MotoGP World Championship. USA GP (Laguna Seca). Preview
DANI PEDROSA TRAVELS TO LAGUNA SECA CONDITIONED BY
HIS FALL IN GERMANY
The Repsol Honda Team rider will be in the MotoGP free practice
session at Laguna Seca on Friday. His teammate Nicky Hayden
returns to a circuit where he has won twice
Dani Pedrosa will be at the American circuit of Laguna Seca
this weekend with a burning desire to get back on his Repsol
Honda RC212V and at the same time with the clear objective
of winning the maximum number of points possible, taking into
account his physical condition. The Repsol rider will fight
to stay among the title contenders in the top category this
weekend, in spite of falling in Germany last weekend, what
is more he was dominating the race that took place in the
rain.
For Nicky Hayden the race in the USA will be a chance to regain
some optimism after a few races where, in spite of showing
that he can be up with the best, bad luck has riuuined his
result.
Dani Pedrosa, who will go to the USA in second position in
the standings, was able to check out of hospital - USP Insitut
Universitari Dexeus – at midday on Tuesday after being
treated for the injuries sustained in the fall last weekend
at the Sachsenring. With such a tight calendar this setback
will make his participation in the American GP very difficult,
what is more the three title favourites, Pedrosa one of them,
are separated by just twenty points.
Nicky Hayden will also go to Laguna Seca at a crucial moment
because since he made his debut with the new engine that uses
pneumatic valves on his Repsol Honda RC212V 2008, he has not
had any good luck, in spite of demonstrating in practice that
he is at a high level. Hayden will race at a circuit where
he won the first two times he raced there in MotoGP - 2005
and 2006 – and where he was knocked off his bike last
year. This time, and after thre races being competitive in
practice, he will be out to get his first podium finish of
the season on home soil, a just reward for his efforts.
Quotes
MotoGP
Dani Pedrosa >>
“In agreement with my doctor we have decided that I
will fly to the US and I will do my best to ride this weekend.
We know that it will not be easy and that we won’t know
my exact situation until I get on the bike on Friday morning.
This is a difficult time for me, of course, but my will is
strong and if it is possible for me to ride the bike properly
then I really want to ride. Laguna is a physically demanding
track when you are 100 per cent, so it will be tough with
my injuries, but I know I can count on the support of the
people around me to get me in the best possible shape. Laguna
is what I call an ‘old school’ circuit, with a
lot of steep uphill and downhill sections. The fans are great
there, very respectful of all the riders, so I would like
to do my best for them. We will see what we can do. I would
like to thank everyone around me and also my fans for their
support over the last few days.
Nicky Hayden >>
“I’m excited to go to Laguna, even if we go there
on a bit of a run of bad luck. Hopefully things will turn
around for us, it would be a nice place to get everything
to roll from Friday through to Sunday. Whatever happens I’ll
just keep pushing. Laguna certainly has a special place in
my heart.
The track itself is like one big lap, it’s not like
all different sections, a lot of the turns lead into one another,
so you’ve really got to put it all together. Like if
you screw up the Corkscrew you miss the next three or four
corners. It’s a very technical track and I love it.
Racing your home race is always a special deal and something
I don’t take lightly. The first couple of years I came
to MotoGP we didn’t have a US GP so I think that makes
me cherish it, treasure it even more. I wouldn’t say
it’s my home track as far as knowing it goes because
the MotoGP guys have had three years there, so I don’t
think it has any advantage for me anymore. But that home crowd’s
got to be worth something. Last year we struggled, it was
our worse place for tyres all year. But I’m excited
now because I’ve seen how much Michelin have improved
at other tracks this year.”
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