The final round of the 2017 MotoGP season takes place this weekend in Valencia, with two riders still in contention for the title.
Series leader Marc Marquez holds a 21-point advantage over Andrea Dovizioso heading to Spain, and could have sealed his 4th title in Sepang had it not been for the rain.
With such a comfortable lead, no one is expecting the Honda man to take any unnecessary risks this weekend, whereas nothing but a win will do for Dovi, who had taken six victories this season.
Dovi’s teammate Jorge Lorenzo still holds the lap record at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo and has taken 4 wins there in past seasons, and his help could be vital in the title decider.
Soft, medium and hard Michelin Power Slicks will be available for the finale. Given the high number of fast left-hand turns at Valencia, the soft and hard fronts and all three rear options feature an asymmetric construction, with a harder compound for the left shoulder. For wet weather, riders will be able to choose between extra-soft and soft Michelin Power Rains front and rear (rear extra-soft: asymmetric).
Piero Taramasso, Michelin Morotsport’s 2-Wheel Manager commented:
“It’s good to be back in Europe after the three-week tour of AsiaPacific, but it is also tinged with a bit of sadness as this is the final race of the season. It seems like no time since the pre-season tests, but we have had some amazing races this year and it has been a very good and successful season for Michelin. Valencia brings its own challenges as it can be very cool in the mornings, so we need tyres that can warm-up quickly and give good adhesion, especially on the right side. It’s also a track with lots of left turns over its short distance, so the left side of the tyre doesn’t have much chance to cool down, so we have asymmetric tyres especially designed to take that into account. The final event is always a celebration for the fans and I’m sure this year will be the same, especially with the title going down to the wire.”
Free practice started this morning, with the MotoGP class back out again at 14:05 local time this afternoon.
