Refreshed after the two-week summer break, Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS riders Alex Marquez and Joan Mir are raring to return to race action in the Czech Republic.

Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS riders Alex Marquez and Joan Mir will start the second half of the 2018 Moto2 World Championship in confident and determined mood when they jump back on their Kalex machinery at the 5.4km Brno track this weekend.

Alex Marquez encountered a difficult weekend at the previous round in Germany but his never give up attitude came to the fore and he remains firmly in World Championship contention trailing Pecco Bagnaia by 35-points. He had the perfect tonic for a relaxing summer break when he confirmed two weeks ago he is remaining with Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS for the 2019 Moto2 season.

And the Brno track is the perfect venue for Marquez to fire some momentum back into his title challenge, with the Spaniard boasting an incredible record in the Czech Republic. Marquez has not finished outside of the top five in his last five visits to Brno and in Moto2 he secured his first ever front row start in the category in 2016 and last year he finished second to Thomas Lüthi in a six-lap sprint race.

Joan Mir’s confidence is sky high after he stormed to his best Moto2 result last time out in the Sachsenring when he pushed Brad Binder all the way to the chequered flag in an intense victory duel.

The fast, wide and undulating Brno track is perfectly suited to Mir’s attacking style and the Spanish rider is looking for a repeat of his memorable Moto3 victory at the circuit one year ago when he expertly mastered tricky damp conditions to finish ahead of Romano Fenati and Aron Canet.

The Brno round marks the 150th race for the Moto2 World Championship and the action gets underway for Moto2 with FP1 at 1055am local time on Friday. The 19-lap race is scheduled to get underway at 1220pm on Sunday.

Alex Marquez: 3rd in the overall standings on 113-points

“I have been enjoying some holidays and I have been able to rest for a while. I feel back to my best shape again to face these next two races and the second half of the season. I feel ready and the next three tracks in Brno, Spielberg and Silverstone are three that I like a lot and I’m going to try and be at the front from day one. I ride very well at these tracks, so I’ll keep focused and try to recover some points back in the standings to fight for our main goal, which is winning the World Championship. My team and I feel very motivated and we’ll give everything again in every race.”

Joan Mir: 4th in the overall standings on 95-points

“I have really good memories of Brno because I won in the Rookies Cup and I also won in Moto3 last year, so it is a track I really like and enjoy. After the podium in Germany it means I arrive to this weekend’s race with extra motivation and the summer break has been perfect for me to recharge the batteries. Now I am ready to return for the second part of the season where I aim to be stronger and fighting for wins again like in the Sachsenring.”

Track facts / Brno Circuit (Brno, Czech Republic)

Length: 3.357 miles
Width: 15 meters
Corners: 6 (left) + 8 (right)
Longest straight: 0.395 miles
Moto2 Race: 19 laps (63.8 miles)
Best pole: Johann Zarco (2:01.581 – 2016)
Circuit record: Tito Rabat (2:02.383 – 2014)
Top speed: Pol Espargaró (163’4 mph – 2012)
2017 race winner: Thomas Lüthi (13'39.036)