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A week long break and then it will already be time to get back on the track. From Australia to Thailand for the second round of the factory derivatives season. The opening round at Phillip Island was certainly anything but boring, bringing us two races full of overtaking and thrills. At Chang fans are expecting more of the same.
The Asian challenge reaches the boiling point, especially because of the high temperatures, so much that last year the perceived air temperature even exceeded 40°C. It is expected to be the hottest round of 2017. And so there will be one more obstacle for the riders to have to overcome. Johnny Rea is well aware, keen to leave his mark on Buriram, as he did last week in Australia. The track is well-suited to the characteristics of the Kawasaki and the opportunity is too attractive to pass up. However, he will have to reckon with the competition, not the least of which is Chaz Davies, just ten points behind the Northern Irishman in the overall standings.
The Ducati is on an upward trend, although on the straight it still needs to shave off a little more. The Welshman will certainly not want to take any risks, applying the same consistency he demonstrated in Australia, because this seems to be the last hurdle to get over unscathed before the European rounds begin. And then, in the Aruba camp there is a Marco Melandri who has chosen the road of consistency. It may be his first time at Buriram, but the track is not that difficult to learn as Ernesto Marinelli explained.
And of course, be careful not to underestimate Tom Sykes, who managed to put the brakes on his teammate Rea right here in Thailand, winning Race 2 last year. The tyres gave him trouble on Sunday at Phillip Island and now he is looking for redemption.
And then there are those who dream of a podium with historic value. That is the case for Alex Lowes and Yamaha, coming extremely close to success in the opening round, an opportunity that was missed by mere tenths. The R1 is a distant relative of the one used last season and now it seems to have all its papers in order to achieve this goal. Just as Spaniard Xavi Forés does, determined to crash the party at the top levels of the category.
The bike that does not yet seem to be holding the best hand is Honda. It is looking like an uphill battle for Nicky Hayden and Stefan Bradl with the Fireblade SP2. The expectations were much different for the latest evolution of the Japanese bike, forced to finish more than a second behind the leaders. The engine is unconvincing and something will need to give soon.
And then, in Thailand a step forward is expected from Aprilia, because at Phillip Island Savadori and Laverty were far from the positions that count. Buriram will also be the chance to see if MV Agusta has left behind its problems with reliability that were seen eight days ago, so much to keep Leon Camier in the garage for a long time. In the race, however, the standard-bearer for the Schiranna-based manufacturer showed his claws, taking home a fifth place finish on Saturday.
Baby steps for BMW, with Jordi Torres determined to set his sights on the top ten. It will be an aptitude test, on the other hand, for Riccardo Russo and Ayrton Badovini, fresh from an Australian round that left a bitter taste in their mouths.
