'Marquez talent, Lorenzo practice, Pedrosa lines'

Former 250GP title runner-up Fonsi Nieto has joined the growing band of ex-racer now employed as rider coaches by MotoGP teams.

In the Spaniard's case he provides trackside feedback for the Alma Pramac Ducati team of Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller.

"There are many things that you can’t see on television," Nieto said in an interview with Repsol.

"If I had to single out some of the leading riders, I would say that Jorge Lorenzo is the one who practices the best, making the most of the time from the green light through until the chequered flag.

"Marc Márquez is all talent; what he does with the bike is amazing, and how he works and his aggressive style are the things that stand out about him.

"As for Dani Pedrosa, the lines he uses are ones I haven’t seen anyone else ride. He’s a maestro in that. Seeing him on track is like listening to classical music.

"Among the rest of the riders there is a lot of equality, and every weekend we see different riders at the front. That makes it a really nice championship to watch.”

Nieto also cast his analytical eye over last Sunday's thrilling Brno race, which saw tyre conservation dominate the early stages before Andrea Dovizioso, Lorenzo and Marquez broke clear and fought for victory.

"It was an unpredictable race and, at the same time, one of the most beautiful of the year with that final fight between Márquez, Lorenzo and Dovizioso," Nieto said. "It was a race that gains new fans.

"I would emphasise the way in which the three riders knew how to manage their tyres, since at the beginning they used very smooth electronic maps so they didn’t wear them out and, with five laps to go, they changed everything and began to push. They used a very good strategy.

"The race could have been won just as easily by Marc as by Jorge, but Dovizioso handled it better and also was lucky that the others both lost a bit of time in their fight, and that allowed him to get those two tenths that gave him the final victory.”

Looking ahead to this weekend's Austrian round, Nieto feels Dovizioso could make it two wins in a week.

"The Red Bull Ring is an historic circuit that has been improved over the years. Last season we saw Ducati be very strong there and, after Andrea Dovizioso’s race there in 2017, he will be the man to beat.”