The Remaining Three Races, Who Are The 2020 MotoGP Champions?

MotoGP (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Who would have thought that the eleven MotoGP Grand Prix that had been held since July in a season that was hampered by the pandemic could present a super tight competition. Eight different winners and 15 riders have tasted the sweetness of the MotoGP podium so far.

Now with three races remaining to be spent in November, Joan Mir leads the championship by just 14 points from his closest rival, Fabio Quartararo. And the leaders haven't even won this season.

The Suzuki Ecstar team racer is looking for his first MotoGP victory this weekend at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, Valencia. Mir has been the king of consistency with six podium finishes this season, the most of any.

If he is able to win at the European Grand Prix this weekend, then he will make 2020 equal the record for the most Grand Prix winners in a season that previously occurred in 2016.

"I don't really know how this bike will work in Valencia. The only thing is I don't expect me to be as fast as last time and we'll see how this bike works," Mir said after finishing third at the Teruel Grand Prix. MotoGP official website, Tuesday, October 3.

"I hope it will be a good track for us, but this season we never know."

Quartararo, who has won three times this season, will certainly want to return to the top with his experience as runners-up at Valencia last year.

A return trip to the top spot will re-ignite momentum for Quartararo, as will Maverick Vinales, 19 points away from Mir.

Meanwhile, Quartararo's teammate at Petronas Yamaha, Franco Morbidelli threatens the top three riders in fourth place by 25 points from the top.

Like Quartararo, Morbidelli has won more than one Grand Prix this season. The Italian racer won his two victories dominantly at the San Marino and Teruel GPs.

Realizing that he was a satellite team racer, Morbidelli had said that he was not ambitious for the title race. However, it is a distinct advantage for him. The racer who graduated from Valentino Rossi's VR46 academy will appear without the pressure to launch a full attack in the last three series.

"We are now 25 points adrift of the top. I think we have to be aggressive like today at Valencia and Portimao," said Morbidelli after winning the Teruel Grand Prix two weeks ago.

Alex Rins also enjoyed Suzuki's podium trend and became the eighth winner of the season after winning the Grand Prix of Aragon. Although 32 points separate him from Mir, Rins has always been equipped to finish better than his team-mate in the last two races.

One rank above Rins, Andrea Dovizioso scavenged for points to stay in fifth place in the standings. The last few races have been less than welcoming to riders who will leave Ducati at the end of the year.

The Ricardo Tormo circuit, which will hold two consecutive series before the final series in Portugal, proved to be quite difficult for the Italian rider to beat.

The only time Dovi got on the podium with Ducati at the Spanish circuit was when he won the Valencia GP which was hit by heavy rain at the end of the 2018 season.

And recently a number of riders have a habit of being fast, like Takaaki Nakagami, who sensationally took his first pole position at the Teruel Grand Prix despite falling after not being able to handle the pressure on the first lap of the race.

Then his future team-mate at LCR Honda, Alex Marquez, came close to scoring a runner-up hat trick if he hadn't crashed at Aragon.

Marquez's patience was put to the test after seeing Joan Mir starting from P1, overtaking him and Johann Zarco to catch up with the two leading riders.

"It's my fault completely. I lost a little time with Zarco and Mir opening the gap a little and I tried to catch up. Maybe too fast and optimistic," said Marquez as reported by the official MotoGP page.

The Repsol Honda rider continued the tradition of getting on the podium for the Marquez family, when his older brother, Marc, was absent due to an injury sustained in the opening series at Jerez.

"We have to be realistic and be more calm in Valencia later. If I fall while fighting for 15th then we need to worry, but if I fall while fighting for the podium that's something else."

"Of course the limits are tighter, it's easier to make small mistakes. All the time I always remind myself to be calm, 'calm down Alex, calm down.' But on the lap it seems I forgot to remind that, "said Marquez.

The title race is also still open for Pol Espargaro, Jack Miller and Miguel Oliveira who are in the top ten of the standings with a distance of 58 points from the top.

With 75 points maximum remaining, three consecutive races until November 22 will determine who will become the new MotoGP champion.