This weekend, the 2009 season of the MotoGP World Championship closes, and as has happened over the last few years, it will do so at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, Valencia. A circuit where Dani Pedrosa took an outright win two years ago, and climbed on the second step of the podium last year. The Repsol rider reaches this Spanish event with the aim of fighting for victory again, and describes, below, the special characteristics of the Valencia circuit.
Dani Pedrosa >> Audio
Straight 1 & curve 1
“The stright is not very long although it is quite fast. Then comes curve 1 with a small braking section where there is not much overtaking on large bikes, although there is in the smaller categories. This is taken in 3rd where the bikes usually go through very fast in the centre of the track and you always accelerate in 3rd, until you reach the next curve.”
Curve 2
“This is taken in 1st, and normally it is a good place to overtake as it is not followed by a long straight so you do not get much more speed than you had before. This is a curve where there is a lot of public and you can hear them cheering. Coming out, in 1st, you change up and then comes curve 3.”
Curve 3
“This is another left-hander where you do not let the throttle drop off, although you have to take it smoothly as you can slide, this leads to a right-hander.”
Curve 4
“Curve 4 is the first right-hander so the tyres are always cold and there are normally a lot of falls. As you come out, in 2nd, with the throttle almost closed you reach curve 5, another right-hander.”
Curve 5
“This is also taken in 2nd and one where you have to prepare the exit very well because curve 6 is right on top if you, another left-hander that takes you into the back straight.”
Curve 6
“This is a point where you can usually hear the public. You change up gears, two or three times to 4th or 5th, depending on the bike, and you arrive at the braking zone on the back straight.”
Curve 7
“This is a curve where you brake and where you can overtake again, very important, where it is easy to make a mistake even though it is a curve without too many secrets. Coming out of the curve you change up a gear.”
Curve 8 & 9
“Then comes a chicane to the left (curve 8) and to the right (curve 9), very fast, always with the throttle open and when you are on the right-hander you have to brake leaning over, this is a dangerous point on the circuit and so there are falls. It takes you into the next curve.”
Curve 10
“This is a hairpin to the right that you take in 1st and then you accelerate out of it, without too many problems. You change up to 3rd to take the next curve.”
Curve 11
“You take this in 2nd, and in spite of it being very tight it is very fast. Coming out you change up twice in one go and then you have the big left-hander.”
Curve 12
“You always slide a lot on this curve and it takes you to the last angle of the track.”
Curve 13
“This is the final braking just before the left-hander, a place where there are quite a few overtaking manouevres. It is taken in 2nd and is a curve without too many problems, although the bike goes into it with a lot of inertia and it tends to take you to the outside and so you have to control the throttle well and at the same time try to come out as fast as possible to take the home straight.”
