Bikesportnz

MotoGP returns to action this weekend with the 15th round of the 2022 season, the Grand Prix of Aragon, scheduled from Friday to Sunday, September 16-18 at the MotorLand Aragón in Alcañiz (Spain).

The Spanish track, designed by the famous architect Herman Tilke, hosted the World Championship for the first time in 2010, its inaugural year.

On that occasion, Casey Stoner took the top step of the podium with his Ducati.

In total, the Borgo Panigale manufacturer has had two wins at the Aragonese circuit and the second one bears the name of Francesco Bagnaia, who scored his first MotoGP victory last year.

The Ducati Lenovo Team rider, fresh from winning the last home GP at Misano Adriatico and returning from two days of testing at the same track, arrives in Spain determined to continue with the momentum that saw him becoming the first Ducati rider to score four consecutive MotoGP wins.

After his latest thrilling victory at Misano, Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia is now second in the overall standings, 30 points behind French rider and series leader Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha).

Bagnaia’s team-mate Jack Miller, from Australia, also arrives at Aragón determined to redeem himself after his crash at the last Grand Prix.

At Misano, Miller had once again demonstrated his excellent form by taking the pole position, but in the race, he crashed while in the lead.

After the 14th round of the 2022 season, Miller finds himself in sixth place in the championship, 88 points off the lead.

At Aragón, Ducati will also have the first “match point” to conquer, for the third consecutive year, the Constructors’ Championship, where it occupies the first position with 110 points. On the other hand, in the team classification is the Ducati Lenovo Team in the first place, with a 25-point advantage over Aprilia Racing.

“I am happy to be back racing at Aragón, where I took my first MotoGP win last year,” said Bagnaia. “In general, it’s a very good track for us, and I think we can be even faster this year than last year.

“In any case, we’ll face the weekend with the same approach as always: to give our best from Friday and focus exclusively on the race weekend, without thinking about the Championship.”

The Spanish round will also be the first of the triple-header that will continue in Asia with the Japanese GP the following week, followed by the Thai GP.

Circuit information:

Country: Spain

Name: MotorLand Aragón

Best lap: Morbidelli (Yamaha), 1:48.089 (169 km/h) – 2020

Circuit record: Bagnaia (Ducati), 1:46.322 (171.9 km/h) – 2021

Top speed: Bagnaia (Ducati), Bagnaia (Ducati), 351.8 km/h – 2020

Track length: 5,1 km

Race distance: 23 laps (116,8 km)

Corners: 17 (10 left, 7 right)

Photo courtesy Ducati

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World standings after round 14: