Pedrosa bows out, but Rossi hangs in

● Dani Pedrosa will bid a “special” farewell to professional motorcycling today at the season-ending Valencia Grand Prix, while his Honda teammate, Marc Marquez, celebrates a fifth top-class title.

The 33-year-old Pedrosa, a winner of 31 MotoGP races, has finished in the top three of the riders’ standings six times since stepping up to the top class with Honda in 2006.

But he has lost his form this year and is down in 11th spot, 215 points behind Marquez, and will retire as one of the best riders to never claim the MotoGP crown.

He said Valencia would be “busy because many of my people, friends and family will come there wishing to spend time together”.

Pedrosa, a three-time world champion in the lower classes, failed to post a podium finish in 2018. He remains confident that he can bow out on a high at a track where he has won three times.

“When I climb on my bike, my entire focus will be on riding,” he said. “I like the track as it’s one of my favourites on the calendar.”

Marquez, meanwhile, has been dominant again en route to a seventh world title, winning nine races to move 101 points clear of second-placed Andrea Dovizioso.

The 25-year-old has time on his side as he looks to close in on Giacomo Agostini’s alltime record of eight titles in 500cc, and is two adrift of Italian veteran Valentino Rossi.

Marquez clinched the title in Valencia last year when Dovizioso crashed out, and is hoping to claim his fifth victory in six races.

“I don’t want to lose the momentum or the way I’m riding at the moment,” he said.

Rossi turns 40 in February, but the Yamaha rider still has his eyes firmly fixed on mounting a bid for his 10th world crown next season, though he faces a fight today to hold onto third place this season ahead of teammate Maverick Vinales.

Though Rossi has not won the title since 2009, he is showing no signs of imminently following Pedrosa out of the paddock.

“We would like to finish the season with a positive result,” he said. “Then there will be tests in Valencia and those in Jerez. It will be very intense.” —