The 2020 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix (officially known as the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana) was the fourteenth round of the 2020 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season and the thirteenth round of the 2020 MotoGP World Championship. It was held at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia on 15 November 2020.
The race was won by Franco Morbidelli, whilst Joan Mir claimed the premier class title after securing seventh place. It was Mir's first premier class title in his career and his second championship overall after previously winning the 2017 Moto3 World Championship, which also made him the first Moto3 World Champion to win the premier class title since the introduction of the Moto3 category in 2012. This also marked the first rider's title for Suzuki since Kenny Roberts Jr. in 2000 and the maiden teams' championship title for the Japanese manufacturer respectively.
Background Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
The opening rounds of the 2020 championship have been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Valencian Community Grand Prix, scheduled in the original calendar on November 15 as the twentieth and final stage of the season, was postponed by one week for the initial shift of the Grand Prix of the Americas (later cancelled on July 8) to the third Sunday in November (it was scheduled for April 5 as the third race of the championship). After the postponement of the Argentine Grand Prix (initially classified as the fourth Grand Prix of the season on April 19) to November 22, the Valencia stage was moved back by another week (the Argentine race was later cancelled on July 31). Several Grands Prix were cancelled or postponed after the opening round in Qatar was halted, prompting the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme to draft a new calendar. A new calendar based exclusively in Europe was announced on 11 June. The Valencian Community Grand Prix is classified as the fourteenth Grand Prix of the new calendar (the thirteenth for the MotoGP class) on November 15, as planned in the original one. It is preceded by the introduction of the European Grand Prix, which is also held on the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, after the organizers of the Valencian Community Grand Prix signed a contract with Dorna Sports, owner of the sport's commercial rights, to host a double grand prix in the Valencia circuit. With the inclusion of the Portuguese Grand Prix, which will be held on 22 November at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve as the last race of the season, this also marks that for the first time since 2001 the championship finale will not be held in Valencia.
MotoGP Championship standings before the race After the victory in the European Grand Prix, Joan Mir confirmed himself at the top of the drivers' classification with 162 points. Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins are 37 points behind the leader, with the Frenchman second due to the victories won this season (3 vs 1) compared to the Spaniard, who nevertheless gained three positions in the overall standings. Maverick Viñales and Franco Morbidelli are fourth and fifth, with 121 and 117 points respectively.
In the constructors' standings, Suzuki climbs to the top of the standings with 181 points, overtaking Ducati (now at 181 points). Yamaha is third with 163 points, just 4 points ahead of KTM. Honda is fifth at 130 points, while Aprilia closes the standings at 36 points.
In the team championship standings, Team Suzuki Ecstar is confirmed first at 287, increasing its lead by 82 points over Petronas Yamaha SRT. Ducati Team and KTM Factory Racing are third and fourth with 194 and 182 points respectively, with Monster Energy Yamaha fifth at 159 points.
MotoGP entrants
Stefan Bradl replaced Marc Márquez for the eleventh straight race while the latter recovered from injuries sustained in his opening round crash. Iker Lecuona, after missing the Valencian Community Grand Prix due to Andorran quarantine rules, as his brother and assistant had tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, was entered into the event and was due to compete from Saturday practice onwards; however, he tested positive on entry to the paddock and was subsequently withdrawn.
Free practice MotoGP The first session ended with Takaaki Nakagami in the lead ahead of Franco Morbidelli and Maverick Viñales. In the second, Jack Miller was the fastest ahead of Nakagami and Francesco Bagnaia. In the third Morbidelli took the lead, followed by Pol Espargaró and Johann Zarco.
Combined Free Practice 1-2-3 The top ten riders (written in bold) qualified in Q2.
BikersConstructorFP1FP2FP3121 Franco MorbidelliYamaha1'30.9441'31.125 1'30.168243 Jack MillerDucati1'31.541 1'30.6221'31.128344 Pol EspargaróKTM1'31.0521'30.8211'30.63645 Johann ZarcoDucati1'31.2971'30.8991'30.658512 Maverick ViñalesYamaha1'30.9681'31.0621'30.697630 Takaaki NakagamiHonda 1'30.8291'30.7131'30.785736 Joan MirSuzuki1'31.4361'31.0801'30.734863 Francesco BagnaiaDucati1'31.8281'30.7421'31.280988 Miguel OliveiraKTM1'31.4861'31.3301'30.8491041 Aleix EspargaróAprilia1'31.1701'30.9891'30.8651120 Fabio QuartararoYamaha1'31.6171'31.3261'30.867129 Danilo PetrucciDucati1'31.8051'31.2301'30.926134 Andrea DoviziosoDucati1'31.4101'30.9261'31.2351435 Cal CrutchlowHonda1'31.5721'30.9301'31.0771542 Álex RinsSuzuki1'31.5281'30.9471'30.9561633 Brad BinderKTM1'31.6781'31.2611'31.051176 Stefan BradlHonda1'31.5141'31.1061'31.9421846 Valentino RossiYamaha1'31.5451'31.3711'31.3721973 Álex MárquezHonda1'31.5981'31.3711'31.5402053 Tito RabatDucati1'32.1981'32.0581'31.7142132 Lorenzo SavadoriAprilia1'32.7721'32.3931'32.53227 Iker LecuonaKTM OFFICIAL MOTOGP COMBINED FREE PRACTICE TIMES REPORT
Notes – Valentino Rossi and Álex Márquez set identical times in FP2; Valentino Rossi was classified ahead as he set his lap time before Álex Márquez.
Fastest session lap Personal Best lap
In the fourth session Álex Rins was the fastest ahead of Nakagami and Zarco.
Qualifying MotoGP BikerConstructorRowQ1Q2121 Franco MorbidelliYamaha Qualified in Q21'30.1911 1243 Jack MillerDucati Qualified in Q21'30.2872330 Takaaki NakagamiHonda Qualified in Q21'30.413345 Johann ZarcoDucati Qualified in Q21'30.5204 2544 Pol EspargaróKTM Qualified in Q21'30.5535612 Maverick ViñalesYamaha Qualified in Q21'30.6456741 Aleix EspargaróAprilia Qualified in Q21'30.6577 3863 Francesco BagnaiaDucati Qualified in Q21'30.6718933 Brad BinderKTM1'30.8101'30.73791088 Miguel OliveiraKTM Qualified in Q21'30.78110 41120 Fabio QuartararoYamaha1'30.9591'30.864111236 Joan MirSuzuki Qualified in Q21'30.988121335 Cal CrutchlowHonda1'31.159N/A13 51442 Álex RinsSuzuki1'31.594N/A14159 Danilo PetrucciDucati1'31.601N/A151646 Valentino RossiYamaha1'31.604N/A16 6174 Andrea DoviziosoDucati1'31.606N/A17186 Stefan BradlHonda1'31.831N/A181953 Tito RabatDucati1'32.063N/A19 72073 Álex MárquezHonda1'32.205N/A202132 Lorenzo SavadoriAprilia1'32.237N/A21 OFFICIAL MOTOGP QUALIFYING RESULTS
Warm up MotoGP In the warm up, Franco Morbidelli was the fastest ahead of Pol Espargaró and Takaaki Nakagami.
Race MotoGP Pos. No. Rider Team Manufacturer Laps Time/Retired Grid Points 1 21 Franco Morbidelli Petronas Yamaha SRT Yamaha 27 41:22.478 1 25 2 43 Jack Miller Pramac Racing Ducati 27 +0.093 2 20 3 44 Pol Espargaró Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 27 +3.006 5 16 4 42 Álex Rins Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki 27 +3.697 14 13 5 33 Brad Binder Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 27 +4.127 9 11 6 88 Miguel Oliveira Red Bull KTM Tech3 KTM 27 +7.272 10 10 7 36 Joan Mir Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki 27 +8.703 12 9 8 4 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati Team Ducati 27 +8.729 17 8 9 41 Aleix Espargaró Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 27 +15.512 7 7 10 12 Maverick Viñales Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 27 +19.043 6 6 11 63 Francesco Bagnaia Pramac Racing Ducati 27 +19.456 8 5 12 46 Valentino Rossi Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 27 +19.717 16 4 13 35 Cal Crutchlow LCR Honda Castrol Honda 27 +23.802 13 3 14 6 Stefan Bradl Repsol Honda Team Honda 27 +27.430 18 2 15 9 Danilo Petrucci Ducati Team Ducati 27 +30.570 15 1 16 73 Álex Márquez Repsol Honda Team Honda 27 +30.619 20 17 53 Tito Rabat Esponsorama Racing Ducati 27 +42.365 19 18 32 Lorenzo Savadori Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 27 +46.472 21 Ret 30 Takaaki Nakagami LCR Honda Idemitsu Honda 18 Accident 3 Ret 20 Fabio Quartararo Petronas Yamaha SRT Yamaha 8 Accident 11 Ret 5 Johann Zarco Esponsorama Racing Ducati 5 Accident 4 WD 27 Iker Lecuona Red Bull KTM Tech3 KTM WithdrewFastest lap: Jack Miller (Ducati) – 1:31.378 (lap 17) Sources:OFFICIAL MOTOGP RACE REPORT
Moto2 Pos. No. Rider Manufacturer Laps Time/Retired Grid Points 1 88 Jorge Martín Kalex 25 40:02.225 5 25 2 40 Héctor Garzó Kalex 25 +0.072 2 20 3 72 Marco Bezzecchi Kalex 25 +0.204 3 16 4 23 Marcel Schrötter Kalex 25 +0.689 7 13 5 10 Luca Marini Kalex 25 +0.812 10 11 6 33 Enea Bastianini Kalex 25 +2.329 12 10 7 87 Remy Gardner Kalex 25 +8.973 19 9 8 64 Bo Bendsneyder NTS 25 +9.720 9 8 9 11 Nicolò Bulega Kalex 25 +11.596 14 7 10 7 Lorenzo Baldassarri Kalex 25 +11.836 8 6 11 16 Joe Roberts Kalex 25 +12.369 16 5 12 45 Tetsuta Nagashima Kalex 25 +13.041 23 4 13 97 Xavi Vierge Kalex 25 +13.495 13 3 14 22 Sam Lowes Kalex 25 +15.345 18 2 15 37 Augusto Fernández Kalex 25 +15.577 21 1 16 12 Thomas Lüthi Kalex 25 +18.954 17 17 24 Simone Corsi MV Agusta 25 +26.947 11 18 35 Somkiat Chantra Kalex 25 +36.336 25 19 55 Hafizh Syahrin Speed Up 25 +42.068 26 20 99 Kasma Daniel Kalex 25 +46.792 28 21 74 Piotr Biesiekirski NTS 25 +50.162 29 Ret 21 Fabio Di Giannantonio Speed Up 24 Accident 4 Ret 57 Edgar Pons Kalex 23 Accident 22 Ret 44 Arón Canet Speed Up 21 Accident 20 Ret 9 Jorge Navarro Speed Up 17 Accident 15 Ret 19 Lorenzo Dalla Porta Kalex 14 Accident 24 Ret 62 Stefano Manzi MV Agusta 10 Accident 1 Ret 27 Andi Farid Izdihar Kalex 8 Accident 27 Ret 42 Marcos Ramírez Kalex 6 Accident 6 OFFICIAL MOTO2 RACE REPORT
Moto3 Pos. No. Rider Manufacturer Laps Time/Retired Grid Points 1 14 Tony Arbolino Honda 23 38:17.462 13 25 2 11 Sergio García Honda 23 +1.142 17 20 3 25 Raúl Fernández KTM 23 +1.297 3 16 4 75 Albert Arenas KTM 23 +2.825 6 13 5 40 Darryn Binder KTM 23 +2.999 1 11 6 53 Deniz Öncü KTM 23 +3.208 11 10 7 16 Andrea Migno KTM 23 +9.836 5 9 8 79 Ai Ogura Honda 23 +9.852 7 8 9 5 Jaume Masiá Honda 23 +9.864 4 7 10 52 Jeremy Alcoba Honda 23 +12.802 15 6 11 17 John McPhee Honda 23 +12.879 16 5 12 55 Romano Fenati Husqvarna 23 +14.513 14 4 13 82 Stefano Nepa KTM 23 +15.340 19 3 14 23 Niccolò Antonelli Honda 23 +15.619 10 2 15 6 Ryusei Yamanaka Honda 23 +24.297 20 1 16 7 Dennis Foggia Honda 23 +24.320 27 17 70 Barry Baltus KTM 23 +24.666 24 18 92 Yuki Kunii Honda 23 +24.690 12 19 71 Ayumu Sasaki KTM 23 +27.484 26 20 9 Davide Pizzoli KTM 23 +27.754 25 21 99 Carlos Tatay KTM 23 +28.093 29 22 50 Jason Dupasquier KTM 23 +28.138 23 23 54 Riccardo Rossi KTM 23 +30.718 18 24 13 Celestino Vietti KTM 23 +48.093 9 Ret 89 Khairul Idham Pawi Honda 21 Accident 28 Ret 2 Gabriel Rodrigo Honda 7 Accident 30 Ret 21 Alonso López Husqvarna 7 Accident 21 Ret 27 Kaito Toba KTM 1 Accident 2 Ret 24 Tatsuki Suzuki Honda 1 Accident 8 Ret 73 Maximilian Kofler KTM 0 Accident 22 DNS 12 Filip Salač Honda Did not start OFFICIAL MOTO3 RACE REPORT Filip Salač suffered a chest injury in a crash during practice and was declared unfit to compete.
Championship standings after the race Below are the standings for the top five riders, constructors, and teams after the round.
MotoGP
Riders' Championship standings Rider Points 1 Joan Mir 171 3 2 Franco Morbidelli 142 3 Álex Rins 138 4 Maverick Viñales 127 3 5 Fabio Quartararo 125
Constructors' Championship standings Constructor Points 1 Suzuki 201 2 Ducati 201 3 Yamaha 188 4 KTM 175 5 Honda 133
Teams' Championship standings Team Points 1 Team Suzuki Ecstar 309 2 Petronas Yamaha SRT 230 1 3 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 209 1 4 Ducati Team 203 5 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP 169
Moto2
Riders' Championship standings