Valencia (Spain) (AFP)

Fabio Quartararo is playing his wild card this weekend in Valencia at the MotoGP European Grand Prix and must absolutely get ahead of his rival Joan Mir if he does not want to be left irremediably behind in the championship, three rounds from the end.

The Frenchman, 2nd, on his Yamaha-SRT is 14 points behind and remains on two mediocre results while the Spaniard Suzuki has climbed twice on the third step of the podium.

“Even though I had two difficult races in Aragon, I want to take advantage of the good feeling I have always had on a MotoGP in Valencia for the two races that are going to be contested there. It is a short track but that I like it, ”said the Nice driver, who finished second there last year after starting from pole position.

Given the upheavals in the calendar due to the coronavirus, two races will be contested on the Ricardo Tormo circuit, just four kilometers long.

The European GP this weekend and that of the Valencia community the following, before the epilogue in Portugal on November 22.

For Joan Mir, confidence also reigns even if the first MotoGP victory of his career is still long overdue.

"I was a little disappointed with my 3rd place in the last race because I felt I could do better. But my goal was to get on the podium and I got there. I'm ready to fight in Valencia who is a track that I know well ", underlines the Mallorcan who, like Quartararo, is only completing his second season at the highest level.

The Suzuki are the bikes in shape of the moment.

Mir's teammate, his compatriot Alex Rins, won and finished second in the two rounds contested in Aragon and comes back like a ball in the championship after a difficult start to the season.

He is currently 6th 32 points behind the leader.

Because the gaps between the top six in the championship are low.

Spaniard Maverick Vinales (3rd, Yamaha) is only 19 points behind the leader, followed by Italians Franco Morbidelli - Quartararo's teammate - Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) then Rins.

- Rossi uncertain -

Suffice to say that three rounds from the end, anything is possible while a victory is worth 25 points.

The absence of Marc Marquez, the six-time world champion and title holder, still away from the circuits due to a broken right arm, has completely changed the situation.

The young class suddenly finds itself in a free field and more experienced drivers like Vinales or Dovizioso have trouble containing it.

For the latter, it could also be his final season in MotoGP.

At 34, the Italian is probably playing his last chance to finally become world champion after finishing second behind Marquez the last three seasons.

He left Ducati at the end of the season and still has not found another handlebar while available saddles are scarce.

His illustrious compatriot Valentino Rossi knows he will still be there next year at Yamaha-SRT, but his participation in the European GP is uncertain.

Still positive for the coronavirus, the seven-time world champion - and at 41, a veteran of the plateau - risks having to miss his third race in a row.

Yamaha has retained the American Garrett Gerloff, 25, who came from the Superbike to replace him just in case.

Another package due to coronavirus, that of the Spaniard Iker Lecuona (KTM-Tech3), contact case after his brother has tested positive and who will have to observe quarantine.

He will not be replaced in the French team of Hervé Poncharal.

In the other categories, the Briton Sam Lowes remains on three consecutive victories in Moto2 and is seven points ahead of the Italian Enea Bastianini in the championship.

In Moto3, the man in good shape at the moment is the Spaniard Jaume Masia, winner of the last two races in Aragon, but he is only 4th in the championship, 24 points behind the leader, his compatriot Albert Arenas.

© 2020 AFP