The second to last round of the season, the bwin Grande Premio de Portugal, could see Marc Márquez crowned as the 125cc World Champion but Nico Terol and Pol Espargaró are still well in the race.

Thanks to his ninth win of the season in Australia last time out Marc Márquez has placed himself in a position to be able to claim the 2010 125cc World Championship at this weekend’s bwin Grande Premio de Portugal, and if he were to do so the 17 year-old would become the second-youngest World Champion in the 62-year history of GP racing behind one Loris Capirossi.

Márquez is 12 points clear of Nico Terol (Bancaja Aspar) and 17 ahead of Pol Espargaró (Tuenti Racing) at the top of the standings with two rounds remaining, and there are a number of scenarios which would hand him the title at Round 16. One such outcome would be a victory at Estoril for Márquez with Espargaró failing to place second and Terol no higher than fifth, but with his rivals still holding their own title hopes it is a delicate situation.


Márquez’s experience at Estoril has not seen him score points in either of his two previous races there – he crashed when running in second last year – whilst Espargaró was the race winner last season. Terol has a best result of third in the 2008 race and suffered the same fate as Márquez last year, all of which adds to the anticipation for the penultimate race of a 2010 campaign that has thrilled throughout.

Bradley Smith (Bancaja Aspar) is still in search of a first win of the season and placed on the podium at Estoril last year, whilst Esteve Rabat (Blusens-STX), Efrén Vázquez (Tuenti Racing) and Sandro Cortese (Avant Mitsubishi Ajo) are separated by just five points as they contest fifth position in the standings.

Three wild card entries will also ride with Italians Alessandro Tonucci and Luigi Morciano both competing for Junior GP Racing Team and French youngster Robin Barbosa for H43 Hernandez.