Pedrosa prepared for second place battle

The Repsol Honda rider arrives at Valencia for the final round of the season looking to secure the runner-up spot in the Championship, and he has a 19-point advantage over Valentino Rossi.

This weekend Dani Pedrosa will be hoping to give his home supporters something to cheer about as he goes all out to defend second place in the World Championship. With a 19-point lead over Valentino Rossi in third place, and after his impressive injury-defying race in Portugal on Sunday where he placed eighth, the 25 year-old is determined to put in another fighting performance at a track he loves.
Following last weekend’s Grand Prix of Portugal, Pedrosa visited the Dexeus Hospital in Barcelona to undergo electromyography scans on his
left arm and shoulder, which confirmed that there is no nerve damage as a result of the broken collarbone he suffered a month ago. Pedrosa is now hopeful that the lack of feeling he experienced in his left arm during and after the Portuguese race will be less of a problem this weekend. With five wins to his name at Valencia, one in the 125cc class, two in 250s and two in MotoGP - including victory last year, Pedrosa certainly has the pedigree to make a return to form at Valencia.
“In a couple of days I will get back on the bike again at Valencia and I really hope to feel better than I did on Sunday in Estoril. The last medical checks I had this week have shown that the nerves are not affected and this is positive, even though I’m feeling the same symptoms of numbness. I went to Clinica Dexeus to have an electromyography scan in my left arm from the neck to the hand. It showed that the nerves are OK, so I will continue having physiotherapy and I hope that gradually the lack of feeling passes,” explained Pedrosa.
“Despite the circumstances, I’m going to Valencia in a good mood because this is a track I love and the atmosphere there is always special. Last year we had a great race, so I want to get a good result regardless of my physical condition. We have a new sponsor this weekend from Honda in Indonesia. When I visited Indonesia this year I was really amazed by how many people follow MotoGP there. They are very passionate and knowledgeable about the championship, so it’s good that this new sponsor on the Repsol Honda machine can create a link with this country.”
The RC212V race machines of Pedrosa and his team-mate Andrea Dovizioso will also be displaying an important new sponsor’s logo. The “One Heart” design will appear on the factory Honda team fairings from first MotoGP practice on Friday morning as Pedrosa and Dovizioso begin their preparations for the final race of 2010.
“One Heart” is the slogan of Honda’s joint venture operating company in Indonesia, called Astra Honda. The motto crystalizes the dreams, passion, and the lifestyle shared by Honda and its young and vibrant customers in Indonesia. The Indonesian motorcycle market is a very important one where Honda is the market leader and plans to increase its motorcycle production to four million units by the end of 2011. This valuable new partnership with the “One Heart” brand will also continue through 2011, connecting the Repsol Honda Team with the huge enthusiasm for MotoGP in Indonesia, where TV viewing figures average over one million per race.