From MotoGP.com files
MotoGP returns to Europe for one of the most popular, attendance wise, race of the year; the Gran Premio de España on March 30th.
Champion Casey Stoner arrives in Spain leading the championship. Jerez is not typically a good track for the Australian, who finished outside the top four on the first of only two occasions in the Spanish race last year. Stoner has also experienced his fair share of crashes at the circuit, including one in testing last November that damaged his shoulder and drew his postseason testing to an early conclusion.
Local fans will be spoiled as two of the most competitive riders, who began the season on blistering form are Spanish. Fiat Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo had one of the most outstanding debuts in MotoGP history in Qatar, with a pole position and second place just rewards for his stunning ride in the Middle Eastern emirate.
Fellow Spaniard and arch rival Dani Pedrosa, from the Repsol Honda team, opened the season with third in Qatar on a Honda RC212V that will be thoroughly assessed before the second race of the year, with both the Spaniard and teammate Nicky Hayden yet to feel fully comfortable on the 2008 prototype.
Not to be missed will be the progression of the category's rookies. Tech 3 Yamaha's James Toseland would, but for a late flying lap by the Spaniard in qualifying, have a first pole position to his name to add to a sixth place in Qatar, whilst JiR Team Scot newcomer Andrea Dovizioso showed all his talent with the most impressive move of the race to snatch fourth from Valentino Rossi.
The Grand Prix of Spain takes place on Sunday March 30th, with practice sessions beginning on the preceding Friday.
MotoGP returns to Europe for one of the most popular, attendance wise, race of the year; the Gran Premio de España on March 30th.
Champion Casey Stoner arrives in Spain leading the championship. Jerez is not typically a good track for the Australian, who finished outside the top four on the first of only two occasions in the Spanish race last year. Stoner has also experienced his fair share of crashes at the circuit, including one in testing last November that damaged his shoulder and drew his postseason testing to an early conclusion.
Local fans will be spoiled as two of the most competitive riders, who began the season on blistering form are Spanish. Fiat Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo had one of the most outstanding debuts in MotoGP history in Qatar, with a pole position and second place just rewards for his stunning ride in the Middle Eastern emirate.
Fellow Spaniard and arch rival Dani Pedrosa, from the Repsol Honda team, opened the season with third in Qatar on a Honda RC212V that will be thoroughly assessed before the second race of the year, with both the Spaniard and teammate Nicky Hayden yet to feel fully comfortable on the 2008 prototype.
Not to be missed will be the progression of the category's rookies. Tech 3 Yamaha's James Toseland would, but for a late flying lap by the Spaniard in qualifying, have a first pole position to his name to add to a sixth place in Qatar, whilst JiR Team Scot newcomer Andrea Dovizioso showed all his talent with the most impressive move of the race to snatch fourth from Valentino Rossi.
The Grand Prix of Spain takes place on Sunday March 30th, with practice sessions beginning on the preceding Friday.