Thundery conditions could be in store for Sunday’s race as MotoGP™ Fantasy returns for Round 7 of the World Championship
Following on from a successful weekend in the south of Spain in Jerez, MotoGP™ now heads for the historic racing city of Le Mans for Round 7 of the 2022 World Championship. The next date on the calendar also means the return of MotoGP™ Fantasy, and as always, we’re here to guide you through things ahead of the SHARK Grand Prix of France.
Which riders stood out in Jerez and made the Dream Team?
After dominating almost every session at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, it’s little surprise to see Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) end Round 6 as the top rider in MotoGP™ Fantasy. Going from pole to P1, in addition to setting the race’s fastest lap saw him collect 40 points for his efforts.
Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) picked up his third podium of the year at the Spanish GP which helped consolidate his place atop the MotoGP™ Championship standings. It also helped the Frenchman pick up 29 points for gamers who have him in their teams.
Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro is fast making a habit of being a regular podium finisher, with the number 41 collecting his third of the season after previous successes in Argentina and Portimao. His performance in the south of Spain means he earns the Dream Team 12 points, half of what it would have been if you had him in as a Gold Rider.
Completing the Spanish GP Dream Team is Miguel Oliveira. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider came from 21st on the grid to P12, meaning he picked up the majority of his points by advancing his grid position. As a Silver Rider, he brought in 11 points for the weekend.
Who were the top constructors?
Bagnaia’s strong performance, coupled with a top five for factory teammate Jack Miller, means that Ducati were once again the outstanding constructor from the weekend. The next highest scorers were Honda with 21 points, just half a point ahead of Yamaha on 20.5.
In total, the Spanish GP Dream Team would have cost you 19M and earned 121 points overall.
What should I look out for at the SHARK Grand Prix of France?
As the paddock once more returns to Le Mans, riders and teams will be casting a watchful eye on the weather radars, with the threat of Sunday rain a real possibility. If the forecasts are to be believed, then some teams may require a reshuffle.
It’s been Ducati domination in Le Mans in recent years, with factory rider Miller taking the win there in 2021. He hasn’t quite reached those heights this season as of yet, but a podium at COTA and a top five in Jerez certainly make for encouraging reading. A wet weather specialist, he will be licking his lips at the prospect of rain and can be yours for 2.9M.
Staying with the Bologna bullets, satellite rider Johann Zarco could prove a shrewd addition to your MotoGP™ Fantasy team. The Pramac rider has twice stood on the podium at his home Grand Prix, most recently in 2021, while he has also recorded two rostrum finishes this season, one at a damp Portimao, and more pertinently for this weekend, at a very wet race in Indonesia. Should the heavens open, the Frenchman is well capable of pulling out a big result. He’s available for 3.4M.
From the current grid, no rider has more MotoGP™ race wins in France than Marc Marquez. It’s been a trying year for the Repsol Honda rider as he is yet to record a top three finish, but that now seems a matter of when rather than if. Consecutive top sixes at COTA and Portimao were followed up by a P4 in Jerez and the eight-time World Champion is very skilled in the mixed conditions.
The same can be said for the younger Marquez brother, Alex. The LCR Honda rider picked up his first-ever premier class podium in the wet at Le Mans two seasons ago, while he excelled in Portimao’s damp qualifying conditions a few weeks back. At 2M, he is certainly a budget-friendly differential option.
Should the rain hold off, however, then there are several more interesting options out there. Championship leader Quartararo is valued at 4.6M, making him the most expensive rider in the game, he has been worth his weight in gold recently, picking up 70 points in his last two appearances. It’s also hard to ignore the form of Pecco Bagnaia, Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Aleix Espargaro but at 4.1M, 4M and 3.7M respectively, but they will cost a pretty penny.
As always, there are plenty of options for MotoGP™ Fantasy gamers to choose from, and if you are still finding it too difficult to nail down your selections, then make sure you tune in to the French GP preview show on Thursday at 14:00 CET, where Moto3™ rider Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) will be guiding us through his choices for the weekend.
