The #CatalanGP has featured on the MotoGP World Championship calendar for the last 31 successive years.  Assen and Jerez are the only current venues that have been used consecutively for longer. After last weekend’s #ItalianGP and the thrills it brought, we look forward to this #CatalanGP. As Jack Miller finished 15^th last time out, he finished just 17.687s behind race winner Francesco Bagnaia, making this the 6^th closest top 15 finish of all time. This was also the 8^th closest top 10 recorded in history – 9 of these 10 have taken place since 2018!

Yamaha are the most successful manufacturer at the #CatalanGP, taking 13 wins in the premier class. Their most recent win being in 2020, when Fabio Quartararo took victory. Last time out at the #ItalianGP, Quartararo took 2^nd, securing his fourth podium of the year so far. This is Quartararo’s 24^th podium, further extending his lead as the Frenchman with most podiums and tying his with former teammate Maverick Viñales as Yamaha’s 7^th most successful rider. Quartararo is also one of only two riders to have scored points in every race so far this season. He will be aiming to extend his championship lead this weekend. Quartararo will also enter this weekend’s Grand Prix having just signed a contract with Monster Energy Yamaha until the end of 2024.

Ducati’s last win was taken by Jorge Lorenzo in 2018. Ducati have only taken 4 wins at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya previously. Francesco Bagnaia is coming fresh off of a win at his home Grand Prix. He is only the 5^th Italian rider to win the #ItalianGP, joining Rossi, Capirossi, Petrucci and Dovizioso. Jorge Martín is now the holder of the top speed record in MotoGP, setting a blistering speed of 363.3 km/h. However, it has been Enea Bastianini who has led Ducati’s title charge so far this season, taking a monumental 2 wins, in a satellite team, on last years machinery. Can one of these men secure victory in Catalunya, or will Jack Miller spring to life in the Spanish sun?

Honda’s last victory at the #CatalanGP was taken by Marc Marquez in 2019. Honda is the second most successful manufacturer here, with 11 premier class wins under their belt. In a shock announcement last weekend, after a substantial crash, it was revealed that Marquez would be sitting out for an undefined period of time, as his right arm required further surgery to attempt to rectify an injury sustained in 2020. All eyes fall to Takaaki Nakagami this weekend as he receives a new chassis and swingarm, as tested by Marquez last weekend. Can Nakagami give Honda a good result as they reel from Marquez’ absence?

Suzuki, who shook the MotoGP world with the announcement of their departure from the championship at the end of this season, have only taken 1 premier class win, in 2000. However, in 2020 Joan Mir and Alex Rins finished 2^nd and 3^rd, giving Suzuki their best result in the modern MotoGP era. Neither of the Suzuki riders has finished the previous two races this season.  This is the first time since 2015 that the manufacturer has had 2 consecutive DNFs.

Last year’s winner Miguel Oliveira, scored KTM’s 4^th MotoGP victory at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Having had a lacklustre beginning to their 2022 campaign KTM will be looking for a change of pace this weekend and hope to repeat their success from last year.

Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro has surprised everyone so far this season.  Previously Aprilia’s best result had been an 8^th place in 2016 with Alvaro Bautista. Espargaro finished 3^rd at the #ItalianGP, taking his 5^th podium in 8 rounds this season so far. This is the first time Aprilia have taken podiums in 5 races in a single season. As Espargaro goes from strength to strength being the 2^nd of only 2 riders to score points at every race so far this season, can he secure another victory in his home country?

As the battle for Rookie of the Year heats up, it’s Mooney VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi who leads the way, after finishing 5^th in the #ItalianGP, with a 22 point lead over his nearest rival, Gresini Racing’s Fabio Di Giannantonio.

It’s set to be a dry and bright weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, can Quartararo reign supreme? Will Bagnaia carry the momentum from a home win forward? Will Espargaro take victory in his own backyard?