Dani Pedrosa stunned by his own speed at Spanish MotoGP: “I never expected it!”
The MotoGP legend stormed to the fastest run in the first Friday practiceܫ session at Jerez, rolling back the years and delighting fans who have only seen him at one race weekend in the past four years.
It was a dream start to the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Spanish MotoGP for the𒁏 KTM test ri🌳der, who entered with a wildcard.
“It was an amazing feeling,🧜 for sure! And for the team, as well. And for theౠ fans,” he said.
“I never expected it, it was a surprise!”
Have꧑ Pedrosa’s expectations now changed for Saturday and Sundayꦑ?
“Nಌo, absolutꦫely not. We have our marks and that’s where we will stick to. That’s it.”
Pe🔯drosa’s 1♏m 36.770s - which topped the timesheets in P1 - was not bettered until the final 10 minutes of P2, when Maverick Vinales edged it.
Aleix Espargaro ended Friday fastest, ahead of April🍬ia teammate Vinales, and with Pedrosa ninth.
His prediction for Saturday’s sprint race? Pedrosa smiled: “I have no idea, honestly. I have many things to speak ꦉto the team about.
“To see how the format goes, what the start pr🥀ocedure is. Things to c𝔉heck with the team. We are going step by step.”
It might continue beyond Friday but Pedrosa’s P1 🍒run-out, through the corner named in his honour, was a wonderful moment.
The most successfuဣl rider in MotoGP history without a championship retired at the end of 2018 and, since then, raced just once, in 2021 in Austria.
“It’s great, a good feelꦰing,” he reflected on his Friday.
“Especially coming back to this amazing track with these maꦯgnificent competitors.
“They have pushed the level so high.
“That’🍌s why you have to be very focused every time.
“This morning we had a good start, this afternoon it was more 𒉰complicated due to track conditions.
“Maybe the heat, or the wind, was making the lap♛ times slowe🌃r. It was difficult to improve.
“Some riders improved, even in the afternoon w♏ith worse tr😼ack conditions.
“I’m happy beca🃏use we’re inside the top 10, that’s good news.
“Tomorrow we have a new thin﷽g to learn. It’s something different, with qualifying in✨ the morning.
“It’s not ꦗan easy thing, it’s tough on the riders.”
J🌃ames wa🤡s a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
