2019 MotoGP preview: Round 4, Jerez

The 2019 MotoGP season heads to its native home in Spain this weekend for round four of the championship from Jerez.

According to most pundits, the Spanish Grand Prix marks the true starting point of the season and is a gauge for teams to see what their pace is really like. Already, there is talk of lap records tumbling at the longstanding Jerez circuit, which has just been resurfaced.

The 2019 MotoGP season has produced no shortage of excitement so far, with three winners across three flyaway rounds, and only nine points separating the top four in the championship.

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Many eyes will be on reigning champion Marc Marquez in Jerez and specifically his reaction to crashing out while leading the Americas GP last month.

Sitting fourth overall in the standings, the five-time MotoGP champ said this week the technical problem that hindered his American race has in no way impacted his confidence moving forward.

"I was riding in a good way, we had great confidence in the bike and it was difficult to understand … why I crashed because I was riding really smooth and I didn't expect to crash," Marquez said.

"After analysis with the team, I can say the crash was coming from something [technical]. I cannot say what … but it looks like it's fixed."

There are suggestions the same technical problem may have caused a DNF to Marquez's teammate, Jorge Lorenzo, in Austin. Like Marquez, Lorenzo plans to bounce back in Jerez after a poor, injury-ravaged start to 2019.

Meanwhile, starting his 200th MotoGP race, championship leader Andrea Dovizioso is eager to extend his advantage in Jerez. However, the Ducati rider's track record is less than perfect at the Spanish circuit: to-date, he hasn't secured a MotoGP podium there.

"I'm happy to arrive here with this situation in the championship," he said.

"There are a lot of fast riders, and I think there are more than simply Marc and I fighting for the championship compared with the last three years.

"I feel more confident than last year and I feel we can be competitive."

Two consecutive podiums for Monster Energy Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi has the evergreen 40-year-old primed for a big weekend in Jerez, a circuit at which he has enjoyed plenty of success.

"It will be very important in understanding if we are stronger, if we are faster and if we have improved the bike," said Rossi, who has secured six victories in Jerez since 2002 and currently sits second in the championship.

"In the first races we are more competitive and we have improved; this will be a good weekend to understand exactly how much and if we are fast enough."

Australia's Jack Miller arrives in Spain fresh from a maiden MotoGP podium with his Pramac Ducati team. Miller sits sixth in the championship standings despite a DNF at round one in Qatar, but believes his current form could carry him much higher into the points.

"To get a dry-weather podium under our belt is nice," he said.

"The bike's working great and I feel super comfortable at the moment.

"We felt strong at all three rounds and the team is doing an amazing job. It's a shame we had that result in Qatar because it would be interesting with how things have shaped up now in the championship.

"Last year we had a decent result here because everyone fell off in front of us so we'll see how we can do this year."

Still riding the highs of a maiden MotoGP victory last time out in the Americas GP, Suzuki's Alex Rins is understandably bullish about his prospects in Spain.

Third in the championship, the 23-year-old has been a match made in heaven with his Suzuki this season – albeit despite poor qualifying pace.

"For sure it was incredible – it was unbelievable to get my first win in MotoGP," Rins said.

"I'm quite happy. These two weeks have been incredible but after the race I was thinking of the next race in Jerez. I'm excited to start the GP with the new tarmac on track."

Meanwhile, in Moto2, Australia's Remi Gardiner is intent on bouncing back from a mediocre 11th in Austin. The 21-year-old consolidates his top-five standing in the championship leading into Jerez, however, after 4-2 finishes in the opening rounds.
"I'm looking forward to the European races and am heading to Jerez with a clear mind," he said.

Race four of the MotoGP season will be broadcast on Network 10 from 9:30pm AEST Sunday (May 5), while Fox Sport's coverage commences from 5:00pm AEST Friday (May 3).

2019 MotoGP world standings after three rounds:
1. Andrea DOVIZIOSO, Ducati, ITA: 54
2. Valentino ROSSI, Yamaha, ITA: 51
3. Alex RINS, Suzuki, ESP: 49
4. Marc MARQUEZ, Honda, ESP: 45
5. Danilo PETRUCCI, Ducati, ITA: 30
6. Jack MILLER, Ducati, AUS: 29
7. Takaaki NAKAGAMI, Honda, JPN: 22
8. Cal CRUTCHLOW, Honda, GBR: 19
9. Pol ESPARGARO, KTM, ESP: 18
10. Fabio QUARTARARO, Yamaha, FRA: 17
11. Franco MORBIDELLI, Yamaha, ITA: 16
12. Maverick VIÑALES, Yamaha, ESP: 14
13. Aleix ESPARGARO, Aprilia, ESP: 13
14. Francesco BAGNAIA, Ducati, ITA: 9
15. Joan MIR, Suzuki, SPA: 8
16. Miguel OLIVEIRA, KTM, POR: 7
17. Jorge LORENZO, Honda, ESP: 7
18. Andrea IANNONE, Aprilia, ITA: 6
19. Johann ZARCO, KTM, FRA: 5
20. Tito RABAT, Ducati, ESP: 1
21. Hafizh SYAHRIN, KTM, MAL: 0
22. Karel ABRAHAM, Ducati, CZE: 0