2017 MotoGP Preview

The 2017 MotoGP season sees a shuffle of some of the front runners while the number of manufactures has increased from five to six and the grid will expand from 21 bikes to 23 bikes. Seven different nationalities from two continents are represented on the grid with nearly half the riders hailing from Spain.

The season starts under the lights at the now traditional season opener at Losail International Circuit in Qatar. After two weeks off, the bikes will head to Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo in Argentina for the second round of the season on April 9th. The lone visit to the United States will be April 23rd at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. The first European round of the season will be May 7th at Circuito de Jerez.

Two weeks later, MotoGP ventures north to Le Mans for the French Grand Prix before heading south for the Italian Grand Prix on June 4th, the first of four-race in five-week stretch. June 11th sees the series return to Spain, this time to Barcelona. After a week off, the famed Dutch TT will take place on June 25th from TT Circuit Assen. The German Grand Prix marks the halfway point of the season on July 2nd. The Sachsenring also marks the final race before MotoGP's summer break.

When the teams return to competition, they will race three times in four weeks starting with the Czech Republic Grand Prix on August 6th from Brno. The following week Red Bull Ring host the Austrian Grand Prix with the British Grand Prix from Silverstone rounding out that stretch of races on August 27th. September 10th will be the San Marino Grand Prix from Misano with Motorland Aragón hosting the first race in autumn on September 24th.

The traditional Asia-Pacific swing starts on October 15th with the Japanese Grand Prix from Twin Ring Motegi with the Australian Grand Prix from Phillip Island following on October 22nd and the Malaysian Grand Prix from Sepang rounding out the road trip on October 29th. Valencia once again host the season finale, this year on November 12th.

Teams:
Repsol Honda Team
Marc Márquez: #93 Honda RC213V
What did he do in 2016: He won his third MotoGP world championship and won five races.
What to expect in 2017: Márquez will keep the bike upright, win when he can, finish when he can't and be in the championship fight all season long.

Dani Pedrosa: #26 Honda RC213V
What did he do in 2016: He finished sixth in the championship and won one race while missing three races due to a broken collarbone.
What to expect in 2017: Pedrosa has lost the near-championship pace he once showed but he is still quick and respectable and be in the middle of the top ten of the championship.

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
Valentino Rossi: #46 Yamaha YZR-M1
What did he do in 2016: He finished second in the championship and won two races.
What to expect in 2017: At 38 years old, Rossi has not lost a step and he will win a handful of races but he will have a handful in his new teammate.

Maverick Viñales: #25 Yamaha YZR-M1
What did he do in 2016: He finished fourth in the championship and scored his first career MotoGP victory at Silverstone, which was Suzuki's first victory since 2007.
What to expect in 2017: Viñales was the fastest rider in all four preseason tests at four different tracks. He will finish ahead of his veteran teammate in the championship and give Márquez a run for his money.

Ducati Team
Andrea Dovizioso: #04 Ducati Desmosedici GP17
What did he do in 2016: He finished fifth in the championship and won at Malaysia, his first victory since 2009.
What to expect in 2017: The Italian was quicker than his much more successful teammate and I think Ducati will continue to be a challenger with Dovizioso winning a race or two and in the top five of the championship.

Jorge Lorenzo: #99 Ducati Desmosedici GP17
What did he do in 2016: He finished third in the championship and won four races in his final season with Yamaha.
What to expect in 2017: After eight years with Yamaha, Lorenzo heads to Ducati and I think he will finish behind his teammate in the championship but still win a race or two.

Team Suzuki Ecstar
Andrea Iannone: #29 Suzuki GSX-RR
What did he do in 2016: He finished ninth in the championship and won at Austria, his first MotoGP victory and Ducati's first since 2010 but he missed four races due to injury.
What to expect in 2017: Iannone had a rollercoaster 2016 and he was at the top of the first few test sessions. I think he can mix it up with the top riders but he might not be able to do that on a regular basis.

Álex Rins: #42 Suzuki GSX-RR
What did he do in 2016: He finished third in the Moto2 championship and won two races.
What to expect in 2017: Rins is the one of two rookies with a factory team. I think he will finish in the top ten of the championship and be consistent with his results.

Monster Yamaha Tech 3
Johann Zarco: #5 Yamaha YZR-M1
What did he do in 2016: He was the Moto2 champion with seven victories.
What to expect in 2017: The Frenchman will be in the back half of the top ten in the championship and provide a good fight for top rookie.

Jonas Folger: #94 Yamaha YZR-M1
What did he do in 2016: He finished seventh in the Moto2 championship and he won one race.
What to expect in 2017: The German won't be too far from his French teammate and he might be ahead of Zarco more than anyone expects.

Octo Pramac Yakhnich
Danilo Petrucci: #9 Ducati Desmosedici GP17
What did he do in 2016: He finished 14th in the championship with his best finish being seventh after missing the first four races of the season due to injury.
What to expect in 2017: Petrucci never got his footing in 2016 after a promising 2015. He is going to be on the current Ducati but the testing results weren't comforting.

Scott Redding: #45 Ducati Desmosedici GP16
What did he do in 2016: He finished 15th in the championship and his best finish was third at the Dutch TT.
What to expect in 2017: Redding held up his own to his teammate during testing but I think Redding will be just outside the top ten in the championship.

Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
Sam Lowes: #22 Aprilia RS-GP
What did he do in 2016: He finished fifth in the Moto2 championship where he won twice.
What to expect in 2017: Lowes will be a rider whose results aren't good at the start but improve noticeably in the second half of the season.

Aleix Espargaró: #41 Aprilia RS-GP
What did he do in 2016: He finished 11th in the championship with his best finish being fourth at Motegi.
What to expect in 2017: Espargaró was in the top ten at two of four tests, which is encouraging, however, I don't think he nor his teammate will be challenging for podiums.

LCR Honda
Cal Crutchlow: #35 Honda RC213V
What did he do in 2016: He finished seventh in the championship and won twice, becoming the first British rider to win a top flight race in 35 years.
What to expect in 2017: Crutchlow was the surprise of 2016 and he was on the fridge of the top five in every test session. He could steal a victory or two again in 2017.

Reale Avintia Racing
Héctor Barberá: #8 Ducati Desmosedici GP16
What did he do in 2016: He finished tenth in the championship with his best finish being fourth at Malaysia.
What to expect in 2017: Barberá broke into the top ten in the championship last year but was well off the top ten during testing on a year-old bike.

Loris Baz: #76 Ducati Desmosedici GP15
What did he do in 2016: He finished 20th in the championship with his best finish being fourth at Brno.
What to expect in 2017: Don't expect much for Baz on a two-year-old bike but he was competitive to his teammate's times during testing.

Pull&Bear Aspar Team
Karel Abraham: #17 Ducati Desmosedici GP15
What did he do in 2016: He finished 18th in the Superbike World Championship where his best finish was ninth.
What to expect in 2017: Not much. He failed to score a point in his last 15 MotoGP starts and retired from nine of them.

Álvaro Bautista: #19 Ducati Desmosedici GP16
What did he do in 2016: He finished 12th in the championship with his best finish being seventh.
What to expect in 2017: Bautista looked quite competitive during testing considering he is on a year-old bike. He could be fighting for a spot in the top ten of the championship.

Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS
Jack Miller: #43 Honda RC213V
What did he do in 2016: He finished 18th in the championship and won the Dutch TT, a surprise victory in the wet.
What to expect in 2017: More races hanging around the back of the points with the occasional glimpse of something greater.

Tito Rabat: #53 Honda RC213V
What did he do in 2016: He finished 21st in the championship as a rookie with his best finish being ninth in Argentina.
What to expect in 2017: More races fighting just to score a points.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Bradley Smith: #38 KTM RC16
What did he do in 2016: He finished 17th in the championship with his best finish being seventh at Mugello.
What to expect in 2017: Frustration followed by encouragement followed by frustration and the results getting better as the season goes on.

Pol Espargaró: #44 KTM RC16
What did he do in 2016: He finished eighth in the championship with his best finish being fourth at the Dutch TT. He was also a member of the Suzuka 8 Hours winning team.
What to expect in 2017: Same as his teammate.

The first practice of the MotoGP season takes place at 12:55 p.m. ET on Thursday March 23rd. There will be two practice sessions on Friday at 11:00 a.m. ET and 1:55 p.m. ET. The final practice session will be at 12:55 p.m. ET on Saturday with qualifying following at 1:35 p.m. ET. The Grand Prix of Qatar is scheduled for Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ET.