Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso will be out to get among the leading positions and so be able to forget about last weekend in Holland
The circuit of Laguna Seca is the venue for the American GP this weekend, the eighth round of the World MotoGP Championship. The riders will fly from Europe to North America with hardly any rest but even so the Repsol team members go to California dying to make amends for the extreme bad luck they experienced in Holland. Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa, in 4th and 5th positions in the overall classification, are determined to get a good points haul after coming away from Assen empty-handed.
The Italian Repsol Honda Team rider caught everybody`s eye last year at Laguna Seca with the way he rode. He finished 4th, and was the first Honda rider to cross the line and on his first ever visit to this difficult circuit (the 125cc & 250cc categories where Dovizioso competed before the 2008 season do not race here). This season the rider who is only 23 has been consistently close to a podium finish, and with the experience he gained at Laguna Seca in 2008 and the recent improvements made to the chassis on his RC212V, he seems to be ready to fight all the way with the leading group in Sunday`s race.
Dani Pedrosa hopes to retain the pace that saw him win second position on the starting grid in Assen and to get into the lead for a short time last Saturday. The Spanish rider, also 23, is 5th in the overall in spite of the bad luck he has had all season. He seemed to have got back to tip-top form in the last race so he will try to get the most out of the new chassis on his Repsol Honda RC212V and get closer to his rivals this weekend. Pedrosa did not race in Laguna Seca last year as he was injured, he is dying to leave all his problems behind and return to the battle for the victory again.
The circuit of Laguna Seca, with a length of 3 610km, is one of the shortest tracks around, however it is one of the most exciting in the MotoGP calendar. It is characterised by its sudden changes in height, its fluid corners and its short straights, the circuit includes the famous Corkscrew, a chicane on a downward slope that goes from left to right; as difficult to take as spectacular to see. The two riders in the Repsol Honda Team appreciate the atmosphere and the challenge that racing at Laguna Seca always brings and can`t wait to ride at the legendary circuit this weekend.
Dani Pedrosa
“I’m actually really looking forward to getting to Laguna and I’m feeling confident going into the weekend – as I was before Assen. The result there wasn’t great, but there’s no reason why we can’t have a strong race in the US. I felt much better on the bike in Assen than I did in Barcelona and, although my physical fitness is not at 100 per cent because I haven’t been training as usual for quite a while, the injury is getting better and isn’t giving me any problems on the machine.The Laguna track itself is unique and it can be a lot of fun to ride – as long as you’re going quickly. When you’re struggling it obviously isn’t quite as much fun! As a team we’ve got to continue working hard and bring the whole machine package up to a level where we can compete for wins again. We’re making progress and with luck Laguna will take us closer to that target.”
Andrea Dovizioso
“I really look forward to the race in Laguna Seca. The track itself and the whole atmosphere makes coming to Laguna a fascinating experience. Last year was the first time that I had raced in the United States and I was impressed by this track. Some parts are quite dangerous and very different from the European standard of racetracks we are used to, but the whole atmosphere is incredible and I like it a lot. I’m confident that we can have a good race here. Last year I had a good battle and finished 4th, which I was pleased with. I feel as though I’ve come fourth enough times this year though, so I hope to make the step up. At each race we’re getting closer to the leading riders but we’re still not close enough yet. So we need to work hard to get the speed and consistency we need.”
