Two points at the top: Ogura gains ground on Arenas

Albert Arenas’ (Gaviota Aspar Team Moto3) Championship lead has been shrinking. The Spaniard has been the class of the field on many an occasion in 2020, but with a couple of crashes and the consistency of his closest rival, the gap has now gone down to the smallest it’s been: two points. Can he fight back in Catalunya? Or will Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) – or John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) – turn the tables?

For Ogura, it’s an easier ask as he’s the man just two behind. That means that if he finishes ahead of Arenas on the podium, for one, he’ll most definitely be the Championship leader. So can he? Ending the race on the rostrum is his speciality so far this year, as he’s done it six times – more than any other rider. He’s not yet won, however, so that balancing act of risk vs reward could be a hurdle… but so far it’s done nothing to hold him back from full attack, and a win seems only a matter of time...

For McPhee, it’s a bigger deficit. After a tougher second race at Misano, the Brit is now 21 points off and will be focused on fighting back. With Arenas on home turf though, the number 75 will be gunning for the top step as ever – so as the man on the chase, McPhee will need to do the same to start getting back into the mix right at the top. The Scot has bounced back already this year though, and more than knows how to do it.

There are more home heroes than just Arenas to contend with though. The likes of Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing), Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) have shown more and more speed in 2020 and can’t be counted out from the fight at the front, and then there are the Italians: Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) have already won this year, and Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) has been on the podium. What can they do in ‘enemy’ territory? And how will that shuffle the deck for the top three in the standings?

Find out on Sunday at the slightly later time of 12:00 (GMT +2) as Moto3™ take on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya.