Daniel was one of the protagonists of the San Marino GP. The Spaniard showed his class by giving wings to the Austrian team. A message indirectly aimed at the Japanese brand
He didn’t win like Jorge Martin and his heroism has different nuances from the suffering of Marco Bezzecchi And Francesco Bagnaia. Nevertheless Daniel Pedrosaat 38 years old, was one of the absolute protagonists of MotoGP to Misano. The Spanish tester KTM was invited to San Marino GP as a wild card and gave an essay of his class. Almost as if to reiterate that three titles in the MotoGP (one in 125 and two in 250) are not won by chance. This terrible “old man’s” weekend fuels memories, regrets and hopes.
with marquez
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Pedrosa enchanted the Misano spectators already in the Friday sessions. In free practice 2 he stood out for an excellent third time and for his friendly gesture towards his former teammate Marc Marquez: Daniel did not deny the eight-time world champion the slipstream, allowing him to enter Q2. A move appreciated by the driver himself Honda, who thanked his friend with a pat on the helmet. And to think that not everything went smoothly between the jockey from Sabadell and the Cannibal from Cervera. Both Catalans and Honda men, they found themselves sharing the garage in 2013. The relationship was not idyllic initially, with the peak of tension found during a fortuitous contact that ousted Pedrosa from the Aragon GP, won by Marquez himself. Then the clarification and a friendship developed over the years, as also demonstrated by the passage provided by scooter from Dani to Marc during free practice for the race in Spain.
regret
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Thanks to the two fourth places between the Sprint Race and the GP, Pedrosa has overtaken Marquez in the standings, 32 points to 31. A sensational figure considering that Daniel only took part in two rounds. The detail further highlights the Honda crisis, his former team. Throughout his career, Pedrosa, in fact, had always been linked to the Tokyo brand before his farewell in 2018. A choice also dictated by disagreements with Alberto Puig, the old mentor who became HRC team manager. Five years later, while the Japanese giant is in the midst of a results crisis in MotoGP, Daniel is enjoying the growth of Ktm, of which he has become the tester. Data not directly connected, but certainly surprising.
growth
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Since Pedrosa arrived at KTM, the Austrian brand has grown rapidly. From 2019 to today, the team has achieved five successes and two Sprint Races. Four victories by Miguel Oliveirawho moved to Aprilia in 2023. A seal in the GP and two Sprint Races for Brad Binder, the most constant and incisive of the KTM standard bearers in the World Championship. And the goodness of Pedrosa’s recent performances gives the Austrian team hope. It is difficult, however, to think that everything is easy because Pedrosa is a difficult master to imitate. For information just ask the other drivers of the European team, who all ended up behind the “terrible old man”.
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