Pedrosa’s last stand
Departing Spaniard has final chance to maintain his MotoGP win record
‘He’s gone the entire 2018 with not only no wins but no podiums’
Dani Pedrosa has his last chance of taking a MotoGP win every season when he lines up for his last race in Valencia this weekend. A winner every year since his MotoGP debut in 2006, he’s gone the entire 2018 with not only no wins but not even a podium finish. His last win came 12 months ago at Valencia when he rode away from the title scrap between Repsol Honda team-mate Marc Marquez and Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso to eventually take victory from Johann Zarco. However, it’s unlikely Pedrosa will be able to bow out on a high this weekend. At only 48kg and 5ft 2in tall, he’s struggled this year to make the most of the Michelin control tyres unless factors like track temperature are just right. And with that in mind, he told MCN that he’s going into the weekend with no expectations, and is simply planning to have a good time and to see what happens.
“I just need to try to recover after three hard weeks on the flyaways, and to enjoy the weekend once I get to Valencia. We’ll go to a very busy last race with a lot of friends and family there who want to have a good time with me and I’m sure it’ll be hectic, but all I can do is try to enjoy it.”
And while Pedrosa may be a dark horse going into the weekend, there are plenty of others riding with a point to prove. The Valencia circuit is not a favourite of reigning champion Marc Marquez, who has just one premier class win there (back in his dominant 2014 season). Valentino Rossi is a twotime Valencia winner and will be looking to prove a point after his crash last time out at Sepang cost him the chance of a first win of this season, too. While another rider out to prove a point this weekend will be Jorge Lorenzo.
Lining up for the last time on a Ducati but still struggling to be fully fit after missing the last four races through injury, he’s tied with Pedrosa for most MotoGP successes at the Spanish track, and could be another dark horse when the flag drops.