Honda riders unsure about progress

Honda have struggled to match Ducati and Yamaha for most of the season, and Dani Pedrosa's Sachsenring win was the manufacturer's first victory of 2007.

The Spaniard was overjoyed with the result, but said it did not necessarily represent a large step forward in performance.

"I'm extremely happy: this is a massively important result for me at this moment," Pedrosa told Italia1 television.

"I need to thank the team and the fans for sticking with me during this winless drought.

"The race was difficult but we found a good rhythm and I hope all my fans enjoyed it.

"Not much has changed on the bike. I did my best from the first lap until five laps from the end. I tried to be very focused and I kept confident.

"The most important thing for me is the victory, more than taking points back. It's a fantastic result for us and a race like this demonstrates there's still a will and a determination from us."

Pedrosa's teammate Nicky Hayden also showed plenty of speed as he came from 14th on the grid to third.

The world champion has turned his season around in the last three races - running competitively at Donington Park before crashing, then taking podiums at both Assen and the Sachsenring.

But Hayden believes it was easier for the Honda riders to overcome their bike's limitations, especially in terms of power, at these circuits.

"The last few tracks where I've gone well are quite slow, tight, little twisty stuff where a little scrapper can make a big effect," Hayden said.

"It's harder for me at a big open track with long corners - you can only do so much at those places."