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, October 01: Moto GP is set to get into top gear, after a month?s break. Fresh from the interval, the Fiat Yamaha Team regroups this weekend at the coastal town of Estoril for the GP Grande Premio De Portugal (Portuguese Grand Prix). All the scintillating action from this race can be seen live on Ten Sports on 3 and 4 October.
This race marks the start of the final phase of the season, with just 3 races remaining after this one. Team Fiat Yamaha are sitting pretty as both their riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo lie first and second in the championship and with just 30 points separating the two, a tense climax to this year‘s thrilling championship is expected.
The big news and encouraging for Team Ducati Marlboro, is the return of Casey Stoner who was declared fit for the Grand Prix race on the Estoril Track. Australian Stoner missed 3 GP races as he was suffering from a mystery illness that left him complaining of exhaustion. Tests were conducted but remained inconclusive. But all that matters now, is that he is ready to take up the challenge that the Grand Prix track at Portugal will pose for him. Casey started this season well winning 2 of the first 5 races. He was in third position when he was forced to take a break.
The reigning champion Valentino Rossi has an exemplary record at Estoril and is the most successful rider in Grand Prix history at the track, having stood on the podium on all of his nine visits, including five wins. Last year however, he lost out to his rookie team mate Jorge Lorenzo and finished third. This year he would look to maximize points, and edge closer to what would be his ninth World Championship title.
The Estoril track, just 7 km from the Atlantic is characterized by the dramatic changes in weather. Sunny spells are injected with cold gusty winds. The layout of the Autodromo Fernanda Pires de Silva is similarly contrasting, featuring one of the longest main straights in MotoGP and one of the slowest corners. Several other twisty sections make for the lowest average speed in the championship. This track is arguably one of the toughest in the circuit, and is tests the riders skills to the fullest.
