MotoGP 2012 preview: Do it for Marco

It is with a somewhat heavy heart that I write my blog this morning, because as much as I am looking forward to the new MotoGP season which starts next weekend, it is a stark reminder of the horrific and incredibly sad loss of one of the sports brightest young talents Marco Simoncelli.

Sic58, Gone but never forgotten

Marco, you will most certainly be very sadly missed by any MotoGP enthusiast, but hopefully your mantle of riding with a smile on your face and trying to get to the front even when the odds are stacked against you will have inspired riders of the future. RIP.

For British fans, things are looking up as hopefully Cal Crutchlow will be fighting it out towards the front of the grid this season. He had a very positive first season with Tech 3 last year and will be looking to build on that in 2012. By all accounts the 1000cc bike suits his style and winter testing has been very positive. We also have James Ellison who will be wanting to try and force his way through the grid where he can. 

It looks like being another tough season for Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden on the Ducati which has been struggling to keep the pace of the guys at the front. Casey Stoner has been consistently quick in testing so will be be difficult to knock off the top of the pile, but the guys just behind him will give it a damn good try for sure. Dani Pedrosa will be right behind his team mate consistently as per 2011, and the factory Yamaha's of Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies will be right there as well. As a former World Champion in 2010 and runner-up last year we are all aware of Jorge's pedigree, but Spies will be looking to build on the early promise from last year before injuries put pay to the end of the season. It certainly looked like the Yamaha will be up to the job in testing so we'll have to see if it will live up to the promise.

For once, what Auntie Beeb taketh with one hand, she giveth back with the other. Despite it looking like the BBC wants to cut their investment in motorsport by reducing it's coverage of Formula One, they will be showing the 2012 MotoGP season in HD so not only will this season be well worth watching, we'll be able to see it a bit clearer as well!

This season gets under way next weekend at the Losail circuit in Qatar, and I for one can't wait. 

SPORT SHORTS

• Good luck to all the Brits in the first golf major of the year, The Masters at Augusta which starts on Thursday. Rory McIlroy came very close last year before winning the US Open a few months later, and Brits have dominated the top of the World rankings since then so there are a few players in with a shout. 
• Fabrice Muamba's family released a picture of him smiling from hospital this week, which is fantastic. Not too long ago many may have thought Fabrice may not have made any recovery, let alone to be sat up in bed smiling. He still has a long road ahead, and we still keep everything crossed in hope of seeing Fabrice in a Bolton shirt again.
• Very sad news this week that Aston Villa captain Stilyan Petrov is suffering from acute leukamia.The Villa fans gave him a fitting tribute in the 19th minute of yesterdays game against Chelsea to show their support. Good Luck Stan #19.
• The race for the Premier League title enters it's last month or so and looks to be a gripping climax. Man City or Man Utd? My money would be in Utd who know how it's done.  

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