In mid-August, the traditional meeting in the calendar in the Czech Republic returns for another year, in which Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso – in MotoGP – and Marc Márquez – in 125cc- will again get out their racing leathers to restart the battle for victory. The Repsol riders are looking forward to the second half of the season full of energy, in a season of continuous evolution in which hard work has allowed them to regularly be up in the top positions after a complicated start to the year.
Far from the hustle and bustle of the paddock, the summer break has allowed Dani Pedrosa to completely disconnect from the world of motorbikes without any injuries to recover from, for the first time in several years, to relax at the beach and enter the second half of the season with renewed strength. After nine races of hard work and tenacity, the Repsol Honda Team rider has, week after week, set a standard which has allowed him to fight for the highest step on the podium at the last Grands Prix. Pedrosa is preparing to begin the second half of the Championship with consistency and, at the pretty and technical Czech Republic track, will be looking to add to his wins in 125cc (2003), and 250cc (2005), that of the premier-class.
Andrea Dovizioso also went to the sea for some rest and relaxation, after a first half of the season in which an important step forward in his performance was clear. The Repsol rider won four podium places in the first five races and was fighting for the win in Catalunya until an inopportune fall which left him scoring only two points. Consolidated in third position in the Championships, Dovizioso faces the challenge of climbing a new step and fighting for the win in the nine remaining races ahead.
A win to which Marc Márquez is a season-ticket holder in the lower of the three categories. The Repsol rider has exploded this season, dazzling with a performance which has allowed him the clock up five consecutive wins. Regardless of the level of expectation he is experiencing, the young man from Cervera has spent his summer holidays with family, although without stopping training. Focussed on keeping up the same work ethic, Marc Márquez will get back on his Debi RSA with the aim of not relaxing his hold on the leadership of the World Championships, which he holds with a 26 point advantage.
Dani Pedrosa
“This has definitely been one of my best summer breaks of the last few years. I did nothing special, but I had a great time with my friends, enjoyed a lot surfing on the beach and was able to think only about having fun and relaxing rather than working to recover from an injury as has been the case in the last few years. It makes a big difference in order to recharge the batteries and go into the second part of the season with even more energy. Now I’m really looking forward to getting back on the bike at Brno. It’s one of the most difficult circuits on the calendar; physically it’s very demanding but it’s also very enjoyable to ride on a MotoGP bike. You have everything there: big elevation changes, very fast corners where you need to let the bike run through, and also hard braking zones where stability is very important. I would say that there is only one good line, so it’s crucial to be focused during the whole lap to get a good laptime – and it’s a very long circuit. I’ve had many podiums in Brno, including two wins, so I would like to add another one in MotoGP. It’s going to be a busy weekend for everybody, not only with the race but also because we stay on Monday for testing. It’s the only test day remaining this season so we have to make sure we do a good job to help us in the upcoming races”.
Andrea Dovizioso
“We are very motivated for the next race at Brno and I’m confident that we can get a good result. Our target is to fight for second position in the championship, and so to do that we have to be up there battling for race wins every Sunday starting from this Grand Prix. I’m looking forward to this race weekend and also to the test on Monday because that will be really important for us. We will have the opportunity to test some new material and it will be a good opportunity to make some further progress. Brno is a fast and challenging circuit. There are also many long turns that are quite demanding and you need to quickly adapt your riding style to the characteristics of the track and the technical nature of the layout. The atmosphere generated by the spectators on the banks and hillsides is always very special and it’s a circuit I enjoy racing at. I’m feeling good goin g into the weekend after a having some time away from the MotoGP paddock. I spent the two weeks of the summer break at the seaside not far from where I live, with my friends, my family and Sara, my little daughter. Now I’m ready to get back on track”.
Marc Márquez
“The holidays have allowed me to relax and be quiet at home, with my family, but also to train a little. At the beginning, we just did some light work, just to maintain tone and, during the last two weeks we have picked up the pace to be in the best shape possible to go into the second half of the season. I’ve been in the gym and cycling but I’ve also taken the opportunity to do some supermotard riding which lets me stay in touch with the bike and speed, plus I’ve been swimming and jogging to vary things a bit for the rest of the season. I remember the Brno Circuit to be fun, with uphill and downhill sections which make it interesting, although last year it wasn’t great for me. Let’s see if this season, with all the team’s hard work, I can move on from that and we have a good weekend”.
