🏍 MotoGP, WEC and DTM take centre stage as W Series debuts

Some iconic venues play host to top-level motorsports this weekend, headlined by MotoGP in its spiritual Spanish home at Jerez, the FIA World Endurance Championship at the majestic Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium and the DTM kicking off at Hockenheim. This is shaping up to be a classic MotoGP season, in which the top four riders – all on different manufacturers’ bikes – are separated by nine points after three different winners from the opening trio of races. Spa is likely to be more of a foregone conclusion, with Toyota unstoppable at the front, while the more unpredictable stuff happens in its classes. Aston Martin will be in the mix there, and in DTM at Hockenheim, as it joins Audi and BMW for the first time. Hockenheim also plays host to the first-ever W Series event, one which is likely to divide opinion, but let’s give it a chance before taking to Twitter, eh? And don’t forget the fun in store across the pond, with NASCAR at Dover and IMSA tearing it up around the Mid-Ohio sportscar course. Charles Bradley, Global Editor in Chief [motorsport.com]( E D I T O R ' S C H O I C E [Rossi explains Yamaha woes on Friday at Jerez]( MotoGP star Valentino Rossi says Yamaha is "in trouble" following a Friday at Jerez during which the Italian was only 16th-fastest overall. D A V I D G R U Z [Jerez MotoGP: Petrucci tops red-flagged FP2]( Danilo Petrucci led his factory Ducati teammate Andrea Dovizioso in second MotoGP practice at Jerez, which was red-flagged shortly before the end. G A R Y W A T K I N S [Spa WEC: #7 Toyota beats sister car to pole]( Toyota's #7 crew secured pole position for this weekend's Spa FIA World Endurance Championship round, beating the championship-leading #8 car by almost half a second. J O N A T H A N N O B L E [2021 F1 chassis rules sign-off set for October compromise]( Formula 1 teams are edging towards an October compromise over the finalising of the 2021 car regulations, in a bid to help make things fairer for all teams. J A M I E K L E I N [Vandoorne's "first priority" to finish on WEC debut]( SMP Racing LMP1 newcomer Stoffel Vandoorne says his main target for his FIA World Endurance Championship debut at Spa is to finish the race. M O T O R S P O R T L I V E [Why France is Grand Prix racing’s most historic race]( Promoted: If you thought that Grand Prix racing started in 1950, then you’d be mistaken. If you thought that the pre-war dominations of Mercedes and Auto Union was the real start, them again you’d be wide of the mark. J I M U T T E R [Kurt Busch tops blistering first NASCAR Cup practice at Dover]( Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Kurt Busch and Kyle Larson led the way in Friday’s first NASCAR Cup Series practice at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. D A V I D M A L S H E R [Mid-Ohio IMSA: Montoya tops wet opening practice]( Appropriately the Acura Team Penske ARX-05 of Juan Pablo Montoya set fastest time in the opening session for this weekend’s Acura Sports Car Challenge, the fourth round of the 2019 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Get the Motorsport PRIME app today! Because you deserve the best. Available on Copyright © 2019 Motorsport.com, Inc., All rights reserved. Top news of the week Our mailing address is: Motorsport.com, Inc. 5972 NE 4th AvenueMiami, FL 33137 [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © MOTORSPORT NETWORK. All rights reserved.