2017 MotoGP preview: Rd14, Aragon, Spain, September 22-24

It's the burning question ahead of the second last European MotoGP round of the year at Aragon this weekend: will seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi make an appearance on the factory Movistar Yamaha?

Following two private tests on a Yamaha roadbike at Misano to gauge the recovery on his broken right leg, the 38-year-old has declared he will make the trek to Aragon and attempt to ride.

"I had a good test with my YZF-R1M at Misano" said Rossi.

"I managed to complete 20 laps and find the answers I was looking for. Eventually, the test was positive and I want to say thanks to Dr. Lucidi and his staff, who helped me find the best solutions to feel the least amount of pain possible in my leg when I'm riding.

"Obviously at the end of the test I was in a little bit of pain, but I went to Dr. Pascarella for a medical check and it came out with a positive result.

"At the end I decided I will leave for Aragón and will try to ride my M1 this weekend. If I will be declared fit to ride, I'll have the real answer after FP1, because riding the M1 will be a much bigger challenge. We'll see. See you in Aragon!"

If Rossi is not up to the hustle and bustle of racing, Yamaha's WorldSBK rider Michael van der Mark will be on standby to act as teammate for Maverick Vinales in the Movistar Yamaha garage. Van der Mark is coming off a podium finish in last weekend's WorldSBK round in Portugal.

Even if Rossi does compete a podium result will almost certainly be out of the question, paving the way for Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda, 199pts), Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team, 199pts) and Vinales (183pts) to make the battle for the 2017 MotoGP title their own. Rossi currently sits in fourth on 157pts, just in front of Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda, 150pts).

With the championship so tight, all the riders are acutely aware the final five rounds – Aragon and Valencia bookending Motegi, Phillip Island and Sepang – will be intense and hard-fought – none more so than Marquez.

“This championship is amazing, so close! At Misano we returned to the top of the championship, equal on points with Dovi, and our other title rivals aren’t far away at all," said Marquez, who has been on pole position in every MotoGP race he has contested at Aragon.

"I’m happy to go to Aragon this weekend. This is one of my favourite tracks on the calendar, and we’ll try to give 100 per cent in front of our home fans and fight for the victory like we did at Misano. We’ll push from FP1 until the last lap of the race!”

Dovizioso is confident he can push hard at Aragon, which is one of only five circuits where racing is held in an anti-clockwise direction.

“MotorLand Aragón is a really nice but rather unusual track, completely different from Misano where I stepped onto the podium for the first time in my GP career two weeks ago," said the Italian veteran.

"Now we know we are competitive on all tracks, and both me and my team are really excited about the last five races, so I’ll be aiming for a podium again this weekend.”

Marquez is a two-time winner around the 5.1km Aragon layout, as are Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) and Aussie Casey Stoner. Marquez was the victor in 2016 ahead of lap-record holder Lorenzo and Rossi.

Stoner won the first MotoGP race at Aragon in 2010 on a Ducati – the only victory for the Italian manufacturer at this circuit.

Meanwhile, Pedrosa is determined to make his presence felt at Aragon after an abysmal outing at Misano, and the usual battery of Independent Team riders will be pushing the factory riders: Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Ducati), Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Aussie Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda). Crutchlow scored a strong fifth place at Aragon last year, just behind then Suzuki-backed Vinales.

Miller hasn't enjoyed the best results at Aragon, but he enjoys the circuit.

"Although I missed this race through injury last year, I think it's a track that should suit our Honda RC213V and I'm looking forward to the last European race before we head away overseas for the races in Japan, Malaysia and my home Grand Prix in Australia," said Miller.

"I feel good and I'm ready to push for some good results in the last quarter of the season, starting this weekend in Aragon."

Moto2
Yet another knife-edge championship, with Italian Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) leading by just 9pts over Swiss rival Tom Lüthi (CarXpert Interwetten). Morbidelli crashed in the last round at a wet Misano, while Luthi finished a strong second behind Dominique Aegerter (Kiefer Racing).

Opposition will again come thick and fast for the two leaders at Aragon. Morbidelli's teammate Alex Marquez may be coming back from injury at Aragon, but he took his first podium finish in the intermediate class at the circuit in 2016 when he finished second behind Sam Lowes.

Aegerter will be on a high going into MotorLand, as will Hafizh Syahrin (Petronas Raceline Malaysia) who took his second ever podium last time out. The boost could see both men make a push forward again.

Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) came back down to earth at Misano following his win at Silverstone, crashing out on the last lap although able to remount and score a couple of points. Nakagami was fifth last season at MotorLand, ahead of another man looking for more, Lorenzo Baldassarri (Forward Racing Team.

Another crasher in the San Marino GP was Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team), who started from pole – and who has had incredible speed all year, never to be counted out.

Remy Gardner (Tech 3 Racing) will again be the sole Aussie in action.

Moto3
Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers Honda) put on a wet-weather masterclass to win by more than 28 seconds at Misano, as well as moving back to second in the title behind runaway leader Joan Mir (Leopard Racing Honda).

Mir is 61pts clear at the head of the table, and arrives at a track where he finished top five last year and dominated the junior world title in 2015.

Meanwhile, Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda) will be looking to bounce back quickly after a DNF at Misano – and will his teammate Enea Bastianini. Del Conca Gresini Honda riders Fabio Di Giannantonio and Jorge Martin will be also up for the fight.

The three world championship races at Aragon will be held over the following distances and times:

• MotoGP: 23 laps, 116.8km, starting at 2:00pm local time (10:00pm AEST)
• Moto2: 21 laps, 106.6km, starting a 12:20pm local time (8:20pm AEST)
• Moto3: 20 laps, 191.5km, starting at 11:00am local time (7:00pm AEST)