Dovizioso, Pedrosa begin battle for third

Repsol Honda team -mates Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso start this weekend's Japanese MotoGP estranged by just 15 points in the championship.

It's a somewhat artificial 'battle' - given that Pedrosa missed three races through injury - but has exacting significance for Dovizioso.

The Italian is set to lose his Repsol seat as the team scales back to two riders for 2012 and finishing third in the title would do his prospect employment prospects no harm.

Dovizioso suffered his first non-score of the season after a first-lap accident at Aragon, but his strong memories of Motegi - having taken his first MotoGP pole at the Honda-owned track last year, earlier than finishing second in the race, behind future team-mate Casey Stoner.

"We go to Japan focused on returning to the podium, this has to be our target," said Dovizioso. "We will turn up at the Japanese GP this year in the same position we were last year - straight from a crash and zero points, but I'm strong-minded to transform this disappointment with extra inspiration.

"Last season we had a great race and we almost won, so I'm certain to repeat a great performance at Motegi, a circuit that I like and where I have been on the podium in all the three classes.

"Moreover, this is Honda's home GP and it's very significant to score a good result here," he continued. "Concerning the Championship, we are third in the World Standings and we aim to strengthen our position, improving some points on Lorenzo and maintaining the gap to Dani."

Pedrosa's 2010 title chances ruined when a technical problem caused a collarbone-breaking accident during practice for last year's Japanese GP. The Spaniard proceeds seeking his third race win for 2011.

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2011 final run in to commence at Motegi

The Grand Prix of Japan starts a succession of three races in the space of three weeks in which Casey Stoner will attempt to safe his second premier class title, whilst Jorge Lorenzo tries to hold onto his crown.

The Grand Prix of Japan takes place this weekend as the 2011 Moto GP World Championship heads into a swift termination which will see three of the final four rounds – starting at Motegi – take place in the space of three weeks.

Taking a 44-point lead into this weekend’s 15th round is Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner, who with conquest last time out at Aragón – his eighth of the season – extended his advantage at the top over defending World Champion Jorge Lorenzo. Stoner won last year’s race at Motegi and a repeat of that result would put him in a place to be able to secure the 2011 title in the following round, his home race at Phillip Island.

The Australian knows that is purely imaginary at the moment however and remains fully focused on taking each race as it comes. Likewise Lorenzo knows that whilst his chances of retaining his title are now slim, there is still everything to play for. The Yamaha Factory Racing rider was fourth in last year’s Motegi race on his way to the 2010 title, but won the previous year so knows his way about the Japanese track well.

Reliability has been the cornerstone of Andrea Dovizioso’s 2011 season and is the reason for the Repsol Honda rider’s current position of third in the Championship, but the rarity of a DNF at Aragón – the first time he has failed to score points in a race this season – will have infuriated the Italian. He will be keen to put that right at a circuit at which he ended second in last year’s race.

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Rossi: Aragon expectations 'higher than usual'

Valentino Rossi is raising his prospect 'a little higher than usual' as he heads for Ducati's best event of the 2010 season, at Aragon.

Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden finished one-three in Moto GP's first ever race at the imposing Spanish circuit last year, when Rossi finished sixth for Yamaha.

Rossi returns sixth in the 2011 championship, with just one stage, from his 13 races on the Desmosedici.

“Last year at Aragon was the best race of the year for Ducati, so we move toward this round with our expectations a little higher than usual," said Rossi.

"In addition, after the difficult practice sessions at Misano, we establish a good setup in the end and I had a better feeling with the bike and managed to ride it better in the race, particularly in the early laps.

"Now we'll try to unite the two things - the track that seems to work well with the Desmosedici and the good setup work - in order to find the same feeling on Sunday.”

Team manager Vittoriano Guareschi doesn't wait for any major breakthrough this weekend, and again emphasised that Ducati is working for the future.

“We have some great memories of Aragon from last year, so we're happy to return. Every season has its own story though, and we're currently working not only for this weekend but also beyond," he said.

"Our riders and team are completely listening carefully on the goal, and they're giving us a collaborative working group that I think is tremendously important. At Aragon, we expect to continue gathering data and in sequence on the Desmosedici and to speed up the setup work during the practice sessions.”

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