Pedrosa not thinking of championship

The Repsol Honda rider scored his and the Japanese manufacturer's first win of the season at Laguna Seca, but the Spaniard is still 59 points behind championship leader Valentino Rossi with nine rounds remaining.

Pedrosa, still recovering from the injuries he has been carrying since he crashed at Mugello at the end of May, admitted with the gap to Rossi he can't think of the title.

Instead, the Spaniard is vowing to focus on every race individually.

"I have yet to heal fully, even though I'm improving," Pedrosa told Motosprint. "So I've decided that I must not look too closely at the championship table. I prefer to go race-by-race, then we'll see.

"The truth is that I don't have much of a choice: I've already lost a lot compared to the points leaders."

The former 250cc world champion said he is now in talks with Honda over the renewal of his contract, but conceded completing a full recovery was now his main priority.

"I'm in the contract renewal phase, but what counts for my future is for me to find again my optimal physical condition, and therefore being able to get back to ride and race the way I think I'm able to," he said.