Last year at Catalunya, Ducati's world championship hopes effectively ended when
Loris Capirossi and Sete Gibernau tangled spectacularly into turn one. This year,
Casey Stoner will be hoping for no such drama after already having his points lead slashed by
Valentino Rossi at Mugello.
Rossi overturned a Stoner pole position to win his home Italian Grand Prix for a record sixth time last weekend - a result which, combined with a fourth place for Stoner's factory Ducati, propelled Rossi to within nine points of the 2007 title leader.
The Fiat Yamaha star will now be aiming to erase that remaining disadvantage on the northern outskirts of Barcelona - at a circuit where he has won eight times in the past, including five premier class victories.
21 year-old Stoner, in only his second season of
MotoGP and first with Ducati, has never won in Catalunya - but, the winner of 50% of the six rounds so far held, has already proven that past performances count for little. Stoner, Ducati and
Bridgestone will be out to crush Rossi's new found confidence before the former five-times MotoGP champion can gather momentum.
It will not be a two-horse race however with
Dani Pedrosa returning home to race in front of his fans following a promising second place in Mugello for Repsol Honda. He learnt his trade at the Circuit de Catalunya and has won both 125 and 250cc grands prix at the track. The Spaniard currently lies third in the championship, 24 points behind Rossi, as he and Honda continue to chase their first win of the season.
Despite only finishing ninth in Mugello, Gresini Honda rider
Marco Melandri hung onto fourth place in the championship but has bad memories of Barcelona after being caught up in last year's first turn pile-up.
