2010 season finale in Valencia

The Valencia circuit in Spain hosts its 12th MotoGP race in as many years this weekend, in what has been the traditional season-ending round since 2002.

The 18th instalment of the 2010 MotoGP campaign will see runner-up to already-crowned champion Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) decided, with Dani Pedrosa (Honda) and Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) the candidates still able to take the honour.

Rossi will also be signing off from Yamaha at Valencia, just as Aussie Casey Stoner will be at Ducati.

Despite having wrapped up the title with three rounds to spare Lorenzo is still hungry for victories, as proven with his eighth of the season last time out at Estoril. The Spaniard is also on course to set a new record for the highest number of points scored in a single season in the MotoGP class as well as equal a number of other milestones, with the added incentive that Valencia is just one of three circuits on the current calendar at which he has not won in any class. He did finish on the podium last year however and will now aim to go one better.

"I've never won here in Valencia," said Lorenzo, during this afternoon's pre-event press conference. "It's not my obsession to get a victory here this weekend, but we are sure going to try. It's the last race of the season, so we'll make the last push, as we are very motivated to have a good race."

The man with the most success at the venue is Pedrosa, last year’s race winner and with five victories in total across the premier (twice), 250cc (twice) and 125cc classes. Pedrosa currently has the best chance of finishing second in the championship, holding a 19pt advantage over third-placed Rossi, but he is still recovering from his collarbone injury having only made his return to racing in Portugal having sat out three races.

Rossi has winning form at Valencia from 2003 and 2004, but is yet to taste victory on an 800cc machine there. The Italian, along with Lorenzo, will be aiming to deliver Yamaha its first win in the format, and came close last year in finishing second.

"The points’ gap to second is quite big and Dani is always fast here," declared Rossi. "Anyway, a good target is also to resist and keep the third position from Casey, who is also fast here in Valencia. Last weekend we worked well in Portugal and had a good first half of the race, for this Sunday we will try and prepare the second half."

After four years, 41 podiums and 23 victories (so far) and a world championship title the Ducati Team bids farewell to Casey Stoner this weekend in the final round of the 2010 season at Valencia.

The 25 year-old will be aiming to sign off with one more victory and, having won at Valencia in 2008 on the Desmosedici, Stoner is confident of finding a good set-up on his machine for round 18.

“After the awful weather we had to put up with in Portugal I hope that Valencia is a bit better and we get chance to work well and get a good set-up for my final race on the Ducati,” said Stoner.

“I have always liked the circuit and I had my first ever win here in 125cc. It is a tight but flowing circuit and even though there are a lot of second and third gear corners they are banked and you can let the bike run, keeping some good speed up.

“This also helps you to find a gearbox setting quite quickly because apart from the straight, obviously, you only really need two gears. In the past we have always been able to find a good set-up so I we are confident. I really want to have a good race this weekend.”

Stoner took his first GP win at Valencia in the 125cc class back in 2003, and in 2008 the Australian won from pole. Along with Rossi he will be looking for an end-of-season victory to bring the latest chapter in his premier class career to a winning close, while just behind him in the standings Andrea Dovizioso (Honda) will be aiming to snatch fourth spot.

Rookie of the Year Ben Spies is desperate to ride despite dislocating an ankle last weekend in Portugal, the Yamaha rider keen to depart the satellite team for the factory set-up with what would be a third podium of his debut season.

He placed seventh as a one-off entry in last year’s race, and level on points in the championship is fellow American Nicky Hayden (Ducati) who will also be searching for a rostrum finale to 2010. The Kentucky Kid was fifth last year in his first ride at the track on a Desmosedici, and has fond memories of clinching the 2006 title there.

Marco Simoncelli (Honda) came agonisingly close to a first premier class podium at Estoril and will aim to seal that at a track he won on in 2008, his 250cc title-winning year, while French rider Randy de Puniet (Honda) will mark a personal milestone with his 200th Grand Prix start. Carlos Checa also rides in his second race with the Pramac Racing team, and the three-practice session format used at Estoril will again be implemented this weekend.

With a day’s rest on Monday the preparations for the 2011 season will get underway on Tuesday and Wednesday following the GP, with an official two-day test scheduled to take place.