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As riders prepare for the final race of this 18-event season, there are still all-important places in the Championship standings to be fought for. And none will be more vital – and harder to achieve – than the second-place overall that Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) battles for on Sunday.

The Spanish star lies 24-points adrift of former World Champion Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) in the MotoGP order. And with 25 points available for a win this weekend, Dani has at least a very slim chance of taking that place from Rossi.

But Rossi only needs a single point to secure runner-up slot and Dani needs to win with Rossi either failing to finish or ending up outside the points-scoring positions in 16th or lower. It’s a tall order, but as long as a mathematical chance remains, Pedrosa will give it everything.

And his record here at Valencia is impressive. Dani won here on a 125cc machine in 2002 also setting the fastest lap of the race and starting from pole. He repeated that feat in 2004 and 2005 on a 250 and few would argue that he is not one of the undoubted masters here.

Pedrosa is also in a rich vein of form. He has qualified on pole three times in the immediate run-up to this Grand Prix and is surely on course for a better finish than his latest string of pole starts have yielded so far. But whatever happens his speed and determination are never in doubt.

His team-mate and 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC212V) has not enjoyed the happiest of title defence years, but the Kentucky Kid is a buoyant character who will give everything again this weekend even though this season has been something of a barren period for him.

Marco Melandri (Gresini Honda RC212V), currently in fourth place overall, faces something of a fight to stave off the attentions of Suzuki riders John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen. Marco has 174 points, Hopkins 173 and Vermeulen 169. It is that close.

Melandri and his current team-mate Toni Elias (Gresini Honda RC212V) leave the Honda fold at the end of this season, and Carlos Checa (LCR Honda RC212V), who retires from MotoGP at the end of this race will all be aiming to sign off on a high note, especially as this is a ‘home’ race for Checa and Elias.

The 4.005km Ricardo Tormo track was designed to fit in the ‘bowl’ of a natural amphitheatre, so that the huge crowds (200,000 plus over the
weekend) can track the progress of riders almost all the way around a full lap. With 14 turns (five rights and nine lefts) packed into this tight space, and only a short 876m straight, it’s ideal for spectators – but hard work for riders.

There is no time to rest here. With many turns in quick succession and only the short chute on which to ‘relax’, the ‘Cheste’ track is punishing. Despite a slow average lap time at around a 150km/h average speed (the second slowest on the calendar next to Estoril) the bikes are on the edge of their tyres for long periods – precisely where riders need to apply maximum concentration.

The two fast turns at either end of the main straight are hard on rubber too, so set-up means making the most of available grip and having a machine that turns easily without too much physical effort from the pilot. Progressive acceleration out of those turns is vital too.

Dani Pedrosa said: “Valencia is a home track for me and the atmosphere is always very special because of this, and also because it’s the final race of the season. The motivation of everyone will be very high as it’s the last chance to get a good result and finish the year on a high – and certainly my target will to win here, and also to enjoy the weekend. We’ve had great potential in recent races but usually one area or another has given us a problem, so I hope that this weekend everything can come together and we can get the reward I believe we deserve.”

Hayden said: “Well here we are on our way to Valencia and I can’t quite believe it’s the last race of the year. I’m really looking forward to this weekend but actually I’m not that happy the season is nearly over because we’ve had decent pace in the last few races and in some ways I wish the season was starting again, not ending. Obviously the season hasn’t gone exactly as I’d have liked and I wish there was some more races to go. I just like the track and the way it’s laid out in such a tight area. It’s a track I’ve gone well at in the past and certainly it’s our last chance of the season so we’ll try to go out with style.”

Melandri said: “I’d like to finish off the season with another good result. I’ve got some great memories of this circuit, especially my victory here in 2005. Second place in Malaysia at a circuit where I’ve never scored good results in the past and where it looked as though the characteristics of the track would not suit my bike or riding style have given me an extra boost. The package of bike and tyres worked perfectly there. My aim is to confirm fourth place in the Championship and give Fausto and the team one last reason to celebrate after three great years together.”

His team-mate Elias said: “I can’t wait to race in front of my home fans for the third time this season. The backing of the Spanish fans always gives me an extra push and I usually need it at this circuit because it isn’t among my favourites, with its twisty layout and lack of fast sections. But that’s not a problem because I’m racing in Spain and the atmosphere will be incredible with that level of support. Hopefully we can work well all weekend and get in the right shape to put on another good show.”

Checa said: “Officially, this will be my last MotoGP race but you never know what will happen in the future. In any case, I want to finish this part of my career and the season with a good feeling for everyone. For the LCR team and all my friends and fans who will be at the circuit, it will be a very special race for me. I like Valencia and we had a good pre-season test here. It’s a track that doesn’t rely on horsepower so much, so l am aiming to end the season with a strong performance, definitely a top ten result.”

Shinya Nakano (Konica Minolta Honda RC212V) said: “I think both the team and myself want to do something special for the last race of the season. I love the Valencia track as there are some very challenging corners and the layout is enjoyable. Compared to the last two races in Australia and Malaysia, conditions will be different again. We are more likely to see colder conditions and this will mean we will need to find a good tyre for the race. This has been a difficult year for us all in the team, but I believe we can do something better this weekend at Valencia.”

Kurtis Roberts (Roberts KR212V) said: “Last race of what’s been a tough season for the team. We deserve something and maybe this is the place where we can score a bit higher than we have been. You can’t fault the effort the team has put in, it’s just a shame we haven’t got more to show for it.”

The 250cc title has already been decided in favour of Jorge Lorenzo (Aprilia). The gutsy Andrea Dovizioso (Scot Honda RS250RW) will finish as runner-up for the second successive season and Alex de Angelis (Aprilia) who moves up to MotoGP next year with the Gresini Honda outfit has secured third overall.

Dovizioso said: “I’m very sorry about what happened in the race in Sepang (forfeiting a possible win after becoming entangled with another rider), I knew I was able to win and it’s very difficult to close the World Championship this way. Anyway now I can do nothing about that, I’ll face the last race as I have the other ones with concentration and maximum effort because the aim is always the same – to win.”

Julian Simon (Repsol Honda RS250RW) said: “We’ve had great potential in recent races but usually one area or another has given us a problem, so I hope that this weekend everything can come together and we can get the reward I believe we deserve. The track layout itself is not one of my favourites of the year but I seem to have gone well here in the past and it’s a circuit that I have a lot of confidence at. Combined with the welcome from the crowd, this makes it a really special occasion for me.”

Shuhei Aoyama (Repsol Honda RS250RW) said: “This is a special race for me. I will not treat it like the final race, that sounds a bit sad, but as the first, eager to do it well because it is also at home. We worked well in the last two races in Australia and Malaysia and that means we can do things very well in the final race.”

There could well be a thrilling finale to the 125cc World Championship with Aprilia team-mates Gabor Talmacsi and Hector Faubel both in with a chance of lifting the World Crown at this final race. The Hungarian Talmacsi has 262 points to the Spanish man’s 252.

And with 25 points available for the win one has to feel that Talmacsi has the advantage. But the points tally doesn’t take into account the ‘home’ race support that will turn out in force for Faubel. Talmacsi will be made to feel very unwelcome on track and trackside by the partisan crowd.

Esteve Rabat (Repsol Honda RS125R) said: “I am dying to race this final GP since it is at home so I am going to give it my best shot and fight to be up with the leaders. As it is at home we will have an extra motivation and as it is quite a closed circuit you feel the force of the fans when you are on the bike, especially going into the curve on the back straight, where you can see the fans in front of you.”

Bradley Smith (Repsol Honda RS125R) said: “I like Valencia and I’ve ridden here many times and for the team it is like being at home, I’m eager to get a good result and I also think it’s a good circuit for the Hondas.”

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