The coming season which begins in Qatar next weekend is the most eagerly anticipated in years. The big curiosity is Valentino Rossi's move to Ducati closely followed by Casey Stoner's move to Honda.
If you haven't been keeping an eye on the pre-season testing, the main thing we've seen is Honda domination. They're throwing everything at it this year, running four factory bikes and all have been top-six regulars in testing.
Dani Pedrosa has been quick, Marco Simoncelli a revelation and Andrea Dovizioso keeping pace but most eyes have been on their new recruit. Stoner has topped four of the six days on a bike he's still getting familiar with. On the last day of testing in Malaysia he blew the lap record into next week.
After every run Stoner has talked about his increasing comfort on the Honda and, while there are improvements still to be made, he's a very happy bunny. And that is not the default position for the Australian. He's the pre-season favourite at 3.1 and I think that's a pretty fair price. If he starts the season well he might just be unstoppable so I'd be hopping on now.
Pedrosa has been quick while still recovering from a shoulder injury obtained last year. His new team-mate's pace will spur the Spaniard on and if he can maintain some consistency I see this being his best year yet. But it's this lack of consistency and injury proneness that has him starting the year a 5.7 title shot. For mine, that price is much longer than it has any right to be and is well worth a flutter.
Last year's champ, Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo, has been the only one capable of running consistently with the Hondas so far. He has complained of a lack of top speed, but Yamaha has always built a nimble bike, not a super quick one. Pound for pound I still think it's the best bike in the field. But only just. Lorenzo hasn't had a change of scenery like Stoner and isn't recovering like Pedrosa so even at a price of 3.8 I see him as the safest bet right now.
The man with the biggest concern though is Rossi. Speaking at the end of testing, and down in 11th, he said, "We're 1.8 seconds back, and our rhythm is also lacking. We can't be satisfied with this test."
Yes, his shoulder is still sore from a recent operation and yes, the Ducati is a fickle bike but all the other Ducatis are struggling too. There's no doubt there's early problems in Bologna. Stoner's exit could prove costly. I'm confident Rossi and team manger Jeremy Burgess will get it sorted, the question is when? Hel should win a race or two but I'd bet my house that he can't repeat his switch to Yamaha and take the title in year one. I've never seen him start a season at odds as long as 6.7 for the championship but I have to admit, I think that might even be a wee bit short...
Then there's Ben Spies, now in the factory Yamaha squad who, along with Simoncelli, is yet another potential race winner in 2011. Britain also makes a return to MotoGP with Cal Crutchlow but this will be a learning year. If he can finish the year inside the Top 10 I'll be marking that down as a huge achievement.
So with more potential race winners than in many years past, 2011 should be a belter.
