Motorcycle GP racing was inaugurated at Montmelo in 1992, as the European GP. The annual race took the name of Catalunya in 1996, a second race in Spain, reflecting the growing national passion for the sport. Now there are three Spanish races, and another in Portugal, and the fans come in vast numbers to cheer their local heroes.

The Montmelo circuit, built with no expense spared in the early Nineties to coincide with the Barcelona Olympics, is still a state-of-the-art facility, with spacious paddock buildings and facilities, extensive grandstands, and a variety of viewing areas. It also plays host to Spain's F1 car grand prix, and is a popular testing track for the cars. With the immense braking and cornering forces generated, this has caused some damage to the track surface, while another wave-like deformation from the track's construction is also a factor, especially on the straight.

Top speeds can exceed 300kph if wind conditions allow down the long main straight. It's layout is then completed with a sequence of long radius, medium/high speed sweepers and two tight hairpin left handers.

Bumps are an issue for riders on the entry to the hard braking turns, while the corners themselves are made up of a variety of cambers. For this reason the base chassis setup will be in the aim of trying to provide stability under brakes. The rear ride-height may be set a little lower to minimise weight transfer under heavy braking, which can lead to the rear of the bike skipping at the crucial point when riders are tipping into the turn.

Also helping will be the higher rate springs run in the front forks. Combined with the right compression damping it will prevent the front of the bike diving excessively under brakes. But the difficulty will be setting the balance, so that when the front forks are compressed they are still able to compensate for the rough track surface that is found on the braking line. If the compression damping is too slow the front tyre will crash over the bumps rather than ride them, reducing the rider’s feel and confidence.

With the track surface often dirty, grip will be an issue at Barcelona. For this reason teams are likely to start will a slightly softer setup to compensate, but as the track becomes cleaner during the course of the event they will be firmed up to suit the ever-improving laptimes. Combining the lack of grip with the long radius turns the most likely base tyre choice will be a 16.5 inch rear – its side grip and longevity is sure to be a plus here.

It’s also these long sweepers that mean that the ability for the 500 to hold its line must also be considered, as this will determine the eventual top speed just as much as the outright horsepower of the engine. This is where stability under brakes and the ability to hold a tight line lead to a compromise in chassis setup.

Speaking of power, the engines will be tuned to produce a strong but meaty power curve to offer a high top speed while still providing the rider with a predictable throttle response. The latter is all-important if the rider is to get off the turns confidently after working the sides of the tyres on those long corners. Wind will also be a factor at Barcelona, effecting the gearing choice depending on which direction it attacks the circuit.