One of the most anticipated and atmospheric rounds of the MotoGP FIM World Championship occurs this weekend. The swirling curves of Mugello hidden in the Tuscan region of Italy will witness another carnival-esque gathering for what will be the sixth appointment on the Grand Prix trail in 2017.
Speed, speed, speed: Mugello is outright and outrageous. Even the swarms of Italian athletes in the paddock that know every ripple and crevice salivate at the prospect. The ‘autodromo’ north of Florence is the glamorous stage for the country’s greatest champion – a certain #46 – but that factory Yamaha exhaust note is almost a piped pipe for a gaggle of other aspirants around him, including some of the exceptional talent at the heart of his VR46 Riders Academy.