The world famous Jerez circuit and a carnival atmosphere generated by over 100,000 passionate fans awaits Tito Rabat and Jack Miller this weekend, as Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS begin the intensive European phase of the 2016 MotoGP World Championship.
 
Boosted by three successive point scoring finishes in Qatar, Argentina and America, Rabat heads home to Spain in confident mood, having made vast improvements in getting more comfortable on Honda’s RC213V package in the early part of his rookie MotoGP campaign.
 
Rabat boasts an impressive record at Jerez, including a Moto2 win in 2013, and he has his sights set firmly on a top 10 challenge in what is the 30th successive year that the MotoGP World Championship has visited Jerez.
 
The Jerez round will see Miller make a welcome return to action after a right ankle injury that resulted from a high-speed practice crash ruled him out of the Grand Prix of the Americas.
 
Miller stayed in America after the Texas race to convalesce and continue with round-the-clock physiotherapy on the damaged ankle.
 
The 21-year-old has been greatly encouraged by progress made in his recovery and he is optimistic he will be as close to full strength as possible for this weekend’s 27-lap race.
 
Tito Rabat:
“After the last round in Texas we understood clearly the point where we are struggling the most and that is accelerating of the slow corners with lean angle. I need to work on my riding technique to improve in that area and the team will also try and help me gain some time under acceleration with the setting of the bike and electronics. Jerez is a fast track and luckily we will only suffer from this weak point in three or four corners, so I’m optimistic of a strong weekend. Racing in Spain always gives me extra motivation and I will be trying my hardest like always to get the most positive result possible. I think we can make another step and try and be closer to the front.”

Jack Miller:
“It’s never good to have to sit out a race through injury, as I had to in Texas, so I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike in Jerez. After Austin I stayed in the US, where I’ve been working hard on my rehabilitation with Doctor Andy Walshe, ready for the European phase of the season. The next few weeks are tough, with races coming one after the other, starting this weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix.”

Michael Bartholemy:
“He might be the only rookie in the premier class this season, but after three points scoring finishes in the overseas races Tito heads to Jerez leading the other satellite Honda riders in the championship. He had a difficult weekend in Austin, but Jerez is very different in character to the Circuit of the Americas and I’m confident that this will allow him to continue with the progress made in Qatar and Argentina. Jack is again fit to ride after being ruled out of the Austin race through injury. He has shown impress pace this season already, but now we need to translate that pace into race results and championship points.”