Puig: new Honda not designed for Pedrosa

With world champion Nicky Hayden having complained of difficulties getting a good position on the new smaller 800cc bike in testing, there have been suggestions that the machine has been moulded around Pedrosa to help him win the title.

But Puig, who has overseen the young Spanish rider's rise to the top, has expressed his frustration at such speculation - especially because he claims Pedrosa's form at the top level suffers because he is so small.

"The first thing that one has to do is speak with knowledge of the situation," said Puig in an interview with MotoGP's official website. "At a technical level, one has to say that the difference in weight between last year's bike and this years is only 4kg.

"They have the same distance between axles and the main change is that the bike is somewhat narrower and the power logically inferior.

"I think that it is evident to anybody of normal intelligence that Pedrosa has a clear handicap in MotoGP because of his physical characteristics. He is a rider who weighs 52kg and is no taller than 1.60m.

"Last year he had a lot of difficulties riding such a big bike, and nobody hailed the effort that it takes to fight with a bike like that. The only thing that we asked for was a change in the tank and saddle to adapt to Dani better."

Puig has said that those who have hinted about favouritism towards Pedrosa, and the fact that his speed is the result of his weight, should focus more on their own efforts instead.

"It is the same story as always, and the only thing that they try to do is take credit away from the rider," he continued. "They already tried to do it when he was in 125cc and 250cc, asking that they put more weight on him.

"It seems like a joke that it is said that he is playing with an advantage. (Valentino) Rossi and (Nicky) Hayden didn't say anything about Dani's inferiority last season.

"That now some people try to use these minimal technical differences to devalue his results seems out of place, and that some riders insinuate that he even has an advantage seems ridiculous.

"I think that those that make these comments should concentrate on their own garage, on their team and on their work, and stop thinking about others.

"Regarding the press, it's a lost cause, one has to not give them more importance. There are three or four that believe that they know a lot about this, and unfortunately they have no idea.

"The truth is that Dani, a small rider, now has less of a disadvantage than last year, but he continues to be handicapped. This is the reality."