2011 MotoGP Season

MotoGP,March,17-2011:The wait is over as the highly anticipated 2011 MotoGP season is upon us. ESPNSTAR.com brings you the preview.While the sight of Jorge Lorenzo lifting the world title last year remains fresh in the memories, we can already hear the new season revving up in our ears.In fact, the 2011 MotoGP season starts on Saturday (20 March) at the Losail circuit in Qatar with all eyes fixed on the drivers and mouths salivating in anticipation.Needless to say, the one that is set to captivate the interest of MotoGP fans around the world is the sight of Valentino Rossi in the red of Ducati instead of the blue and white of Yamaha, in which he has won a stunning 46 MotoGP races wins during his seven years with the Japanese team.The Italian will undoubtedly be among the forerunners in the championship race after missing out on the title last season due to a ligament tear in his shoulder as he finished third in the overall standings.Reigning world champion Lorenzo is also expected to be at the forefront. The Spaniard has proven what a world class rider he is last year with an incredible nine wins, points in every race, and only two times off the podium.And with American Ben Spies brought in to replace the departed Rossi in the Yamaha factory team, the 23-year-old can now focus on beating his former team-mate to the world championship once again in 2011 as he aims to underline his status as the new dominant force in the premier class.Another of Lorenzo’s title challengers Casey Stoner will race for Repsol Honda Team in 2011 after four years at Ducati Corse and his display in the pre-season tests in Malaysia hinted at what was an immediate affinity with the RC212V. The Australian finished fastest in all three sessions, closely followed by Dani Pedrosa and Lorenzo.Meanwhile, Pedrosa will be hoping to capitalize on the stability from remaining with the same set-up in 2011 as he enters his sixth season with the factory Honda team. The pint-size Spaniard is still awaiting his first premier class title since his debut in 2006 and will take encouragement from his second-place finish last season.While we can be forgiven for putting all our attention on the above ‘top four’, there are a number of riders who could give them a good run for their money.Italian Andrea Dovizioso enjoyed his best premier class season to date in 2010 with a fifth-place finish and will remain on the factory Honda team while Spies was Rookie of the Year and earned a factory Yamaha ride.Not forgetting Nicky Haden, a former world champion himself who displayed a much-improved feeling on the Desmosedici in his second season with Ducati with a respectable seventh-place finish last year.MotoGP fans will also be curious over the introduction of the three new riders to the category – namely Toni Elías, who was the winner of the inaugural Moto2 World Championship and will make his return to the premier class with LCR Honda. While rookie riders Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Karel Abraham (Cardion ab Motoracing) make the move from superbikes and Moto2 respectively.But who will be crowned world champion come 6 November in Valencia – that is where the real curiousity lies.

2011 Teams

Yamaha Factory Racing

Jorge Lorenzo

Ben Spies

Ducati Team

Valentino Rossi

Nicky Hayden

Repsol Honda

Andrea Dovizioso

Dani Pedrosa

Casey Stoner

Monster Yamaha Tech 3

Colin Edwards

Cal Crutchlow

San Carlo Honda Gresini

Hiroshi Aoyama

Marco Simoncelli

Aspar Team

Héctor Barberá

Pramac Racing Team

Randy de Puniet

Loris Capirossi

Cardion AB Motoracing

Karel Abraham

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP

Álvaro Bautista

LCR Honda MotoGP

Toni Elías

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