Dani Pedrosa denies Brno dogfight victory was a turning point

The Honda rider triumphed over his title rival at Brno with a bold last-corner move after an epic battle - in contrast to Pedrosa's reputation as a rider who only wins when he breaks clear of the pack and dominates.

But Pedrosa insisted that he had always been capable of winning in a dogfight and that it was just coincidence that it had not happened more often in his MotoGP years.

"I know that I usually win races when I escape," he acknowledged. "But already also I've won some races battling.

"Obviously you have some confidence [in your racing ability], otherwise you wouldn't do it.

"There is no plan for any race. You have to improvise every moment. There is no plan to escape or to win at the last corner. You have to see how the race is at that moment and try to do the best you can and get the win if you have the chance."

He believes the rest of the season will be similarly close-fought as he thinks there is little to choose between his Honda and Lorenzo's Yamaha.

"We've seen in all the races that the bikes are pretty much going well," said Pedrosa.

"It's not about which track is better for you, it's just about keeping the riding up and trying to do your best."