NEWLY-CROWNED MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo is the hot favourite to take victory at this coming weekend's Portuguese GP, having won the event for the last two years.
Lorenzo took his maiden MotoGP victory in Portugal, in only his third race in the big class, having started from pole.
The Spaniard also won the event again last year, taking the lead on the first lap, and crossing the finishing line over six seconds ahead of his nearest rival. Once again, Lorenzo started the event from pole.
Former MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner is looking to spoil Lorenzo's Portuguese winning streak; the young Australian is on blistering form, having topped the podium in three of the last four races.
And Rossi? A fourth place in last year's race was the first time in his ten visits to Estoril that he had failed to finish on the podium. The nine podium finishes he has had at the track include five race wins. Rossi's only problem is a recurrent shoulder injury, which could hamper the Italian's performance in the latter stages of the race.
But rest assured, whatever happens, it should be one hell of a battle.
