Thankfully the long winter wait for MotoGP action is slightly shorter than usual and this year's World Championship starts two weeks earlier than last year in Qatar this weekend. The floodlights at the Losail International Circuit will burst into life on Thursday evening as the teams, riders and media arrive at the track, ready to enjoy a new season of Moto2 racing that promises to be as wide open as ever, especially after the departure of last year's top two riders Pol Espargaró and Scott Redding to MotoGP. MAPRFE Aspar pair Nico Terol and Jordi Torres will look to do battle for the title with a strong and experienced field that includes the likes of Tito Rabat, Mika Kallio and Thomas Luthi.
After finishing seventh and tenth, with four and three podiums respectively, last season Nico and Jordi have gathered crucial experience and data for their Moto2 challenge this year. They will be MAPFRE Aspar teammates for the second successive season and their preseason pace and consistency suggests they can be amongst the favourites for success in 2014. Both riders epitomise the hard work ethic of the Spanish team and they will be giving their all to step up their performance levels now the serious business is underway.
Nico Terol:
“My strong point is racing – it is the time when I find my form and enjoy myself so I can't wait to get out to Losail, a circuit I like and have always had a good feeling for. I had a good weekend there last year but didn't manage to top it off with a good race but I am sure this year will be different. It is a wide track with all different kinds of corners, normally I take to it like a duck to water. I am excited to get started, it has been a long and hard preseason because we have struggled more than we thought to find our pace but I am still feeling the confidence from my victory in the final race of last season at Valencia and we have a lot of information to work with. We know how to go fast and our motivation is sky high.”
Jordi Torres:
“I am really keen to start the 2014 on the front foot. We have worked hard throughout preseason to get a bike that is competitive in every aspect. The job was to make the bike adaptable and we are happy with the result. The foot injury from the end of last season is water under the bridge now and the results we enjoyed last year and the experience gained should help us make a strong start to the new campaign. I have only ridden at Losail once before and the long straights mean I lose out a little but we know our bike works well in the fast corners so we will work hard to maximise our strong points.”
Mapfre Aspar Moto2 Press Release
