After clearly dominating practice last weekend at Indianapolis, a mistake on lap 3 ended any hopes of a second victory for Dani Pedrosa in the USA last Sunday. It was a big disappointment but the fast pace of the World MotoGP gives the Repsol rider an opportunity to make up for it this weekend. The race in Misano, where the GP San Marino will be held near the Rimini Riviera.
However the preparations are not completed yet and Dani Pedrosa is aware that from Friday onwards each time he goes out it will be important to get the set up right on his Repsol Honda RC212V, one that will let him reach the high level he achieved in Indianapolis. The good sensations in the Czech Republic and the USA allow him to look to the immediate future with optimistism, as the infallible recipe of the Repsol rider`s success has always been to do good work and to take things one at a time.
The race will be of special importance for Andrea Dovizioso, who after being close to the podium in Indianapolis once again goes to his home GP. Just a few kilometres from his birthplace, Dovizioso will have extra support from the locals and so be pushed to improve on his 4th positions in the last two races. He knows what it is like to win here and is famous for his consistency, he just needs to take another small step to be confirmed as a leading rider.
When they go out on the track this Friday the Repsol riders will have spent four days with their bikes parked up but as always it will be the riders in 125cc who test the conditions first. For Marc Márquez the return to Misano will be another chance to keep on improving as has been seen so far this season, fighting to get on the podium and one which last year was just a whisker away. Esteve Rabat and Scott Redding have a different aim, after several races where they have suffred bad luck, they go to San Marino with a desire to show off their talent and work hard for a good result.Finally, this weekend`s race will be another new challenge for Cameron Beaubier. The American has never ridden on this track apart from in video games, and so gets a chance to carry on learning in his rookie year. The good news for him is that he will be recovered from the shoulder injury he got in the Czech Republic which weakened him for the race in Indianapolis, and will be able to concentrate on improving his style on the KTM.
Dani Pedrosa
“It’s really good that I’ll get an immediate chance to make up for the disappointment of the Indianapolis race result. Although that was obviously a big let down and you never want to crash, the pace we set over the whole weekend was very encouraging and the fact that I could finish the race riding very fast again means that I’ve already been able to put the fall behind me and we can concentrate on being quick from the start of first practice on Friday. Misano always has a great atmosphere because there are so many passionate fans. Even though most of them are supporting the Italian riders, it’s still a special feeling for everyone at this circuit. To be quick you need to ride quite aggressively there, and machine stability on the brakes and powering out of the corners is very important. I’m confident that we can be up front and fight for the win again thi s weekend”.
Andrea Dovizioso
“I love the atmosphere at Misano and this will be a special weekend for me. It’s my home Grand Prix and this is the track where I started my motorsport adventure so I’m really looking forward to riding here for the factory Honda team – that’s a dream come true. I used to race at Misano while I was racing in the Italian Championship so it’s great to return and ride in such familiar surroundings as a MotoGP rider. I think we can have a strong race here, especially after the good job we did on the machine at Indianapolis. We will start this weekend with the new set-up that we used for the Indianapolis race because my crew came up with some very useful adjustments to the machine which allowed me to get a better feeling and move forward in the race. All in all, I’m confident for Misano and I can’t wait to get back out on track”.
Marc Márquez
“Misano is a circuit where I did quite well last year. I quickly adapted to the track but each circuit is a world of its own. Last year in Indianapolis I also did well but this year it took a bit longer, so I will have to ride confidently and ready to give my all. With a good set up this is an easier circuit than others and it has no secrets. The most complicated parts are the corner going into the back straight and the S at the start, which you have to prepare for well, otherwise you are off line for several more curves. It is difficult to get big differences but setting good times is easier than at other circuits”.
Esteve Rabat
“If we get a good chassis set up, I think we can put in a good race at Misano, because it is a circuit I like a lot. The two times I have raced there I went quite fast and did good races. There is a lot of braking and fast corners which I like a lot. The race in Indianapolis was in the end quite good but we have to turn things round so that we can finally pull off a good result”.
Scott Redding
“I remember that the circuit of Misano is quite pretty. Last year we did some good practice there but then in the race I fell, but these things happen. I just hope that this time the bike gets through practice and the race and so we can enjoy all the time we get out on the track. Then we will see what happens”.
Cameron Beaubier
“I am dying to go to Misano because it is a circuit where I have never ridden, but it looks like it`s pretty, so we will see how I adapt to it, because so far I have only been able to practise with videogames and we all know that things can change. It is good for getting to know the corners but not much else. I have had a few days to rest my shoulder a bit so I will be better than in Indianápolis”.
