Both Repsol Honda Team riders featured at the business end of the first race of the 2010 season in Qatar, and they will be looking to establish front-running form once again as the Jerez circuit hosts the resumption of the MotoGP World Championship this weekend. Following the cancellation of Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix due to the widespread flight disruption in Europe last week, Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso will go into the Grand Prix of Spain determined to climb the podium as MotoGP racing returns to Europe for the first time since November last year.
Dovizioso arrives at Jerez with the confidence boost he gained from dueling for the lead and charging to a well-deserved top-three finished at the season opener. Having finished the Grand Prix of Qatar within touching distance of the winner, Dovizioso now knows he and his Honda RC212V have what it takes to mix it with MotoGP’s elite in dry as well as wet conditions. Jerez is not one of the Italian’s favourite track layouts, but Dovizioso - like his fellow MotoGP competitors -receives a big boost from the electric atmosphere created by the fanatical race-day crowd at Jerez and he’ll looking to at least match the two podium finishes he scored here in 2006 and 2007 in the 250cc class.
Pedrosa is confident that a circuit which he rates as one of his favourites can spark a turn around in early season fortune. The Spaniard certainly knows his way around Jerez and has an enviable record in front of his home fans here. He won the MotoGP race in 2008 and has finished on the podium at Jerez in every season since 2005 - when he took victory in the 250cc class. Though Pedrosa made a brilliant start to the first race of the 2010 season in Qatar and led the early stages, he slipped back to seventh at the finish as he grappled with handling issues, and it will be on this area that the three-time world champion and his Repsol Honda crew will focus as they return to the track on Friday.
The MotoGP action begins with an hour of free practice on Friday, followed on Saturday by a further practice session in the morning and qualifying in the afternoon. Sunday’s 27-lap Grand Prix of Spain - the first daytime race of the 2010 season - starts at 14.00 local time (GMT +2 hours).
ANDREA DOVIZIOSO – World Championship position: 3rd 16 points
“We were feeling very motivated for the race in Japan and we will definitely carry forward that determination for Jerez. To be honest the racetrack is not one of my favourites and it’s quite slow - but the crowd and the atmosphere are incredible because there are always so many spectators packed into the grandstands and the hillsides. In the past I’ve never had really good results on this track but now we are arriving in Jerez after an important result in Qatar and I’m looking forward to this race and to continuing in the positive direction we have been moving in recently. My target is that we maintain the momentum we have, and build on it over the next few races. I’m also looking forward to the test on Monday after the race. This year there are not so many opportunities to test, so Monday will be important and we’ll work hard to make the most of it.”
DANI PEDROSA – World Championship position: 7th 9 points
“Jerez is always a very special race for the Spanish riders and I’m really looking forward to this weekend. We didn’t have the best start to the season in Qatar, and in Japan we couldn’t race due to the problems caused by the volcano, but I hope in Jerez, with the atmosphere, which is always fantastic, and the characteristics of the circuit, the situation can be different. I’m determine that we make improvements from the first practice onwards - unlike Qatar where we struggled a lot throughout the weekend - and that we’ll be able to go fast right from the start. I would really like to feel more comfortable with the bike and get a good result here. Our rivals are very strong and I’m sure they want to make the most of their advantage, so we have to work very hard to get to their level and be able to fight with them from the beginning to the end of the race. In Jerez we will try some changes to the chassis so that the bike is not so nervous and I’m hopeful that they can work”.
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