Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Honda duo thrilled with Aragon form

Honda riders Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso believe they are in even better shape for the Aragon Grand Prix than the Friday lap times suggest

Pedrosa led the way in the morning, with Dovizioso in second place at first before the Italian fell to eighth. In the wet afternoon session, Pedrosa dominated initially until a mechanical problem curtailed his running and left him only 13th on the timesheets.

But Pedrosa was still positive about his pace in all conditions.

"This morning was very good, we did some laps in dry conditions and the bike was working quite well," he said. "I think we had a good first impression.

"In the afternoon I was also at the top before I stopped. But then on the second run I had some electronic failure and I was just out and back in. So therefore I lost a lot of time when the track was getting drier. I just couldn't get out for the last laps. Half the practice I was in the pits."

Dovizioso reckoned he would have remained up front with Pedrosa in first practice had he run fresh tyres.

"I'm really happy about the track and our start," said the Italian. "In the dry I think we are really, really fast.

"Unfortunately this morning we didn't change the tyre because normally in first practice you don't change because you need [the tyre] in qualifying, especially as we have one more session. So we didn't change. But on the second run the tyre was completely destroyed and I couldn't push, so I couldn't do a good lap time.

"But I'm sure if I'd put new tyres on like everybody [else], I can fight with Dani on the lap times."

He was sixth in the afternoon, when he admitted Honda had initially gone in the wrong set-up direction.

"In the wet we didn't start very well because we wanted to try a different set-up," Dovizioso explained. "When we have the possibility to swap the bike in the race, if you have a different set-up in the dry and the wet it's a problem because you need to change the set-up of the bike when you start.

"So we tried a similar set-up to the dry, but it doesn't work so well, so we've changed the bike a little bit for the last run and the bike improved - but still not enough. But I think we also have a good chance to fight for a good position in the wet."

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Rossi encouraged by pace in wet
Next article Tomizawa still in riders' thoughts

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe