MotoGP Grand Prix of Valencia 2016: Key Battles, Predictions and Track Breakdown

The Valencia Grand Prix on November 13 marks the final race of the 2016 MotoGP season, and although Marc Marquez has already wrapped up the championship, this should be an exciting finale to an unpredictable year.

Andrea Dovizioso of the Ducati team became the ninth winner of 2016 at the Malaysian MotoGP, setting a new all-time record. Given that Jorge Lorenzo, Marquez and Valentino Rossi shared the first seven victories of 2016 before this incredible sequence of outsider winners, a 10th victor is not off the cards.

A number of drivers will be hoping to put on a good performance before switching teams for the 2017 season, and after Dovizioso’s shock win, it appears that anything is possible.

Shizuo Kambayashi/Associated Press

Key Battles

Marquez vs. Lorenzo

Marquez’s name is synonymous with this venue. The Spaniard's final Moto2 event was in Valencia in 2012, when he started in last place but overtook 22 riders on the first lap to win his final race in the category.

Marquez has an excellent recent record at the Ricardo Tormo, finishing third (2013), first (2014) and second (2015) in the last three years.

The Spaniard will be desperate for victory following his disappointment in Malaysia and Australia. A crash in Phillip Island was followed by another mistake at the Sepang International Circuit to leave Marquez deeply frustrated in 11th. He may have the championship sewn up, but his season of celebration threatens to end with a whimper.

Lorenzo, meanwhile, is chasing glory in his final race for Yamaha before his move to the Ducati team. After lifting three world championships and winning 43 races for the Japanese manufacturers, he will want to provide a fitting ending.

The Spanish driver won at this track in 2010, 2013, and 2015, as he pointed out recently on Twitter:

These two Spanish drivers, who have shared the last three Valencia MotoGP events, will battle it out for first place on home soil. 

Kallio vs. Dovizioso

Austrian manufacturer KTM will make its MotoGP debut this weekend in Valencia, with Mika Kallio driving the RC16 as a wild card entry. Although this is largely seen as a test run for KTM before Yamaha pair Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro drive full-time in the 2017 season, this remarkable and unpredictable season makes a stunning debut win possible.

It would be a truly magical way to announce their arrival, albeit an unlikely one.

“We are not calling this race one for the RC16 but 'race zero',” said KTM technical director Sebastian Risse, as per Mitchell Adam for AutoSport. “When the lights go out at Valencia, we will get a real experience of all our technical work and team preparation.”

Jens Meyer/Associated Press

Another driver keen to make an impact in Spain is Dovizioso, a driver in excellent form who will be hoping to maintain momentum before the 2017 season begins. The Italian finished second in Japan, fourth in Australia and first in Malaysia. Victory at the Ricardo Tormo would be his first-ever back-to-back MotoGP wins. 

The Track

The four-kilometre long Circuito de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo is situated on the outskirts of the city of Valencia and is a fantastic venue for fans of the sport. Its unusual design means that spectators can see most of the action from any vantage point in the calendar’s only stadium circuit.

Its anti-clockwise design has 13 corners and a straight of just 650 metres, making it a fairly small and slow track. There are a total of eight left-hand corners and five right-hand corners.

Watch MotoGP's official video to see a full track guide:

Prediction

A 10th different winner seems highly unlikely, although the season finale takes place at a wonderful venue for fans, which should create a carnival atmosphere for riders under no pressure to perform. Expect aggressive and exciting driving and Lorenzo to win his third Valencia MotoGP in four years.

Don't be surprised if Kallio finishes in the top five, particularly if Marquez has yet another bad day. This track has been won by a Spaniard on eight out of 17 occasions, making a victorious day for the home fans seem likely again. Lorenzo shouldn't disappoint.