For Loris Baz, this will be his third year in MotoGP, the second with team Avintia and Ducati. For 2017 he will have a GP15, not one of the most up-to-date bikes, but in any case a leap forward compared to the ‘old’ GP14. The Frenchman, on the snows of Andorra, expresses optimism after the change.

“I found it quite different from the previous Desmosedici, especially the engine is more powerful - he recounts - I know that it is a bike from two years ago, but last year Hector showed that it can achieve good results.”

Loris makes no proclamations and he analyses the situation with clear reason.

“The two Hondas and the two factory Yamahas will always be at the front, along with the two Ducatis and Iannone’s Suzuki - he lays out the values on the pitch - After that it is wide open. It will depend on the track, how ready we are and how we work.”

So who will the main rivals be?

“I think I can battle with the Aprilias, with the Tech3 bikes and KTM. I have also demonstrated that I know how to take full advantage of wet conditions, so I will definitely make a play on those occasions - he smiles - I think that we will have a good season ahead of us, although I don’t think that there will be as many different winners as last year. However, with Viñales on Yamaha and Lorenzo on Ducati there will be some nice surprises.”

Baz was not at all surprised at Maverick’s performance in the last tests.

“I have always said that Viñales is the only one who can battle with Marquez at the moment - he says confidently - When they were younger he beat him, but compared to Marc he had less support and less luck in his career. However, now he is in the right place.”

A bike that he knows because he rode it two years ago in the Open version on team Forward. This is why Loris can also explain the difficulties Lorenzo has faced moving over to Ducati.

“They are two very different bikes - he explains - The Yamaha is much easier, both in terms of getting it to go fast and in terms of maintaining the same speed for several laps. With the M1 you can push when you ride, but in the end you always have to be soft. The Desmosedici, on the other hand, is a more physical and tiring bike. The Yamaha also has a good base that is good for all the circuits, whereas the Ducati demands bigger changes from track to track. But Lorenzo is already improving. The problem is that the level is so high that a tenth of a second per lap makes the difference between winning or finishing fourth.”

Speaking of what Baz will be facing, on the other hand, we could not help but point out the French rivalry with Zarco.

“There is no rivalry. It’s you journalists who see that - he laughs - He will be an adversary like any other for me, but I am pleased that there will be another countryman on the track. The French Federation is working well, but the problem is that in France there are no sponsors who support riders or race car drivers. I had to come to Spain to race and so did Fabio Quartararo.”

However, something is happening on the other side of the Alps as well. Who knows when the rider from Marseille will also resonate on the MotoGP podium.