be one of the fiercest years in motorcycle racing. From riders to motorcycles to tyres to the rulebook, there’ve been a lot of changes to talk about. And from what we’ve learnt from the recently concluded pre-season tests, there’s no definitive answer as to who’ll rise to the top in the end.

Lorenzo’s decision to swap his Yamaha racing blue overalls for the bright red of Ducati Corse was perhaps the biggest news in the paddock last year. While the three-time MotoGP world champ is said to have made an exuberant sum of money from his new employer, the main motive behind this rather brave move was to challenge himself and find a new motivation – which, as per him, is to win on a different motorcycle and join the ranks of all time MotoGP greats, especially Casey Stoner and his all-time bitter rival, Valentino Rossi.

So, can Lorenzo do that? You certainly can’t bet against it, but at the same time, it’s not going to be a cakewalk. Thus far in tests, Lorenzo doesn’t seem to have reached the zenith of his usual self. In the pre-season tests, Lorenzo stood 8th in Valencia, 9th in Sepang and 8th in Philip Island – which is far from encouraging. The other problem is that the Desmosedici still has some peculiarities – as Lorenzo and other Ducati riders point out, it still understeers mid-corner, meaning they lose a valuable couple of tenths muscling it around long sweeping bends. On the upside though, Ducati’s grunt is unmatched on the straight. And at tracks where grip levels are imprecise, the Desmo will have the upper hand. A case in point was the fourth and final test at Losail circuit where Lorenzo was one among the front-runners and finished the session 4th fastest, just 0.189 seconds off the leader.

While all the limelight was on Lorenzo earlier, everyone’s focus has now shifted to his replacement at Yamaha, Maverick Vinales - the man of the moment. Ever since Vinales swung his leg over the Yamaha M1, he’s been simply overwhelming. He topped all the four pre-season tests and looks frightfully quick – especially his race pace. Vinales will obviously be the hot favourite for the title if he carries this momentum throughout the year. He’s adapted to the M1 quickly, but can he produce those consistently fast lap times on the race day? Only time will tell.

Defending champion Marc Marquez also thinks that Vinales is the real threat for him. As for Lorenzo, Marquez thinks his race pace is still a “mystery”. Despite the competition, Marquez seems pleased with the pre-season tests. He’s satisfied with the new “big bang” style motor and believes the engine is more tamable than before. Although the Repsol Honda rider had one too many falls at the final round of pre-season testing, he’s confident that he’ll be competitive as ever.

While the odds suggest the title showdown will be between Vinales and Marquez, you can’t really write off Rossi. So far in testing, Rossi has struggled to make any impression on his rivals. The fact that his new teammate has been leading the lap times – without any prior experience with the bike – has also had Rossi “worried”. However, as we’ve witnessed in the past, Rossi’s race craft is unmatched, and if there’s anyone who can deliver on a Sunday despite having a bad practice or qualifying session, it’s the Doctor.

Apart from the usual suspects, Dani Pedrosa also looks supremely capable to shake up the proceedings from normal. While not many have noticed, Pedrosa finished the Qatar and Philip Island tests as 3rd fastest overall and was 5th in Sepang. He could be the dark horse in the running this year. Speaking of the underdogs, Andrea Dovizioso’s pre-season test results were quite impressive, too - he finished 3rd in Valencia, 4th in Sepang, 7th in Phillip Island and was up to 2nd in Qatar. He’s the man to watch for!

At Suzuki, Andrea Iannone has been chosen as the successor of Vinales. And if Suzuki’s in-season progress and Iannone’s raw speed are anything to go by, the duo may well be able to seal a win or few podium finishes - albeit for that to happen, Iannone has to keep his bike’s rubber side down till the end of a race.

Among satellite riders, keep an eye out on Cal Crutchlow of LCR Honda. In the past, he’s disappointed the big boys often, so with a revised and improved motorcycle this year, he’d like to be in the mix as well. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rookies - Jonas Folger and Johann Zarco – are also looking mighty impressive, and if not race wins or podium finishes, they will make things interesting in the mid-pack.

All told, the 2017 MotoGP is going to be one heck of a championship with so many variables thrown in. And now that all the talking is done, let’s wait and see how the season shapes up in the forthcoming rounds.