it’s going to be a busy TV-watching weekend for bike racing fans, with the Dutch MotoGP on the go at Assen and World Superbikes at Imola.
MotoGP
The world’s best racers on two wheels will be contesting the Dutch MotoGP at Assen, in the Netherlands, and fans are reminded that this takes place on Saturday, not Sunday.
Going into the venue dubbed “the cathedral of motor racing”, only seven points separate Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa and Yamaha Factory Racing’s reigning world champion, Jorge Lorenzo, for round seven. Pedrosa will be keen to get back on top of the podium after Lorenzo won the last two races and closed the points margin significantly.
Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez, who was stuck to the back wheel of Pedrosa last time out, will aim to get one over on his teammate as he continues to exceed expectations in his rookie year.
Back at Yamaha after two years at Ducati, nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi has scored just one podium finish this season, but his fourth place at Catalunya two weeks ago saw him a lot closer to the three Spaniards than he’s been in some time, which will spur the charismatic Italian’s legions of fans.
World Superbikes
Heading for round seven at Imola in Italy on Sunday, Aprilia hold the high ground in this series for production-based motorcycles, with Sylvain Guintoli leading the championship from Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes on 213 points to 185, and Aprilia’s Eugene Laverty in third on 174. Fourth-placed Marco Melandri (156 points) has kept BMW in the picture with some good performances, and prevented it from becoming a two-manufacturer race.
South African interest will focus on the supporting World Supersport category for 600cc motorcycles, where former South African champ Sheridan Morais has been getting ever closer to a podium finish. Following top-seven placings in the previous two rounds, the PTR Honda rider was fifth in Portugal three weeks ago and that elusive Champagne-spraying result might be just around the corner.
His compatriot Mathew Scholtz, who has had a torrid season on a Suzuki, hopes to see his luck change and finally score some points.
Two South Africans to watch in the Superstock 1000 category will be former South African champ Greg Gildenhuys on a BMW and David McFadden on a Honda.
On DSTV
All the races, and most of the qualifying sessions, will be broadcast live on DStv. Click here for the schedules . -Star Motoring