Top 10 Valencia GP Facts That Have Nothing To Do With the Rossi-Marquez #SepangClash

Ever since the week leading up to the penultimate race in Malaysia, the Rossi-Marquez incident has dominated the news feed, completely overshadowing the fact that Dani Pedrosa ran an excellent race to take the top podium. While the Sepang controversy is still spinning from the decision of Race Direction to penalize Valentino Rossi which sends him to the back of the Valencia starting grid, fans and racers both have pointed out that it's important that we don't overlook the rest of the competition. So here are 10 facts and stats going into Valencia that have nothing to do with the #SepangClash.

1 // The Valencia circuit is named after Spanish racer Ricardo Tormo, who won the 50cc world title riding for Bultaco in 1978 and 1981. In addition to his 15 grand prix victories in the 50cc class he also had four wins in the 125cc class. His career ended in 1984 due to leg injuries suffered in a test-riding crash. Tormo sadly died from leukemia in 1998.

2 // Dani Pedrosa is the most successful rider at the Valencia circuit with six wins: three in MotoGP, two in 250cc, and one in the 125cc class. The only rider other than Pedrosa with more than two wins at Valencia is Casey Stoner with one in the 125cc class and two in MotoGP.

3 // After Pedrosa, the next most successful riders at Valencia with two wins each are:
* Valentino Rossi with two in MotoGP
* Maverick Viñales with one in 125cc and one in Moto3
* Mika Kallio with one in 125cc and one in 250cc
* Jorge Lorenzo with two in MotoGP
* Marc Marquez with one in Moto2 and one in MotoGP
* Hector Barbera with one in 125cc and one in 250cc.

4 // This will be the 14th successive year that Valencia has hosted the final race of the season, making it the circuit that has been the venue for the final event of the year on the most occasions.

5 // The premier-class race at Valencia has been won seven times by Spanish riders:
* Sete Gibernau won the 500cc race on a Suzuki in 2001
* Dani Pedrosa won the MotoGP races in 2007, 2009 and 2012
* Jorge Lorenzo won in 2010 and 2013
* Marc Marquez won last year in 2014

6 // Since the introduction of the four-stroke MotoGP formula in 2002, Honda has been the most successful manufacturer with eight victories at the Valencia circuit. Yamaha has had three wins and Ducati two.

7 // Andrea Dovizioso’s fourth place finish last year was the best result for a Ducati rider at Valencia since Casey Stoner was second in 2010.

8 // Suzuki's only podium at Valencia in the MotoGP era is third with John Hopkins in 2007.

9 // Only two riders have competed at all sixteen previous grand prix events at the Valencia circuit: Valentino Rossi and Randy de Puniet.

10 // Last year Marc Marquez won the race in Valencia from the second row on the grid after qualifying in fifth place. This event marked the first time in 16 years that the MotoGP race in Valencia has been won by a rider not starting from the front row.