Pedrosa favourite for win on home soil

Honda MotoGP rider Dani Pedrosa of Spain takes a curve during the first free practice session of the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, southern Spain, yesterday. (Reuters

Dani Pedrosa of Honda will chase a triumph on home soil when the MotoGP circus hits Europe for the first time this season after Australia’s Casey Stoner won race one in Qatar.
Pedrosa, the winner here in 2008, is cast as favourite for Sunday’s meeting even though he goes into the challenge having to shrug off a collarbone injury that will require surgery afterwards.
“Jerez has always been special for me. It will be tough to change my riding position,” he said, in allusion to the injury that has caused numbness and reduced strength in his left arm.
Fellow Spaniard and reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo of Yamaha, who won here last season on the way to his first MotoGP title, will be out to take full advantage, as will Stoner.
Pedrosa is working his way back to fitness after suffering a double fracture in the Grand Prix of Japan and for now he is putting the prospect of further surgery to remove a titanium plate to the back of his mind.
“I want to concentrate on the race and work with my team in the best possible way to prepare for the race,” he told motogp.com.
Lorenzo, runner up to Stoner in Qatar with Pedrosa third, had forecast a massive challenge from Honda after they dominated pre-season testing and that has certainly proved the case to date.
Lorenzo feels his bike has not shown as much technical progress over the winter as those of his rivals.
“It is not a bad bike. She does brake well and hugs the curves well. We will have some new kit by the time Estoril comes around (May 1) or a little bit later. Let’s give it a bit of time to progress,” said the 23-year-old.
For now, he feels that “Honda are better at top speed, for acceleration and traction”.
His second place at Losail at least suggested that his own stable are not far off where they need to be.
Stoner, despite his fine start to the campaign, has never really shone at Jerez, aside from a 2009 podium finish.
He must hope he can barge in and end the Spanish-Italian dual hegemony here over the past decade.
The past ten editions have seen wins for Spain in the shape of Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Sete Gibernau (2004) while Valentino Rossi—third here last season—won six times over that period and Loris Capirossi weighed in with a 2006 success.
“Jerez is definitely a circuit I haven’t gone too well at in the past, but there’s always time to turn that around,” Stoner told a Thursday news conference.
“It motivates me and I’m hopeful after this start. I am confident in the bike and want to continue getting good results and keep in touch with the Championship.”
The crowds will be doing their utmost to cheer on the Spanish contingent.
Around a quarter of amn people habitually turn up at Jerez across the three days, while a challenging circuit last year saw the top ten on the opening two days separated by barely three quarters of a second.
Rossi, meanwhile, urged his fans to give him “a little more time before seeing me hit top form”.
The Ducati rider continues to fine-tune his body after the shoulder problems of last season, which resulted from a crash during a spot of motocross.
“Our goal?> To do better than at Qatar,” he said curtly, in allusion to his seventh place there.
In Moto2, German Stefan Bradl of Kalex will hope to carry on from where he left off in winning in Qatar, as will early 125cc pace-setter, Spanish Aprilia rider Nicolas Terol.