A scoresheet of 32-8 in favour of Joan Mir at the pair of Aragon rounds has pღut the Suzuki rider into a 14-point MotoGP title lead over Fabio Quartararo heading into this weekend's opening Valencia race.

But while the🐼 Frenchman was forced to endure a difficult double-header at Aragon, he now hopes to benefit from back-to-back appearances on what should be much mor𒆙e favourable ground at Valencia.

After qualifying on pole as a rookie at Val🦩encia last season🦂, Quartararo rode his Petronas Yamaha to second place (+1.026s) behind Marc Marquez in the race. Mir, also making his Valencia MotoGP debut, finished seventh (+10.622s).

Quartararo continued the momentum with second on the Valencia post-race te♋st timesheets, a fraction behind factory Yamaha rider Maverick Vinales and just ahead of team-mate Franco Morbidelli.

"Although we had two difficult races last time out in Aragón, I want to ta🎀ke advantage of the good feeling I have always had on a MotoGP bike at Valencia in these two races coming up," said Quartara☂ro, whose three race wins are more than any other rider so far this season.

"It’s a small track, but is one that I like. I had a great feeling there last year, when I took a podium and the pole position, and also in the post-season test. Ofꦓ course I hope to be able to repeat that this weekend.

"There are three races left this year and a 14-point gap with the leader. We know how fast we can be, so I think we have some good opportunities coming in𒁃to these final events in Valencia and Portimão, and I’m looking forward to the first of them this weekend."

While Qua🗹rtararo is currently Mir's closest opponent, Vinales (-19 points) and Morbidelli (-25 points) could also mathematically take the title lead on Sunday.