Ready to proceed with the second half of the 2010 year, the MotoGP competitors and squads are back to action this weekend at Brno for the Cardion ab Grand Prix Czech Republic, the chase to catch Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo re-starts.

Following nine of the 18 rounds, the Fiat Yamaha racer is 72 points clear at the head of the rankings, after his talented form of six victories and three second positions so far. Another top two placing would make Lorenzo the third competitor in GP's 62 year history to arrive either first or second in the opening ten rounds of a season, the others being Giacomo Agostini and Mick Doohan. To keep his amazing form Lorenzo will need to be victorious at a track where he has not yet won in the premier class, after smashing out last season when challenging colleague Valentino Rossi for the lead. He does however have a good record in the smaller sessions there.

Dani Pedrosa is nearest to Lorenzo in the rankings and the Repsol Honda racer needs to prove his skills after a crash at Laguna Seca in the last round. The Spaniard has encountered a good run leading up to the summer break and was heading the event in the U.S. before he fell, he has also ended twice on the stage at Brno including second spot last season.

In third position at 23 points off his colleague is Andrea Dovizioso, who is keen to find his early podium form, while the crafty Casey Stoner (Ducati Team) is hot on the heels of the Italian. Stoner did not compete at Brno last year but claimed a win there in 2007, something he has still not achieved in 2010.

Brno has been a excellent venue for Valentino Rossi who has five premier class victories there, the Italian has won at the Czech circuit for the past two years. A stage appearance previously at Laguna in only his second event after injury, took him up to fifth place, where he lays only a single point ahead of Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team). Ben Spies (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) is also nearing in on the top five and Brno gives him a familiar track, as has previously raced there in WSBK.

Due to make a speedy return after his broken leg is Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda). Pending medical clearance, the Frenchman looks to race again only four weeks after his smash at Sachsenring, last season he competed to tenth spot at Brno after having broken his ankle three weeks before the race.

San Carlo Honda Gresini duo Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli are in close contention in ninth and tenth in the rankings, while Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) will look to progress on his best result of this season with an attempt to place higher than seventh.

Click here to read more