Lucky for some
Pedrosa’s 13 years in MotoGP
Dani Pedrosa bowed out of MotoGP at Valencia last Sunday after 13 seasons in the premier with Repsol Honda. Throughout his career he has been one of the MotoGP ‘aliens’ and seen the likes of Nicky Hayden, Andrea Dovizioso and Casey Stoner come and go from the team. But, despite his incredible pace and having won 31 races, he ends his career without a MotoGP title. In recent years the 33-year-old has struggled to run at the very front. A catalyst to this was the introduction of Michelin’s control tyres at the start of 2016. Smaller and lighter than the rest of the paddock at only 5ft 2in and 48kg, Pedrosa’s found it hard to exploit the grip from the tyres and 2018 is the first season of his MotoGP career in which he has failed to win a race. And that lack of success has taken a toll, with Dani admitting before his final race that it’s become more difficult to stay focused. “Thinking about retirement started three years ago. At the start of this season I had a few more thoughts and I decided it was the right time. “It’s been harder to maintain motivation this season. Every year you have something that you struggle with, some injury or other setback that you didn’t expect and you have to redefine your expectations. But this year has been harder because it took me a long time to feel competitive on the bike. You’re most motivated when things have clicked. But my decision to quit hasn’t changed my motivation; it’s only related to the performance. “When you’re in front and able to do what you like to do on the bike, it’s much easier to be motivated than when you are struggling with the bike. It’s just the way it is though, and there’s no other possibility for me. It’s a problem that I’ve faced for many years in MotoGP. I want to perform and to be at the front, and I know why I can’t do the first three laps of the race fast or why I always lose positions in the opening laps. It doesn’t change the facts, but as a winner I can’t accept it.”
In spite of that, Pedrosa is also proud of what he’s achieved in the premier class in spite of the difficulties he’s faced. A 31-time MotoGP race winner and threetime championship runner-up as well as one of the most unlucky riders ever when it comes to broken bones, he says there’s plenty of good memories.
“I overcame many situations in MotoGP that I didn’t expect I could, and even finally was able to ride well in the rain; he one thing I’ve never been good at since I was a kid. “I’ve had some good moments, some good racing in MotoGP, especially n 2012 when I felt at my best. And then some other moments like coming back from injuries and having to race to finish on the podium or to win the race quite quickly after suffering an injury. So these moments, how I was able to compete with such a handicap, make me proud.”
And while he’s happy to be stepping back after Valencia, he’s also proud of the part he’s played a role in the development of the series. He added: “You now see everyone following MotoGP, from kids to adults whereas before it was just adults or super fans. Also, today’s championship is very equal on performance so the level of a good rider like Rossi is matched by somebody not as good because of the package that the bike has today. It’s much better for the spectators.”
‘I’ve had some good moments, especially in 2012 when I felt the best’