MotoGP

Jorge Lorenzo is looking to extend his MotoGP winning streak at the Catalan Grand Prix on Sunday, having claimed victory in each of the 2015 campaign's last three races.

In order to do so, however, he'll have to overcome a field packed with racing pedigree and show major improvements on the performance that saw him finish fourth in Catalunya 12 months ago.

Veteran Valentino Rossi currently leads the MotoGP standings, but with only six points distancing him from Yamaha team-mate Lorenzo in second, everything is still on the line.

Read on for a glance at this weekend's Catalan Grand Prix schedule, as well as a look at which riders are deserving of some extra attention in Spain.

Date	Time (BST)	Event
Friday, June 12	8:55 a.m	Free Practice 1
Friday, June 12	1:05 p.m.	Free Practice 2
Saturday, June 13	8:55 a.m.	Free Practice 3
Saturday, June 13	12:30 p.m.	Free Practice 4
Saturday, June 13	1:10 p.m.	Qualifying 1
Saturday, June 13	1:35 p.m.	Qualifying 2
Sunday, June 14	1 p.m.	Race

Pos.	Rider	Bike	Nation	Points
1	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	ITA	118
2	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	SPA	112
3	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati	ITA	83
4	Andrea Iannone	Ducati	ITA	81
5	Marc Marquez	Honda	SPA	69
6	Bradley Smith	Yamaha	GBR	57
7	Cal Crutchlow	Honda	GBR	47
8	Pol Espargaro	Yamaha	SPA	45
9	Maverick Vinales	Suzuki	SPA	36
10	Danilo Petrucci	Ducati	ITA	32
11	Aleix Espargaro	Suzuki	SPA	31
12	Yonny Hernandez	Ducati	COL	26
13	Dani Pedrosa	Honda	SPA	23
14	Scott Redding	Honda	GBR	18
15	Hector Barbera	Ducati	SPA	16
16	Loris Baz	Yamaha Forward	FRA	10
17	Michele Pirro	Ducati	ITA	8
18	Nicky Hayden	Honda	USA	8
19	Jack Miller	Honda	AUS	6
20	Hiroshi Aoyama	Honda	JPN	5
21	Alvaro Bautista	Aprilia	SPA	5
22	Eugene Laverty	Honda	IRL	3
23	Stefan Bradl	Yamaha Forward	GER	1

All sessions are live on BT Sport and can be streamed through Watch BTSport (UK).

Jorge Lorenzo

While last year's display at the Catalan Grand Prix didn't go as planned, that fourth-place finish doesn't spoil Lorenzo's sterling record in the competition during recent seasons.

The Yamaha rider has clinched first place in three of the last five meetings at the Circuit de Catalunya, with the official MotoGP Twitter account hinting at the close call of his 2009 defeat:

What do @lorenzo99 & @ValeYellow46 remember about the epic 2009 battle?
Watch more here: http://t.co/3isD8k4juW http://t.co/0vyzMYeWit

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) June 11, 2015

It was Rossi who inflicted that runners-up finish on the Spaniard as Lorenzo came second by less than a tenth of a second—0.095 seconds, to be exact.

Irrespective of Sunday's result, Yamaha can at least be content with the fact it's their two top riders accounting for first and second as we head to Barcelona, per SuperSport:

Valentino Rossi & Jorge Lorenzo aim to hammer home Yamaha's superiority at the #CatalunyaGP on Sunday. #SSMotorSport pic.twitter.com/NxNcI32SCC

— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 11, 2015

Lorenzo's current three-race winning streak has seen him dust off the cobwebs shown earlier this year, showing massive improvement on the finishes of fourth, fourth and fifth in Doha, Austin and Argentina, respectively.

Form-wise, there's no MotoGP giant in better shape right now, and if this weekend sees the 28-year-old maintain his edge, we may have a new standings leader come Sunday afternoon.

Valentino Rossi

Few riders know just how tough it can be at the top more than Rossi, who comes to Barcelona with a slim six-point lead over Lorenzo and having reached the podium in every race this year.

The Doctor has won the Catalan Grand Prix a record six times, but after failing to win any of this season's previous three races, he knows improvements will be needed. As reported on the official MotoGP website, he said:

I think the Catalunya GP will be another good race, it seems that all races are great this year. The three main manufacturers are more or less at the same level and at every race you can expect everything. I love Barcelona; this is one of my favourite tracks. It is always difficult to go fast at that track but last year I rode one of my best races and this year I'm in good shape.

We have to improve a few little things. We have to be better at finding the right set up for the bike and we have to be faster so we can start the race from a better position. The YZR-M1 is going really well; we are first and second in the championship and the last few races of Jorge proved the bikes' competitiveness. We are close and we will work strongly to make it a nice weekend in Barcelona.

Despite his sterling achievements in this region of Spain, Rossi hasn't won in Barcelona for six years now, but there's no better time for the 36-year-old to end that drought and revive his campaign.

This Sunday could see him and Lorenzo mimic the almighty battle of 2009 in some ways, and the fact Rossi is one of only two riders to have won at Catalunya from pole position gives him motivation to chase the early start.

Marc Marquez

MotoGP's poster boy of the last two years remains stuck in something of a rut, and the anticipation is building as to when (if ever) Marc Marquez will be able to kick-start his 2015.

The reigning champion crashed in Mugello at the end of May and currently sits fifth in the standings, a tremendous fall from the standards of 2013 and 2014, where he simply seemed unstoppable.

Honda's premier rider has taken only two podium finishes this year, but he returns to one of the 13 tracks at which he claimed victory last season, and will again look to re-ignite his title defence.

More than talent, Sunday's race will be a test of resolve for Marquez, who is now going through an unfamiliar struggle to come back from down the field and recently spoke of his disappointment in Italy, as noted on the MotoGP website:

It was disappointing to crash out in Mugello but this can happen when you’re on the limit. This weekend we head to Catalunya for my home GP and we have a lot of work to do to prepare the bike. I’ve had good results at this track and won there last year, so will hope to do the same in front of all my fan club! Let’s hope we can have a good battle and put on a good show.

Marquez is currently 49 points from leader Rossi in the overall standings; who knows, perhaps his 2015 title claim is already done and dusted.

Considering his instant success on the MotoGP circuit, it's sometimes easy to forget the Spaniard is just 22 years of age, but now he's encountering the kind of adversity that stands to be his truest test of character yet.

Jorge Lorenzo won his third Grand Prix in a row as he triumphed in Italy, leading from the first lap right to the end to cut the gap in the standings to just six points.

MotoGP's official Twitter account captured the moment:

Another dominating race from @lorenzo99 who makes it three #MotoGP wins in a row in 2015! #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/A7tdq89X5g

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 31, 2015

After enduring an awful start, Valentino Rossi clawed his way back to claim third place, while Andrea Iannone fought valiantly as he finished second on the podium.

In a race characterised by a number of crashes, Marc Marquez suffered a severe blow to his hopes of another world title, as he crashed out while contesting for a top-three finish.

Here are the results and updated standings:

Pos.	Points	Rider	Team	Time/Gap
1	25	Jorge Lorenzo	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	41'39.173
2	20	Andrea Iannone	Ducati Team	+5.563
3	16	Valentino Rossi	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	+6.661
4	13	Dani Pedrosa	Repsol Honda Team	+9.978
5	11	Bradley Smith	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	+15.284
6	10	Pol Espargaro	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	+15.665
7	9	Maverick Vinales	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	+23.805
8	8	Michele Pirro	Ducati Team	+29.152
9	7	Danilo Petrucci	Pramac Racing	+32.008
10	6	Yonny Hernandez	Pramac Racing	+34.571
11	5	Scott Redding	EG 0,0 Marc VDS	+38.553
12	4	Loris Baz	Athina Forward Racing	+42.158
13	3	Hector Barbera	Avintia Racing	+44.801
14	2	Alvaro Bautista	Factory Aprilia Gresini	+50.435
15	1	Eugene Laverty	Aspar MotoGP Team	+53.060
16	0	Mike Di Meglio	Avintia Racing	+1'15.265
17	0	Karel Abraham	Cardion AB Motoracing	+1'15.381
18	0	Marco Melandri	Factory Aprilia Gresini	+1'41.840
-	0	Cal Crutchlow	CWM LCR Honda	3 Laps
-	0	Marc Marquez	Repsol Honda Team	6 Laps
-	0	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati Team	10 Laps
-	0	Stefan Bradl	Athina Forward Racing	20 Laps
-	0	Nicky Hayden	Aspar MotoGP Team	20 Laps
-	0	Aleix Espargaro	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	21 Laps
-	0	Jack Miller	CWM LCR Honda	21 Laps
-	0	Alex De Angelis	E-Motion IodaRacing Team	21 Laps

Pos.	Rider	Bike	Nation	Points
1	Valentino ROSSI	Yamaha	ITA	118
2	Jorge LORENZO	Yamaha	SPA	112
3	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	Ducati	ITA	83
4	Andrea IANNONE	Ducati	ITA	81
5	Marc MARQUEZ	Honda	SPA	69
6	Bradley SMITH	Yamaha	GBR	57
7	Cal CRUTCHLOW	Honda	GBR	47
8	Pol ESPARGARO	Yamaha	SPA	45
9	Maverick VIÑALES	Suzuki	SPA	36
10	Danilo PETRUCCI	Ducati	ITA	32
11	Aleix ESPARGARO	Suzuki	SPA	31
12	Yonny HERNANDEZ	Ducati	COL	26
13	Dani PEDROSA	Honda	SPA	23
14	Scott REDDING	Honda	GBR	18
15	Hector BARBERA	Ducati	SPA	16
16	Loris BAZ	Yamaha Forward	FRA	10
17	Michele PIRRO	Ducati	ITA	8
18	Nicky HAYDEN	Honda	USA	8
19	Jack MILLER	Honda	AUS	6
20	Hiroshi AOYAMA	Honda	JPN	5
21	Alvaro BAUTISTA	Aprilia	SPA	5
22	Eugene LAVERTY	Honda	IRL	3
23	Stefan BRADL	Yamaha Forward	GER	1

Starting eighth on the grid, Rossi endured a disastrous start to the race, slipping to 11th in the opening lap while Lorenzo raced ahead of Iannone.

Marquez began the race in fine fashion, showing the qualities that made him world champion last year. He set off from 13th but quickly put himself in contention with an electric start, jumping 12 places in two laps.

Relive @marcmarquez93's race start & watch him charge through the pack!
Follow #ItalianGP at http://t.co/b0ix7RQBpU http://t.co/uo8chvAN8v

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 31, 2015

The Grand Prix saw a number of riders crash out early, including Stefan Bradl and Nicky Hayden at Turn 4.

Lorenzo responded to the threat of Marquez with bold acceleration, edging ahead before continuing to extend his lead, taking full advantage of the fierce battle between the chasing pack. From then on, it was all about the race to come second.

Marquez, Iannone and Andrea Dovizioso fought magnificently, with the trio swapping places with exciting regularity, before Dani Pedrosa muscled his way into the action in Lap 12.

Rossi recovered magnificently on his home track, however, and closed the gap on the podium places with each lap, running half a second quicker than the other podium contenders in Lap 11 before replacing Dovizioso in Lap 13. 

Rossi's compatriot unfortunately saw his race come to an end in the 15th lap after he was forced into the pits with a rear chatter issue.

The 36-year-old continued his assault on the top three and took Pedrosa in the 18th lap to rapturous applause at Mugello.

The same lap was as disastrous for Marquez as it had been for Rossi. Continuing his excellent duel with Iannone, the Italian took the Spaniard along the front straight and in trying to respond, Marquez lost the front of his bike and saw his afternoon come to an early close.

#ItalianGP @marcmarquez93 crashes out of the #MotoGP race! http://t.co/A9PelY19yp

— MotoGP™ (@MotoGP) May 31, 2015

Rossi continued to chase down Iannone and narrowed the gap to 0.6 seconds going into the 23rd and final lap, but Iannone held on resolutely to claim a deserved second place.

David Emmett of MotoMatters.com summed up the proceedings:

https://twitter.com/motomatters/status/604992310082961408

The result will be a concern for Honda, who have now failed to finish on the podium in two consecutive races.

According to Crash.net, Lorenzo said after the race:

Now we are ok. The bike is working very well. I started very well and overtook Dovizioso in a brave move. I tried to improve my pace. The pace has been a little slow and the 1m 47s high gave me a chance to pull away. Now the goal is to make 4 in a row. It will be difficult but I will try.

After his difficult start, Rossi was phenomenal in his efforts to reduce the damage but has seen his lead cut to just six points by Lorenzo.

The championship is now a two-horse race with Marquez having crashed out, so it will be fascinating to see how Lorenzo and Rossi compete for the title.

With Lorenzo in such outstanding form and set to receive home support when the Grand Prix returns to Spain in June, the Spaniard could find himself at the top of the standings sooner rather than later.  

Valentino Rossi will be looking to extend his lead at the top of the MotoGP standings on home soil, as Round 6 of the 2015 campaign takes us to Mugello for the Italian Grand Prix.

The veteran Yamaha rider has enjoyed a blistering beginning to the season, enjoying podium finishes in all five races so far, including victories in Argentina and Qatar. At this juncture, the Italian’s closest rival is team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, who has finished first in the last two races.

Here’s a closer look at what the riders can expect from the Italian circuit, the men set to shine on race day and all the details you need on where to catch the action live.

Date	Time (BST)	Event
Friday, May 29	8:55 a.m	Free Practice 1
Friday, May 29	1:05 p.m.	Free Practice 2
Saturday, May 30	8:55 a.m.	Free Practice 3
Saturday, May 30	12:30 p.m.	Free Practice 4
Saturday, May 30	1:10 p.m.	Qualifying 1
Saturday, May 30	1:35 p.m.	Qualifying 2
Sunday, May 31	1 p.m.	Race

Pos.	Rider	Bike	Nation	Points
1	Valentino ROSSI	Yamaha	ITA	102
2	Jorge LORENZO	Yamaha	SPA	87
3	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	Ducati	ITA	83
4	Marc MARQUEZ	Honda	SPA	69
5	Andrea IANNONE	Ducati	ITA	61
6	Cal CRUTCHLOW	Honda	GBR	47
7	Bradley SMITH	Yamaha	GBR	46
8	Pol ESPARGARO	Yamaha	SPA	35
9	Aleix ESPARGARO	Suzuki	SPA	31
10	Maverick VINALES	Suzuki	SPA	27

All sessions are live on BT Sport and can be streamed through Watch BT Sport (UK).

Mugello Circuit

The Italian Grand Prix is one of the most intriguing on the calendar. The circuit is situated in Scarperia and is a 3.259-mile lap.

As we can see here, we were treated to an enthralling race last season, as reigning world champion Marc Marquez edged out Lorenzo by just 0.121 seconds:

Indeed, Mugello is tailored for high-octane racing, with a lot of high-speed corners and a sizeable straight ideal for plotting overtakes. Precision is also absolutely critical, especially through the opening corners, where the track is very compact.

Rossi Set for Mugello Adulation

The seven-time MotoGP winner has been back to his very best this season and holds a 15-point lead over Lorenzo at the top of the standings.

A thrilling win at the season opener in Qatar, when Rossi managed to edge out Andrea Dovizioso, seems to have rejuvenated the 36-year-old and heading into this race weekend, he’s been practically flawless.

As noted by Motorsport broadcaster Toby Moody, the Italian has given us so many highlights down the years:

Writing about @ValeYellow46 and top ten highlights of MotoGP. Not easy to cut some out of the top ten after twenty years of winning.

— Toby Moody 🎙 (@TobyMoody) May 26, 2015

Heading to the Tuscany track, Rossi will be desperate to put on a show in front of a raucous home crowd. Given this is the first time the Tavullia-born star will come to Mugello leading the world championship since 2008—a season in which he won his sixth of seven MotoGP titles—expect an extra edge from the home support.

The man most likely to challenge Rossi is set to be Lorenzo. After a tough beginning to the campaign, the Spaniard has won in style at Le Mans and Jerez; he’s also picked up victories in Italy in three of the last four seasons.

Alpinestars probably sum up his recent displays perfectly; the 28-year-old has been “sublime”:

Awesome to see @lorenzo99's sublime showing at @MotoGP of France ... title race is getting hot! pic.twitter.com/ueHaXkB6Fj

— alpinestars (@alpinestars) May 18, 2015

Both Yamaha riders will also be readied for a reaction from the reigning world champion. Up to now, it’s been a difficult beginning to the season for Marquez, and after coasting to the title last season on the back of 10 consecutive wins from the first round, the Repsol Honda man will be aware he’s going to have to scrap hard to retain his crown.

Marquez is expecting his team to bounce back in style in Italy this weekend, however, per MotoGP.com:

We are very motivated after the weekend in Le Mans and arrive in Italy in good shape. We must work hard from Friday to find a good setup as Mugello is a complicated circuit, however, I like it and have good memories from my first victory in 2010.

We know Valentino will be very strong at his home race, Jorge and Dani have a good history there and Ducati were testing there just a few weeks ago, so we will have to be focused all weekend.

At this juncture, Honda aren’t quite ready to challenge the might of Yamaha, as was evident by Marquez’s fourth-place finish at the previous round in France. The Japanese team have introduced a new swing arm which should help them cope better with a technical Mugello circuit, but at this juncture third spot is the best Marquez is likely to muster.

It’d be the romantics’ dream to see Rossi, who has failed to win his home Grand Prix since 2008, take the chequered flag. But Lorenzo loves this circuit, and given his imperious recent form, expect the Spaniard to close the gap at the top with another peerless performance.

Yamaha extended their lead over Honda at the top of the MotoGP manufacturer standings, with Jorge Lorenzo winning the Grand Prix of France and fans’ favourite Valentino Rossi crossing the line second, as MotoGP’s official Twitter feed revealed:

Another dominating #MotoGP win from @lorenzo99 who makes it two in a row! #FrenchGP pic.twitter.com/187b3kjBoI

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 17, 2015

World champion Marc Marquez started in pole position chasing just his third grand prix victory of the season, but he failed to take advantage, as Lorenzo flew out of the traps and sneaked in front after an error from the Spaniard.

He made a big lunge for the lead in the first chicane but ran horribly wide and gifted the lead to the Yamaha star.

It wasn’t long before both Yamaha riders were ahead of Marquez, though, as Rossi performed a fantastic overtake at T9 to edge in front, as MotoGP’s video shows:

#MotoGP @ValeYellow46 overtakes @marcmarquez93 early on in the #FrenchGP
Follow the #FrenchGP:http://t.co/b0ix7RQBpU http://t.co/j0E3XJYGM8

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 17, 2015

Andrea Dovizioso kept tabs on the pair, while Marquez was doing some rather questionable riding.

Every lap, he seemed to lose ground on the leaders, with wide corners and mistimed attacks blowing his chances out of the water.

For Lorenzo, meanwhile, the race plan was a simple one: go fast.

The way that he came out of the blocks was remarkable, and that rather set the tone for the rest of the race. It was pure speed and aggression.

He was showing Marquez-esque dominance from the front, extending his lead lap by lap and showing no signs of faltering. Journalist Matthew Roberts labelled it textbook racing from the Spaniard:

Classic @lorenzo99 👌🇫🇷🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨

— Matt Roberts (@matt77roberts) May 17, 2015

At the halfway point, Lorenzo was 1.8 seconds ahead of Rossi, who had Dovizioso, Marquez and Andrea Iannone in hot pursuit around 15 seconds back of the leader.

Marquez, however, then decided to turn on the style and treated us to one of the best jostles for fourth place this season.

The Spaniard and Iannone were battling on every corner as the laps ticked by, nodding back to their duels of Moto2, as MotoGP remarked:

A hot back and forth battle between @marcmarquez93 and @andreaiannone29 just like in their Moto2 days. #FrenchGP pic.twitter.com/ADrR9omcon

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 17, 2015

The world champion then showed exactly why he’s one of the best in the business, nipping in front of his rival to take fourth.

That’s how it remained, with Lorenzo crossing first to claim his fifth French Grand Prix victory at Le Mans and his second on the spin after victory in Spain.

Here’s a look at the full results from Sunday’s race:

Pos.	Rider	Nation	Team	Time/Gap
1	Jorge LORENZO	SPA	Yamaha	43 mins 44.143 secs
2	Valentino ROSSI	ITA	Yamaha	+3.820
3	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	ITA	Ducati	+12.380
4	Marc MARQUEZ	SPA	Honda	+19.890
5	Andrea IANNONE	ITA	Ducati	+20.237
6	Bradley SMITH	GBR	Yamaha	+21.145
7	Pol ESPARGARO	SPA	Yamaha	+35.493
8	Yonny HERNANDEZ	COL	Ducati	+39.601
9	Maverick VIÑALES	SPA	Suzuki	+41.571
10	Danilo PETRUCCI	ITA	Ducati	+42.789
11	Nicky HAYDEN	USA	Honda	+53.636
12	Loris BAZ	FRA	Yamaha Forward	+1'00.617
13	Hector BARBERA	SPA	Ducati	+1'04.272
14	Eugene LAVERTY	IRL	Honda	+1'05.259
15	Alvaro BAUTISTA	SPA	Aprilia	+1'05.515
16	Dani PEDROSA	SPA	Honda	+1'20.907
17	Alex DE ANGELIS	RSM	ART	+1'21.663
18	Marco MELANDRI	ITA	Aprilia	1 Lap
DNF	Jack MILLER	AUS	Honda	14 laps
DNF	Karel ABRAHAM	CZE	Honda	14 laps
DNF	Cal CRUTCHLOW	GBR	Honda	21 laps
DNF	Scott REDDING	GBR	Honda	21 laps
DNF	Mike DI MEGLIO	FRA	Ducati	25 laps
DNF	Aleix ESPARGARO	SPA	Suzuki	26 laps
DNF	Stefan BRADL	GER	Yamaha Forward	27 laps

The victory now gives Yamaha a one-two at the top of the driver standings, with Lorenzo nipping in front of Dovizioso to join Rossi at the top, as Crash.net revealed:

Lorenzo's second win of the season means he is now second to Rossi in the championship. #MotoGP #FrenchGP pic.twitter.com/65kJm8DVaN

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) May 17, 2015

Pos.	Rider	Team	Nation	Points
1	Valentino ROSSI	Yamaha	ITA	102
2	Jorge LORENZO	Yamaha	SPA	87
3	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	Ducati	ITA	83
4	Marc MARQUEZ	Honda	SPA	69
5	Andrea IANNONE	Ducati	ITA	61
6	Cal CRUTCHLOW	Honda	GBR	47
7	Bradley SMITH	Yamaha	GBR	46
8	Pol ESPARGARO	Yamaha	SPA	35
9	Aleix ESPARGARO	Suzuki	SPA	31
10	Maverick VIÑALES	Suzuki	SPA	27
11	Danilo PETRUCCI	Ducati	ITA	25
12	Yonny HERNANDEZ	Ducati	COL	20
13	Scott REDDING	Honda	GBR	13
14	Hector BARBERA	Ducati	SPA	13
15	Dani PEDROSA	Honda	SPA	10
16	Nicky HAYDEN	Honda	USA	8
17	Loris BAZ	Yamaha Forward	FRA	6
18	Jack MILLER	Honda	AUS	6
19	Hiroshi AOYAMA	Honda	JPN	5
20	Alvaro BAUTISTA	Aprilia	SPA	3
21	Eugene LAVERTY	Honda	IRL	2
22	Stefan BRADL	Yamaha Forward	GER	1

Speaking after the race, Lorenzo said his quick opening was the catalyst behind his brilliance, despite the fact that Rossi wasn't giving him a moment's peace, via BBC Sport:

"I had a very good start. I was able overtake Dovizioso on the first corner on the outside to stay in the lead. I then saw Valentino in second place—he really was very quick so I had to push at the maximum knowing that the front tyre was close."

Marquez, meanwhile, is now 33 points back of Rossi and needs something special to get his season back on track. He’s not riding with the authority that made him world champion last season and needs a big performance at the Italian Grand Prix next time around.

For the Yamaha stars, though, the order of the day is more of the same, as the way they’re brushing talented riders aside is fantastic to see.

The two former world champions could well pull away from the pack and engage in a two-horse race for 2015’s crown—and based on Sunday’s grand prix, that much is an inevitability.  

Valentino Rossi holds a 15-point lead in the World Championship standings after four races of the 2015 MotoGP season.

The action moves to Le Mans this weekend for the French Grand Prix where the legendary Italian will look to add to his three previous wins at the circuit.

Rossi's Movistar Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo took a commanding victory in Jerez last time out, while defending world champion Marc Marquez managed second despite an injured little finger.

Read on for the full race schedule for this weekend's action in France, as well as live streaming information and a look at the top riders.

Date	Time (BST/ET)	Event
Friday, May 15	8:55 a.m. - 9:40 a.m./3:55 a.m. - 4:40 a.m.	Free Practice 1
Friday, May 15	1:05 p.m. - 1:50 p.m./8:05 a.m. - 8:50 a.m.	Free Practice 2
Saturday, May 16	8:55 a.m. - 9:40 a.m./3:55 a.m. - 4:40 a.m.	Free Practice 3
Saturday, May 16	12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m./8:30 a.m. - 9 a.m.	Free Practice 4
Saturday, May 16	1:10 p.m. - 1:25 p.m./9:10 a.m. - 9:25 a.m.	Qualifying 1
Saturday, May 16	1:35 p.m. - 1:50 p.m./9:35 a.m. - 9:50 a.m.	Qualifying 2
Sunday, May 17	1 p.m./9 a.m.	Race

Available live on BT Sport 2 (UK) and Fox Sports 1 (US), with live streaming via BT Sport Player and Fox Sports Go

Jorge Lorenzo 

Lorenzo's win in Spain last time out was dominant, and it was something of a return to form for the 28-year-old.

Though he won two races in last season's campaign, he finished 99 points back from a dominant Marquez in the final standings and was relatively inconsistent.

However, Lorenzo is a two-time world champion—in 2010 and 2012—and the Yamaha rider showed last time out he still has what it takes to dominate the field, per BT Sport MotoGP:

Watch highlights of the #MotoGP #SpanishGP as Jorge Lorenzo dominates from first corner to the chequered flag. http://t.co/PZEiMSz2T9

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) May 3, 2015

The Spaniard will have terrific momentum heading to Le Mans and he should be confident of putting in another fine performance.

Lorenzo has taken three victories in France in MotoGP, two of them coming in his victorious World Championship seasons.

Currently 20 points back from standings-leader Rossi, Lorenzo will hope to close the gap further with a fine race performance on Sunday.

Qualifying will be key again, Lorenzo's pole position in Spain was very important as it allowed him a free run at the first corner.

While looking ahead, Lorenzo will also have an eye to the rear, as defending champion Marquez sits just six points back in fourth in the riders' standings.

Marc Marquez

The ludicrously talented Marquez has had something of an inconsistent start to the 2015 season, winning in Texas, but crashing in Argentina and finishing fifth in Qatar's curtain-raiser.

The 22-year-old's second place last time out saw him return to the podium, but he will wish to repeat his 2014 result at Le Mans this weekend by coming out on top.

Compared to his 10 consecutive race wins at the start of the 2014 season, Marquez has had a bad time of it this year.

But he is still very much in the hunt for a third consecutive World Championship, as he sits only 26 points back from Rossi, and there is still a long way to go.

Furthermore, Marquez says he will be better equipped to perform to his best this weekend having further recovered from surgery on a fractured left little finger that hampered him last time out, per Crash.net:

Since Jerez we've been able to rest and now I'm feeling much stronger for this weekend. I visited Dr. Mir for a check-up and my finger is definitely improving and healing well. I haven't trained much this past week in order to give my finger a chance to restore back to 100 per cent, which was our main goal. I like the Le Mans track, the weather is always changeable but last year it was really good and I took my first win in the MotoGP class, so let's hope it's the nice for us again this year.

Every rider in the paddock will fear a resurgent Marquez, and if he can win in France on Sunday, he will send out a distinct message.

Marquez simply has to chip away at the lead of those currently ahead of him in the championship standings—Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso sits second between Rossi and Lorenzo.

If he can gradually move up to the top of the standings, it will be very difficult to snatch the advantage back from him. As Marquez showed last season, he knows how to lead from the front, all he has to do now is get to the head of the pack.

Jorge Lorenzo claimed his first victory and first podium finish of the 2015 MotoGP campaign on Sunday thanks to a runaway victory in the Spanish Grand Prix.

The official MotoGP Twitter account confirmed the Spaniard's victory in his native land, with Marc Marquez claiming the runner-up place and Valentino Rossi finishing third:

#ReturnToLorenzoLand - @lorenzo99 celebrates his fifth win in Jerez across all classes!! #MotoGP #SpanishGP http://t.co/Ib33QiINe8

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 3, 2015

Here's a look at the final race results and the updated riders' standings:

Pos.	Points	Rider	Team	Time/Gap
1	25	Jorge Lorenzo	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	44'57.246
2	20	Marc Marquez	Repsol Honda Team	+5.576
3	16	Valentino Rossi	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	+11.586
4	13	Cal Crutchlow	CWM LCR Honda	+22.727
5	11	Pol Espargaro	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	+26.620
6	10	Andrea Iannone	Ducati Team	+27.021
7	9	Aleix Espargaro	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	+35.445
8	8	Bradley Smith	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	+36.296
9	7	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati Team	+41.933
10	6	Yonny Hernandez	Pramac Racing	+51.072
11	5	Maverick Vinales	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	+51.674
12	4	Danilo Petrucci	Pramac Racing	+52.421
13	3	Scott Redding	EG 0,0 Marc VDS	+53.052
14	2	Hector Barbera	Avintia Racing	+53.200
15	1	Alvaro Bautista	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	+57.344
16		Stefan Bradl	Athina Forward Racing	+59.018
17		Nicky Hayden	Aspar MotoGP Team	+1'01.506
18		Eugene Laverty	Aspar MotoGP Team	+1'03.163
19		Marco Melandri	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	+1'06.895
20		Jack Miller	CWM LCR Honda	+1'14.182
21		Alex De Angelis	Octo IodaRacing Team	+1'26.832
22		Mike Di Miglio	Avintia Racing	1 Lap

Pos.	Rider	Bike	Nation	Points
1	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	ITA	82
2	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati	ITA	67
3	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	SPA	62
4	Marc Marquez	Honda	SPA	56
5	Andrea Iannone	Ducati	ITA	50
6	Cal Crutchlow	Honda	GBR	47
7	Bradley Smith	Yamaha	GBR	36
8	Aleix Espargaro	Suzuki	SPA	31
9	Pol Espargaro	Yamaha	SPA	26
10	Maverick Vinales	Suzuki	SPA	20
11	Danilo Petrucci	Ducati	ITA	19
12	Scott Redding	Honda	GBR	13
13	Yonny Hernandez	Ducati	COL	12
14	Dani Pedrosa	Honda	SPA	10
15	Hector Barbera	Ducati	SPA	10
16	Jack Miller	Honda	AUS	6
17	Hiroshi Aoyama	Honda	JPN	5
18	Nicky Hayden	Honda	USA	3
19	Loris Baz	Yamaha Forward	FRA	2
20	Alvaro Bautista	Aprilia	SPA	2
21	Stefan Bradl	Yamaha Forward	GER	1

Lorenzo stormed out of the blocks fastest to claim an early lead in Jerez, searching for his first podium finish of the season having failed to crack the top three in the first three races.

Yamaha team-mate Rossi wasn't far off the pace in third, but fellow Spaniard Marquez was also in search of major improvement after being forced to retire in Argentina last month.

With Dani Pedrosa still recovering from surgery, Japanese contender Hiroshi Aoyama stepped into the Repsol Honda hot seat for the third time this season Sunday. 

However, it was a short-lived outing for the 33-year-old, whose early crash into the tyre wall was one of the more memorable moments of the race's first few laps, per the official MotoGP Twitter account:

A big crash for @OfficialHAOYAMA. Rider OK after falling from a point scoring position. #SpanishGP

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 3, 2015

On the other hand, Andrea Dovizioso was hoping to maintain his recent stretch of form in Jerez after managing three consecutive third-place finishes so far in 2015.

It was a tough start for the Italian, but he battled back to show why Ducati have such high hopes for him this season, impressing Moto Race Feed as he rampaged back up the places:

Dovizioso visited the gravel at the start of the race and has made his way up from last to 10th! #MotoGP

— Moto Race Feed (@MotoRaceFeed) May 3, 2015

Thus far in 2015, we've failed to see the same Marquez who ripped the rest of the shield to shreds for much of the previous two seasons.

Whether it be down to his weakening or the rest of the field feeling stronger, Lorenzo looked capable of holding his own as leader, with Marquez too preoccupied with keeping Rossi at bay.

Lorenzo was happy to sprint away as that pair continued their jostle, going on to claim the third Spanish Grand Prix crown of his career and his first since winning this race successively in 2010 and 2011.

The Yamaha rider initially went to celebrate with a dip in a pond near the track, according to Crash.net, but ultimately opted to stay dry instead:

Lorenzo runs to the lake but this time he stops at the last moment! #MotoGP #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/X1yvHW74Tx

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) May 3, 2015

One win on the board is the foundation for any title challenger, and Lorenzo now moves into the top three for the first time this year, with bigger plaudits ahead based on this form.

Both the veteran and Yamaha alike will hope home advantage was only so much of a factor in Lorenzo's win. There is plenty more to be accomplished on foreign shores before the MotoGP season comes back to Spain.

The 2015 MotoGP season is already hotting up, and the thrills are set to continue in the Grand Prix of Spain on Sunday.

The race follows a dramatic outing in Argentina, where reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez was forced to retire after crashing into Valentino Rossi with one-and-a-half laps remaining:

Onboard shot of @marcmarquez93​ crash at #ArgentinaGP!
For more #MotoGP videos click here: http://t.co/9SN8Nfy0s6 http://t.co/ogZ6dLJ9PQ

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 20, 2015

Rossi went on to win the Grand Prix, leaving him top of the standings with 66 points.

Despite breaking his finger in a dirt-bike accident last Saturday, it has been confirmed that Spaniard Marquez will take to the track on the Circuito de Jerez:

#MotoGP @marcmarquez93's medical assessment went well. It's confirmed that he can race this weekend at #SpanishGP.

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 30, 2015

Here is the full race schedule and a look at the key riders.

Date	Time (BST/ET)	Event
Friday, May 1	8:55 a.m. - 9:40 a.m./3:55 a.m. - 4:40 a.m.	Free Practice 1
Friday, May 1	1:05 p.m. - 1:50 p.m./8:05 a.m. - 8:50 a.m.	Free Practice 2
Saturday, May 2	8:55 a.m. - 9:40 a.m./3:55 a.m. - 4:40 a.m.	Free Practice 3
Saturday, May 2	12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m./8:30 a.m. - 9 a.m.	Free Practice 4
Saturday, May 2	1:10 p.m. - 1:25 p.m./9:10 a.m. - 9:25 a.m.	Qualifying 1
Saturday, May 2	1:35 p.m. - 1:50 p.m./9:35 a.m. - 9:50 a.m.	Qualifying 2
Sunday, May 3	1 p.m./9 a.m.	Race

Available live on BT Sport 2 (UK) and Fox Sports 1 (U.S.), with live streaming via BT Sport Player and Fox Sports Go.

Valentino Rossi

The six-time MotoGP world champion has started the 2015 season in fine form, winning in Qatar and Argentina and finishing third in the Grand Prix of the Americas in Texas.

The Italian will be looking to stretch the 30-point lead he holds over title rival Marquez with a victory in Jerez, where he has won eight times across all classes.

Making the podium in Spain would be a landmark for the 36-year-old, who is just one top-three finish away from 200 podiums in his Grand Prix career, per MotoGP.com.

According to Matty Adams of AllSportsNews.co.uk, Rossi's Yamaha is far from the fastest on the grid, while Marquez regularly tops practice sessions and qualifying.

However, as MotoGP point out, this hasn't stopped Rossi from winning:

#statattack:@ValeYellow46's last 3 #MotoGP wins have been achieved after starting in 8th place.http://t.co/XLRYxq7Zst pic.twitter.com/E1GjbsUvcq

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 28, 2015

Rossi is as experienced as a rider can be, so expect another strong performance from him on a track that has served him so well over the years.

Andrea Dovizioso

Rossi's compatriot Andrea Dovizioso has also enjoyed a majestic season so far, finishing second each time to sit comfortably behind Rossi on 60 points.

#MotoGP @AndreaDovizioso: “Once again we managed to get onto the podium.”#ArgentinaGP http://t.co/5oWqxuIoz6 pic.twitter.com/u8Lww0xJ6f

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 21, 2015

Dovizioso has been aided by Ducati's production of a fantastic bike this year, one that Kevin Cameron of CycleWorld.com believes to match the ideal held by veteran race engineer Jeremy Burgess—that is, "a machine that is not just fast in the hands of one rider (as with Casey Stoner in 2007), but which can be ridden fast by any top rider."

Motorsport journalist Dennis Noyes has pinpointed the Ducati's main strength—its unrivaled power in the straights:

Looking at Qatar MotoGP race again. Ducati blew the doors off Yamaha down that home straight. COTA is going to be a challenge for Yam.

— Dennis Noyes (@DennisNoyes) March 31, 2015

This will serve Dovizioso well on the 607-metre straight in Jerez.

Finishing second in all three races, Dovizioso is riding consistently well, and will carry that momentum into Spain.

With Rossi almost certainly set to put in a strong performance and Marquez determined to close the gap between himself and the Italians, it should be a three-way fight for the chequered flag.

As with the Grand Prix of the Americas, it's likely that the trio will all achieve a podium finish.

Valentino Rossi completed a fantastic comeback to clinch the 2015 MotoGP Argentina Grand Prix, his second win of the season. After starting the race from the third row, he battled past a number of riders before closing a massive gap on the defending world champion, Marc Marquez.

The two engaged in a short but fierce duel in the final laps, but the Spaniard clipped Rossi's wheel and crashed. Rossi was holding his line and wasn't at fault, although the crash will surely be debated for days. Here are the final results of Sunday's race:

Pos.	Points	Num.	Rider	Nation	Team	Bike	Km/h	Time/Gap
DNF
1	25	46	Valentino ROSSI	ITA	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	Yamaha	173.3	41'35.644
2	20	4	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	ITA	Ducati Team	Ducati	172.9	+5.685
3	16	35	Cal CRUTCHLOW	GBR	CWM LCR Honda	Honda	172.7	+8.298
4	13	29	Andrea IANNONE	ITA	Ducati Team	Ducati	172.7	+8.352
5	11	99	Jorge LORENZO	SPA	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	Yamaha	172.6	+10.192
6	10	38	Bradley SMITH	GBR	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	Yamaha	171.9	+19.876
7	9	41	Aleix ESPARGARO	SPA	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	Suzuki	171.6	+24.333
8	8	44	Pol ESPARGARO	SPA	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	Yamaha	171.4	+27.670
9	7	45	Scott REDDING	GBR	EG 0,0 Marc VDS	Honda	170.9	+34.397
10	6	25	Maverick VINALES	SPA	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	Suzuki	170.9	+34.808
11	5	9	Danilo PETRUCCI	ITA	Pramac Racing	Ducati	170.5	+40.206
12	4	43	Jack MILLER	AUS	CWM LCR Honda	Honda	170.4	+42.654
13	3	8	Hector BARBERA	SPA	Avintia Racing	Ducati	170.4	+42.729
14	2	76	Loris BAZ	FRA	Athinà Forward Racing	Yamaha Forward	170.3	+42.853
15	1	6	Stefan BRADL	GER	Athinà Forward Racing	Yamaha Forward	170.3	+43.037
16		69	Nicky HAYDEN	USA	Aspar MotoGP Team	Honda	170.3	+43.252
17		50	Eugene LAVERTY	IRL	Aspar MotoGP Team	Honda	170.3	+43.400
18		63	Mike DI MEGLIO	FRA	Avintia Racing	Ducati	170.3	+43.808
19		19	Alvaro BAUTISTA	SPA	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	Aprilia	170.2	+44.878
20		33	Marco MELANDRI	ITA	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	Aprilia	169.4	+56.236
21		17	Karel ABRAHAM	CZE	AB Motoracing	Honda	169.0	+1'03.371
22		15	Alex DE ANGELIS	RSM	Octo IodaRacing Team	ART	168.6	+1'08.444
		7	Hiroshi AOYAMA	JPN	Repsol Honda Team	Honda	170.5	1 Lap
		93	Marc MARQUEZ	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	Honda	173.3	2 Laps
		68	Yonny HERNANDEZ	COL	Pramac Racing	Ducati	170.6	19 Laps

Marquez entered the grid with the extra-hard rear tyre, as shared by Crash.net MotoGP, due to the uncertainty of how long the hard compound would last:

Marquez arrives on the grid with the extra-hard rear tyre, but will he change to the hard rear for the start? #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/3vFIglome3

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) April 19, 2015

He eventually started the 25-lap race on the hard compound, so fans knew they would have to tune in for the full race to see whether the tyre held up in the final laps. It was a bold choice, to say the least.

Andrea Dovizioso started from sixth, marking the first time all season he was missing from the front row.

Rossi had a fantastic jump from third row, but all went to plan for Marquez, who lost the lead to Aleix Espargaro in Turn 1 but immediately jumped back in the lead and was already well ahead of the pack by the end of the first half.

Cal Crutchlow used the superior speed of his Honda to move into second place, but by the third round, Marquez already appeared to be cruising to victory:

3/25: Marquez is roaring into the distance, leading Crutchlow by 2 seconds. http://t.co/aRPHf3zXKR #MotoGP

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) April 19, 2015

Rossi showed he's still one of the world's best riders in the background, moving into fifth place on his Yamaha and opening up a real battle with Jorge Lorenzo.

As shared by MotoGP's official Twitter account, the Italian was as optimistic as ever ahead of the race:

Valentino "The wind is old but it's still blowing" @ValeYellow46 #ArgentinaGP#MotoGP http://t.co/v5mJBie1xK

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 19, 2015

Meanwhile, Marquez was doing his thing:

Marquez has a 2sec lead over Crutchlow. #MotoGP @argmotogp pic.twitter.com/k9jucUcNr7

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) April 19, 2015

It took Rossi six laps to finally pass his team-mate, at which point he was already chasing Andrea Iannone by nearly a second. The Ducatis looked in control in the corners but lacking on the straights, giving Rossi an excellent chance to make up the difference.

Yonny Hernandez was forced to retire from the race in shocking fashion, as his bike suddenly caught fire after passing the starting line:

Hernandez has to abandon his Ducati after it bursts into flames! #MotoGP #ArgentinaGP pic.twitter.com/Wotx8vR6Ti

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) April 19, 2015

Crutchlow was incapable of making up any ground on Marquez and holding up the pack behind him, so when Dovizioso moved ahead of his rival, Marquez's position up front finally came under some minor pressure.

Meanwhile, Rossi was actually putting together faster lap times than Marquez, drawing ever nearer to the three racers chasing the defending champion. He soon slid into third, with Crutchlow again running wide in a corner.

Things were tense in the chasing group, as seen in this highlight:

#MotoGP @ValeYellow46 and @andreaiannone29 make contact during the early stages of the race!#ArgentinaGP http://t.co/7JsrxIhlyx

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 19, 2015

The constant battling made things easier on Marquez, however, and with a lead of four seconds after 10 laps, he had the option of taking it easier on his tyres and ensuring he would easily finish the race. Rossi had moved into second past Dovizioso, but the gap to Marquez seemed monumental.

But two laps into the chase, Marquez's board suddenly showed Rossi's name, along with a gap of 3.7 seconds. The Spaniard even seemed to burn a tire for a second in shock, to the joy of fans watching the race:

https://twitter.com/italivo3/status/589872817434447873

Marquez's lap times had been rising steadily, likely in an attempt to save his rear tyre, and he soon started picking up the pace again. But so did Rossi, who was unleashed at this point and steadily drawing closer:

Marquez's team warn him Rossi is closing. #MotoGP @argmotogp pic.twitter.com/hUVNyNzwcH

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) April 19, 2015

Rossi needed to make up half-a-second per lap, a nearly impossible feat, and he was proving to everyone the veteran has worked his way back to top form and will be a major factor in this year's championship.

The Italian set a new lap record and had Marquez in his sights with three laps left to go, as fans started gearing up for an epic battle to the finish line.

Fox Sports 1 wondered whether Marquez's choice of tyre would effectively cost him the win:

Fastest lap of the race for @ValeYellow46! Is Marc Marquez a sitting duck on the hard rear tire? #ArgentinaGP

— FS1 (@FS1) April 19, 2015

With two laps to go, Rossi pushed into the lead for the very first time, but Marquez took advantage of the Italian running wide in the next corner to reclaim the top spot. Rossi then displayed fantastic control of his brakes, and with the battle as close as ever, an accident was almost inevitable.

Marquez and Rossi eventually touched, and the Spaniard suffered a heavy crash into the tarmac:

Marquez is down! He was battling Rossi for the lead and they tangled on the exit of Turn 5! #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/VRosAhBzgN

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) April 19, 2015

Replays showed Rossi ran slightly wide just as Marquez hit the throttle to overtake. The defending champion ran to his bike in a desperate attempt to salvage a spot on the podium, but it was already too late. Dovizioso took second, Crutchlow passed Iannone for third in the final corner, and Marquez didn't even finish in the top 15.

Fortunately for Marquez, it appears he didn't suffer any significant injuries in the crash:

What on earth has happened here??! #ArgentinaGP #MotoGP @marcmarquez93 http://t.co/L940NLe0QQ

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 19, 2015

Race directors immediately confirmed no action would be taken against Rossi, who simply held his line and was in no way responsible for the incident. As reported by crash.net, the winner still felt bad for how the race finished.

"I'm sorry for this, he touch me in the corner," Rossi said. "I hope he's ok, but it's a great race. Marc was far, but I know he chose the red tyre. The bike was great, 2 victories already. I think we can fight to the end!"

Here are the current MotoGP standings:

Pos.	Rider	Bike	Nation	Points
1	Valentino ROSSI	Yamaha	ITA	66
2	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	Ducati	ITA	60
3	Andrea IANNONE	Ducati	ITA	40
4	Jorge LORENZO	Yamaha	SPA	37
5	Marc MARQUEZ	Honda	SPA	36
6	Cal CRUTCHLOW	Honda	GBR	34
7	Bradley SMITH	Yamaha	GBR	28
8	Aleix ESPARGARO	Suzuki	SPA	22
9	Pol ESPARGARO	Yamaha	SPA	15
10	Maverick VINALES	Suzuki	SPA	15
11	Danilo PETRUCCI	Ducati	ITA	15
12	Dani PEDROSA	Honda	SPA	10
13	Scott REDDING	Honda	GBR	10
14	Hector BARBERA	Ducati	SPA	8
15	Yonny HERNANDEZ	Ducati	COL	6
16	Jack MILLER	Honda	AUS	6
17	Hiroshi AOYAMA	Honda	JPN	5
18	Nicky HAYDEN	Honda	USA	3
19	Loris BAZ	Yamaha Forward	FRA	2
20	Stefan BRADL	Yamaha Forward	GER	1
21	Alvaro BAUTISTA	Aprilia	SPA	1

The six-time world champion now has a commanding lead in the standings, and with Marquez not picking up any points, things are looking up for Rossi to grab a shocking seventh title.

Marquez remains the favourite on the more powerful Honda, but after last year's one-sided championship, it's great to see some actual competition emerging for the youngster. 

Follow @ReverschPass

MotoGP champion Marc Marquez truly kick-started his 2015 season last time out as he won the second race of the term in Texas.

Next up is the Grand Prix of Argentina this weekend, and the 22-year-old Spaniard will be looking to repeat the trick of last season when he took victory in Santiago del Estero.

However, though only two races old, the 2015 MotoGP season looks as though it could be a close-run thing, with Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso and Movistar Yamaha veteran Valentino Rossi both looking in good form.

Both are sitting ahead of third-placed Marquez in the current standings and will hope to keep it that way in Argentina.

Read on for a closer look at the key riders ahead of all of the action in South America, as well as the full race schedule.

Date	Time (BST/ET)	Event
Friday, April 17	1:55 p.m. - 2:40 p.m./8:55 a.m. - 9:40 a.m.	Free Practice 1
Friday, April 17	6:05 p.m. - 6:50 p.m./1:05 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.	Free Practice 2
Saturday, April 18	1:55 p.m. - 2:40 p.m./8:55 a.m. - 9:40 a.m.	Free Practice 3
Saturday, April 18	5:30 p.m. - 6 p.m./12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m.	Free Practice 4
Saturday, April 18	6:10 p.m./1:10 p.m.	Qualifying
Sunday, April 19	8 p.m./3 p.m.	Race

Available live on BT Sport 2 (UK) and Fox Sports 1 (US), with live streaming via BT Sport Player and Fox Sports Go

Marc Marquez

After a somewhat underwhelming start for the defending champion when he came fifth in the season opener in Qatar after a mistake at the first corner, Repsol Honda's Marquez returned to winning ways last week at the Grand Prix of Americas.

It was a convincing display from the Spanish superstar, as he led home Dovizioso in second and Rossi in third, per BT Sport MotoGP:

Relive the @MotoGP final lap, as @marcmarquez93, @ValeYellow46 and @AndreaDovizioso battle it out in Texas. http://t.co/mwIHtu2Afn

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) April 13, 2015

Marquez won the championship at a canter last season—his second triumph in as many seasons—winning 13 races in a record-breaking campaign.

He expects a tougher challenge in 2015, though, with a couple of riders looking to topple the man who has dominated MotoGP over the last year, per Crash.net:

It looks like it will be an interesting championship because Valentino and Andrea are really consistent. After what happened in Qatar it was time to come back to the top and try to recover some points, but anyway I am happy because I felt good with the bike and this result gives us confidence for the next race.

Marquez has every right to be confident for Argentina, having claimed victory at the circuit last season despite a difficult start to the race.

Qualifying could be vital in Argentina, and after his quite sensational pole position run in Texas, Marquez is the man to beat, per Motor Sport:

.@matoxley: Was @marcmarquez93’s @circuitamericas pole lap the greatest ever? http://t.co/rOztJfq0vd pic.twitter.com/k79jPOPOxJ

— Motor Sport magazine (@Motor_Sport) April 15, 2015

He currently sits five points back from first-placed Rossi in the standings, so a win this weekend for Marquez would see him reach the summit for the first time this season. Only a brave man would bet against him.

Andrea Dovizioso

Ducati are in some fine form so far this year, with Dovizioso having picked up 40 points already with two second-placed finishes, while Andrea Iannone has 27 points.

The Italian outfit seem to have produced a fantastic bike this year, with MotoGP broadcaster Dennis Noyes pithily summing up how well they have started the season, per Cycle World:

In the words of @DennisNoyes, “The #Ducati guys are so happy they can’t sit down.” http://t.co/oLTUp4lQJ4 pic.twitter.com/npI4jNrRRg

— Cycle World (@CycleWorldMag) April 14, 2015

Having finished fifth in the championship last season, the Italian Dovizioso could be a genuine title challenger in 2015, but he could do with getting an early win on the board to put some daylight between him and Marquez.

His first port of call for Argentina, though, is to replicate his Texas performance and finish ahead of Rossi, having proven that he has what it takes to beat the veteran rider.

Dovizioso clearly has ambitions to be fighting it out at the very top throughout the season, and he is looking to improve again in Argentina, per MotoGP.com:

I am particularly pleased with the work of my team because on a completely different track from Losail we confirmed that the GP15 is competitive and we managed to improve during the weekend. This year we have already had two great races, but we must continue to work because we’re still lacking a bit of fine-tuning in braking and traction, small improvements that will make the difference when it comes to fighting for the top positions at every circuit.

As the 29-year-old mentions, his bike is not quite the finished article, suggesting there is room for improvement as the season moves on.

But after two races, he is looking very much like the form rider, and Dovizioso could make it a third different race-winner from three this weekend.

Marc Marquez claimed victory at the Grand Prix of the Americas for the third year in a row on Sunday to revive his 2015 MotoGP season with his first win of the year.

A water spillage on the Austin track delayed proceedings, but Marquez wasn't swayed in the slightest and sprung into action in front of the Texas crowd to breathe new life into his season. The official MotoGP Twitter account confirmed his triumph:

It's three in a row in #MotoGP for @marcmarquez93 at the #AmericasGP! @AndreaDovizioso and @ValeYellow46 complete the podium.

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 12, 2015

Here's a look at the overall results from Sunday's race, along with how the standings are shaping up in its wake:

Pos.	Points	Rider	Team	Time/Gap
1	25	Marc Marquez	Repsol Honda Team	43'47.150
2	20	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati Team	+2.354
3	16	Valentino Rossi	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	+3.120
4	13	Jorge Lorenzo	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	+6.682
5	11	Andrea Iannone	Ducati Team	+7.584
6	10	Bradley Smith	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	+10.557
7	9	Cal Crutchlow	CWM LCR Honda	+16.967
8	8	Aleix Espargaro	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	+19.025
9	7	Maverick Vinales	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	+38.570
10	6	Danilo Petrucci	Pramac Racing	+41.796
11	5	Hiroshi Aoyama	Repsol Honda Team	+47.199
12	4	Hector Barbera	Avintia Racing	+47.339
13	3	Nicky Hayden	Aspar MotoGP Team	+56.484
14	2	Jack Miller	CWM LCR Honda	+56.731
15	1	Alvaro Bautista	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	+57.372
16		Eugene Laverty	Aspar MotoGP Team	+58.898
17		Loris Baz	Athina Forward Racing	+1'08.787
18		Alex De Angelis	Octo IodaRacing Team	+1'22.236

Position	Rider	Team	Nation	Points
1	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	ITA	41
2	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati	ITA	40
3	Marc Marquez	Honda	SPA	36
4	Andrea Iannone	Ducati	ITA	27
5	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	SPA	26
6	Bradley Smith	Yamaha	GBR	18
7	Cal Crutchlow	Honda	GBR	18
8	Aleix Espargaro	Suzuki	SPA	13
9	Dani Pedrosa	Honda	SPA	10
10	Danilo Petrucci	Ducati	ITA	10
11	Maverick Vinales	Suzuki	SPA	9
12	Pol Espargaro	Yamaha	SPA	7
13	Yonny Hernandez	Ducati	COL	6
14	Hiroshi Aoyama	Honda	JPN	5
15	Hector Barbera	Ducati	SPA	5
16	Nicky Hayden	Honda	USA	3
17	Scott Redding	Honda	GBR	3
18	Jack Miller	Honda	AUS	2
19	Alvaro Bautista	Aprilia	SPA	1

Having shown such fine form early on in the Qatar Grand Prix last month, it was Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso who enjoyed the brightest start on Sunday and stomped his way into an early lead.

However, the beginning was not as bright for British contender Scott Redding, who collided with Pol Espargaro just half a lap into his race:

Bad luck for @Reddingpower & @PolEspargaro after the start!. Riders are OK. #MotoGP #AmericasGP http://t.co/9gJKY7MTOs

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 12, 2015

Marquez had triumphed at the Grand Prix of the Americas in both his MotoGP seasons to date, but etching out a lead, despite his pole placement, proved a difficult manoeuvre. 

Fox Speed emphasized Dovizioso's strength on the long straights to make up for any shortcomings in the tighter aspects, which helped fend off the threat of his peers early on:

The Ducati is extremely quick on the long straightaways - really helping Dovizioso keep a safe gap over Marquez & Rossi. #AmericasGP

— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) April 12, 2015

The Italian representatives once again ranked highly as the race neared the halfway stage, with Valentino Rossi looking to uphold a 100 percent record in 2015 by claiming another win in Texas.

Dovizioso couldn't handle the pressure, though, and Fox Sports 1 was on hand to confirm Marquez's pass to take first spot as his own:

Marquez takes a look on Dovizioso for the lead - and he completes the pass! A trio of Yamaha riders complete top 5 (Rossi, Smith & Lorenzo).

— FS1 (@FS1) April 12, 2015

The Spaniard will have been disappointed not to have even placed among the top three in Qatar last month, and Marquez cut a motivated figure as he sought to not just defend but extend his lead.

He was also helped by his tyre arrangement, as the Honda Repsol rider opted for a hard compound front as opposed to the medium most of his peers utilised this weekend.

After a slow start, that decision paid off, and the Ducati's initial advantage gradually slipped away.

Lap by lap, the reigning world champion looked to be back to his former self and established a lead over Dovizioso that the Italian would struggle to overturn:

#AmericasGP is led by @marcmarquez93 who stretches his advantage to over 1 second in the #MotoGP race.

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 12, 2015

After winning by a margin of 4.125 seconds last year, Marquez was seeking to beat his own standards with an even more resounding display this time around:

Marquez has stretched his lead to 3.4 seconds over Rossi. He won last year's race by 4.125 - his largest margin of victory in a dry race.

— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) April 12, 2015

As the leading pack neared the finish, it became clearer that Marquez's pursuers were merely battling for second place as the Repsol rider relentlessly hounded down the chequered flag.

And with plenty of daylight between him and second-place finisher Dovizioso, Marquez can be pleased in knowing a stuttered start to the season now looks like nothing more than a blip.

While Spain may have been the dominant nation for periods of late, Italians Rossi and Dovizioso can be proud of the flag they're now flying and look to continue that trend as 2015 progresses. 

The Doctor leads the standings by a single point over countryman Dovizioso, but the pair will live in fear now that a sleeping giant in Marquez has awoken after his return to form in Austin.