Sunday, July 05, 2009
Dani Pedrosa (#3 Repsol Honda, winner):
Q Congratulations. Your first win since Catalunya last year. Honda's first win since Catalunya last year. It's been a long, painful year for you, hasn't it, and at last the wait is over.
A Yes, it's been a long, tough year for me. Since last year here, when I couldn't race, it's been everything bad, and no results. So I'm happy to be back and win a race. But especially happy for my team. All this time I was injured, I couldn't ride well, they still keep on pushing, keep on working very hard at the maximum level, as if I could win races. So they also need this win. Honda had a long time also not winning, so that's good for them also. And I'd like also to say thanks to all the doctors I pass through this year. It's been tough, but finally, great race, great day, and great feeling.
Q We're used to you making such good starts. From the second row of the grid, it was a fantastic start. But were you surprised that you were able to open the gap at the front?
A Yes, I was surprised. But I was doing better rhythm than in practice, so this, I think, allowed me to go a little bit away. So perhaps the only mistake was in the last lap, where I was too slow. I thought I had more advantage, but finally Rossi came too strong to me, and fortunately it was only the last corner, so I still could win the race.
Q We're just coming up to the halfway stage in the season, Dani. Obviously you're a little bit behind Casey Stoner, Jorge and Valentino, but you could still get up there with them.
A Well. Right now, I like to think race by race. Trying to do great races, and trying to fight with these guys for the win each Grand Prix.
Q We go to the Sachsenring in Germany next. Obviously, unhappy memories for you last year. Rather like here, you got out at the front, and disappeared.
A Yes, everything was fine that day. I was riding very well [inaudible]. If I could finish that race, probably would be my best race ever. But everything end up wrong. So I hope this year can be the opposite.
Q Dani, congratulations. Congratulations to Honda, also. Thank you very much indeed.
Valentino Rossi (#46 Fiat Yamaha, second place):
Q Valentino Rossi, 20 very, very important World Championship points. Dani's pace at the front, I would think, surprised you.
A Yes. [inaudible] yes. Because I don't expect Dani so strong today. But I understand quite early that he was fast, because he go away quite easy in the first part of the race. Was quite difficult for me today, especially the first half, because I was not at 100% with the setting. We did some modify from this morning, and I was not very happy. I had to ride not at the maximum. But after lap by lap, with a bit less fuel, the feeling is better. I remain with Dani, maybe it was a little bit faster in some place, but more or less remain the same disadvantage. After, the last ten laps was thrilling, because Jorge come back very strong, and I have to push so hard for keep the advantage. We fight, we overtake each other, and in the last laps, I was pushing a lot, and I see Dani slow down, and I arrive at the last corner very close, but unfortunately not close enough for try to overtake.
Q As far as the championship goes, we know this season, picking up points, 20 points, 16 sometimes, is going to be very, very important, isn't it?
A Yes, for sure. Twenty points is important, especially because I gain some point, and in a championship like this, is so important. But we come from two fantastic race, and today maybe was possible make better, so we have to stay strong and concentrated, because Sachsenring and Donington are so important for the championship.
Q You've always said since the start of the season, you think it would be four men that would win Grands Prix, four riders that would be chasing for the championship. Dani's win today has made it the fourth, really, isn't it.
A Yes. I was right. But you know, Dani have some unlucky, a lot of injury. But when Dani's 100% of the potential for fight for the victory. And anyway, we are so close at the top, especially with Jorge, but also Casey's not so far. So will be a strong season.
Q Valentino, congratulations and thank you very much.
Jorge Lorenzo (#99 Fiat Yamaha, third place)
Q Jorge, pole position for the race, two crashes in qualifying, trouble with the collarbone, trouble with the foot. An amazing result for you, Jorge. You battled for second place at one time, with Valentino.
A I did my best, or very close to my best. If we can [inaudible] this mistake in that corner to try to overtake Valentino, I did one of my best race of my career, because today my physical condition was very poor. But also with the help of Clinica Mobile, with Dr. Costa and Bernard and all the helpers, they give me a little bit more to try to finish the race.
Q How close were you to not starting the race, when you went to the warm-up this morning?
A Yeah, the warm-up was difficult, because was very cold, and I didn't sleep too well this night. I was very cold and I have a lot of pain. But on the race, my arm improved a little bit, but the problem was that I couldn't do a lot of force with my right hand, so I had to use a lot my left hand. So was difficult to finish the race. We finished.
Q You have a two-week rest now, for the injuries, before the Sachsenring, and that is important.
A Yeah. Now the important thing is to recover these two injuries I have, as soon as we can. For sure, maybe the foot will be easier. But my, this injury will be more difficult, because people say it's almost five, six weeks to recover 100%. But people who do a sport recover more faster, so I will.
Q Jorge, thank you very much indeed, and congratulations on a great ride.
Questions from the floor:
Q Question for Valentino. Can we expect Valentino Rossi to stay around for a few more seasons of MotoGP racing?
ROSSI: Like I say 100 times, I don't know. Next year I've already the contract signed with Yamaha, so for sure 2010 yes. And after, and after I will decide for my future.
Q Dani, congratulations for the win. I want to know if Honda, from the technical point of view, made a big step forward, or was a special situation for the track, or for you? This win could be the first step for another championship, or something else.
PEDROSA: The bike was the same. Same spec as last race in Assen. So that was all. The bike was the same. We just work and everything comes good. Nothing special, nothing.
Q Did you find the right way to set the bike, or just the race and the track or yourself?
PEDROSA: I don't know. We will see next race. Of course we have to work during the practice to learn the good setting. With this bike we have to always try, play a little bit to find a good place. But this weekend, we pretty much find out good setting, so this help us to do a great race. And for the next one, is to just try the same.
Q Jorge, a gutsy performance. Were there ever any thoughts in your mind, when you were out on the track, "What am I doing out here?" And was there a lot of pain, or were you able to compensate by the way you rode?
LORENZO: [pause] You are very American, so I don't understand. [Laughter]
Q I'll try to be simpler.
MODERATOR: Jorge, I think he said -
LORENZO: You are more English.
MODERATOR: Sometimes you don't understand my English, either. But was there a lot of pain for you, during the race, and was there any stage in the race you thought you may not finish?
LORENZO: You know, at the beginning, and also in the warm-up, where the body's cold, you get a lot of pain. But after your adrenaline is coming up, and also the injections that Costa Doctor give me, helps me to drive more safety. But anyway, as I said, when I couldn't do more push in this, in the right hand, I have to use a lot of this hand. So was finish, this point.
Q Jorge, yesterday's accident was in the same turn in 20 minutes. Was the problem with something of your bike, or was casual in that corner?
LORENZO: You know, this year I am very focused, and I don't do mistakes normally. So it's a question of the track. This track is very hard to warm up the tire, especially the rear one. So when I stop my pace to let the riders go, then my tire was so cold that I couldn't enter the corner.
Q Jorge, could you talk a little bit about your pass attempt on Valentino, and whether you came close to crashing?
LORENZO: Well. Yeah. The lap before, I say, I look that Valentino brakes a little bit earlier than me, so I say that I thought that I could pass him in this corner. But if you enter the line more deeper in this corner, there is more bumps, and then I brake so, so late, and my rear tire start to move a lot, and I was closing my eyes because I thought I was going to crash. So God helped me this occasion.
Q Valentino, can you tell me what the adjustments you made that went wrong, and how were you thinking about adapting in your riding style?
ROSSI: Yeah, we tried to do some modify at the front, for improve, especially the last section of the racetrack where we struggle a bit too much. But was not okay. I don't have enough feeling from the front, so I have to brake a bit more smooth, and entry with not at 100%, because the feeling with the front was not fantastic. After lap by lap with less grip and less fuel, coming a bit better. But anyway, we are not at the maximum.
ENDS
