DANI PEDROSA WILL NOT RACE THE AMERICAN GP
The Repsol Honda Team rider made this difficult decision
after taking part in the first two free practice sessions
yesterday, Friday
Dani Pedrosa will, in the end, not race in the American GP
this weekend at the Californian track of Laguna Seca, the
twelfth of the 2008 season. Pedrosa, who was injured last
weekend in the German GP, travelled two days ago to Laguna
Seca to try and take part in the race, but in the end he found
himself obliged to make this difficult decision.
The Repsol Honda Team rider went out onto the track in the
two MotoGP sessions of free practice, doing 21 laps in spite
of severe pains on his left wrist in the morning - 19th fastest
time - and 28 laps in the afternoon – 15th. After evaluating
Pedrosa`s physical condition and taking into account the fact
that Laguna Seca is a specially demanding track for any rider
with its heavy braking, the Repsol rider and his team waited
to the last moment before deciding, that in the end, it is
better not to continue riding with these particular physical
conditions.
Dani will return home to continue his recuperation and to
prepare his return to racing and so be in good form for the
Czech Republic GP, held on Sunday 17th August at the Circuit
of Brno.
Dani Pedrosa
“It was a difficult decision to make whether to return
home or not, but this time nothing else was possible. Yesterday
I suffered a lot in the two sessions. In the morning I realised
that without a pain-killing injection I could not ride and
in the afternoon, after the injection, I still felt a lot
of pain. In the afternoon I only did a set of nine consecutive
laps, but they seemed like 40. This morning I got up feeling
even more pain, with my fingers swollen and I know thatIi
could not have finished the race. Standing up to 32 laps in
these conditions is impossible; above all at this circuit,
with so many ups and downs, heavy braking and so many left
hand curves, that is precisely the hand that is injured. At
least I have the consolation of having tried, and the result
is something I would never have known if I had stayed at home.
Now I have three weeks to recover and so try to go to Brno
in the best physical condition”.
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