The two Repsol Honda Team riders will close the 2010 season tomorrow from the third row of the starting grid, after Dani Pedrosa registered the eighth best time in the qualifying session and his team-mate, Andrea Dovizioso, the ninth. The Spanish rider surprised with second place in this morning’s free practice session, in which Andrea Dovizioso, still working on improving the set-up of his machine, was sixth.
After yesterday’s impressions, the performance of Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso took another step forward today. Pedrosa, riding short stints to avoid putting too much stress on his still recovering left shoulder, was second in this morning’s free practice session, with a time of 1 minute, 32 seconds and 664 milliseconds. In the qualifying session, the Repsol rider shaved another three tenths of his best time this morning to finish 0.804 seconds off the pole position achieved by Casey Stoner.
On the other side of the Repsol Honda Team garage, Andrea Dovizioso did not have an easy day. The set-up of his machine on this circuit still far from optimum, although the Italian rider also acknowledges that he needs to improve his riding style at this track. Dovizioso is unable to get the most out of the power of the Honda RC212V in sections T3 and T4, where he must improve tomorrow if he wants to opt to get into the fight for the podium.
Dani Pedrosa, 1’32.603 sec., 45 laps, 180 KM. >> Audio
“I would like to be a bit higher in the standings but considering my physical condition eighth is not so bad. This is a short track and the lap times are very close, and so two tenths means two or three positions higher or lower on the grid. This is the position we have achieved and we will deal with it. This morning we did a good job with the set-up of the bike and this afternoon we didn’t touch much in the session – improving by a couple of tenths. Anyway we need to be ready for a very tough race, and it’s the endurance over race distance that will be the key point – 30 laps is a lot. Now I will try to rest as much as possible, and tomorrow I will aim to make a great start and keep the rhythm in the race for as long as I can”.
Andrea Dovizioso, 1’32.886 sec., 46 laps, 184 KM. >> Audio
“Yesterday we started well and we have improved our pace in every practice session, but this afternoon I haven’t managed to use the full potential of the bike. I’m struggling in sector three and sector four and this is affecting my lap time. More than the set-up I need to better interpret the lines I’m taking, and also to adapt my riding style. In particular I’m quite slow in two or three corners and this is what is holding me back at the moment. Our overall pace in the rest of the lap is not too far from the riders at the front, so if we improve in these corners I’m sure we can fight for the podium tomorrow. Concerning the tyre choice, if the conditions remain as today I think we will use the hard compound”.
