This weekend MotoGP action returns to US soil for Round 11 of the 2010 championship at Indianapolis. Leading the field by a staggering 77 points, Fiat Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo has been having an amazing season and will be attempting his eighth win of the season at Indy. It’s been two races since Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa took a win in Germany, and the runner-up in the championship is not doubt thirsting for another. In the last round at Brno, Lorenzo and Pedrosa had a terrific duel together in the early laps but the championship leader went on to cross the line more than five seconds ahead of Pedrosa. Lorenzo’s Yamaha teammate, Valentino Rossi, is another rider threatening to disrupt Lorenzo’s chances of success. Although The Doctor is still injured, the American round may prove a perfect venue for a surprising return to the top of the steps. With just a few days to go until the paddock does battle, it is time to make your Fantasy GP picks. Remember, the season is officially halfway over and the importance of saving top picks for the final rounds is going to become crucial.
 
SURE THINGS:

A-Riders
 Jorge Lorenzo - Championship leader Lorenzo has had a whole slew of wins this season, and with Indianapolis approaching – a circuit he favors tremendously – the Spaniard is looking in top form to take yet another victory. Finishing no lower than second all season long, Lorenzo heads to America off two fresh victories at Brno and Laguna Seca. Also in his favor is the fact that he took the win at Indy last year ahead of both Rossi and Pedrosa. While the allure of winning his second American round may be tremendous, don’t expect Lorenzo to put it all on the line this this time around. The Yamaha rider has a sizeable lead in the championship, and is aware at this point in the game only an error on his part can crush his title chances.
 
Dani Pedrosa -Directly behind Lorenzo in the championship and desperately looking for more victories is Pedrosa. The Spaniard had a disappointing showing in his last American round at Laguna Seca where he crashed out while leading ahead of Lorenzo. Looking to start anew, Pedrosa heads to Indy feeling confident of his chances and eager to put more points on the board. Pedrosa has garnered wins at Mugello and Sachsenring this year, and both included heated contests against rival Lorenzo. While he hasn’t always been able to make it to the top of the steps, Pedrosa has maintained an excellent record of making it to the podium this season. If you still have any Pedrosa picks left, now maybe the time to use them.
 
Casey Stoner – Ducati rider Casey Stoner has been putting in some impressive performances in the last few rounds. Although the Aussie may not have the most impressive record at the Indy circuit, he’s been racking up numerous podium finishes and has been extremely consistent. Most recently, Stoner put in the fastest time during practice at Indy, and looks to be in perfect form to overthrow both Lorenzo and Pedrosa. Currently third in the championship and trailing Pedrosa by 19 points, look for Stoner to close the gap on Sunday and wedge himself between the top-two riders.

Team Fiat Yamaha – With Lorenzo and Rossi at the helm it’s hard to imagine the Fiat Yamaha team not doing incredibly well in the upcoming round. The team has a total of eight victories this season and shows no sign of stopping. Rossi is only 4 points away from Nicky Hayden in fifth and just 28 points behind Andrea Dovizioso in third. With half the season remaining, we may see Rossi break into the top-five and maybe even the top-three. There’s no predicting what this team is capable of given their consistency and ability to win races.
 
B-Riders
Nicky Hayden – Another rider who put in a strong run in Friday’s practice session at the Indy circuit was Ducati’s Nicky Hayden. Despite crashing and falling on his injured wrist, the American took third in the session and was luckily uninjured in his fall. Hayden finished sixth in the last round at Brno, and prior to that he finished fifth at Laguna Seca. Recently, Hayden completed testing after Brno to squeeze a few tenths needed in order to run at the front of the pack. While he’s had his ups and downs this season his efforts have earned him sixth-place in the championship, and he trails Rossi by only two points.

Ben Spies –One rider who will be looking for his second podium of the 2010 season is Texan Ben Spies. The Yamaha Tech 3 rider has been having an incredible rookie season, and heads to Indy fresh off his first front row qualifying run and strong fourth-place finish at Brno. Spies also has the advantage of riding on one of the few tracks he already knows. There can be little doubt that the Texan will be going for another podium finish, and maybe even a victory in the upcoming American round. He’s currently seventh in the series, and trails Hayden by nine points.

Maybes
 
A-Riders
Valentino Rossi –Fiat Yamaha’s Rossi may still have an injured leg, but the Italian has had two weeks to further recover since the last round at Brno. Last year at Indy Rossi and Lorenzo engaged each other in a tense duel for the lead, and Rossi sustained an unfortunate crash in the middle of the race which handed Lorenzo the win. With his injuries gradually healing and a desire to outdo his teammate, Rossi is definitely still in contention for the victory at Indy. Rossi’s most recent results include a fifth-place finish at Brno and a third-place result at Laguna Seca. Currently fifth in the championship, Rossi needs to get the ball rolling if he wants to better his position by the close of the season.
 
Andrea Dovizioso – Repsol Honda’s Dovizioso has had an up and down season so far. Unfortunately the most recent rounds have been the toughest for him, such as his last round at Brno which saw him nearly run over by oncoming riders after falling in the opening laps. Despite his setbacks, Dovizioso is currently fourth overall in the series and only four points behind Stoner. With just a few points separating him from a top-three finish in the championship, Dovizioso may become a real threat in the second half of the season.
 
B-Riders
Randy de Puniet –Randy de Puniet has established himself as the top privateer rider in the MotoGP championship. Recently the LCR Honda rider broke his leg, but the incident only proved how tough a rider De Puniet really is. After breaking his leg less than four weeks prior, De Puniet participated in the Czech Republic round – earning a 10th-place result. The Frenchman has consistently been a top-10 finisher, and many of his results before his accident placed him inside the top-five. Currently limited by his injury, De Puniet may struggle at Indy but don’t expect to see the last of this rider.

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