The Repsol Honda Team held its official launch in Madrid, Spain on Saturday with the start of the 2010 MotoGP season just under one month away. Spanish rider Dani Pedrosa was the star of show held in front of 7000 fans at the Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid. The event was timed to coincide with the penultimate round of the FIM Indoor Trial World Championship at the same venue. Appropriately, Pedrosa rode a trials bike onto the stage before a machine he is more familiar with – his Honda RC212V race bike – was dramatically lowered from the roof of the arena. Andrea Dovizioso, Pedrosa’s Repsol Honda team-mate was also due to attend the team launch but, having suffered from a fever over the last few days and with the final pre-season test taking place in Qatar this coming week, the Italian wisely elected to stay at home to speed his recovery. Dovizioso sent a special message to his fans from his home in Forli, Italy.
In 2010 the partnership between Repsol and Honda will enter its 16th season and it is an association which has made “Repsol Honda” one of the most recognisable team names in motorcycle racing history. Pedrosa and Dovizioso will be riding the latest evolution of Honda’s 800cc four-stroke RC212V race machine, which features a new chassis and swing-arm and an upgraded electronics package.
Dani Pedrosa: “To be here for the Repsol Honda Team launch and to see the support of all our fans is a great feeling. I’m feeling really motivated for the coming season and our targets are clear – to improve in every area and consistently fight for race wins. I’m starting this season in a really positive mood. In general it has been a very good winter for me and much better than the last one. I have been able to do a lot of physical training and work on my fitness levels. Also I was able to rest after the end of the last season and, even though I had a small operation to remove a screw from my wrist, the recovery period after this was very short and I can begin the year in very good shape. The training will help me a lot throughout the season to maintain my maximum performance.”
He continued: “At the last test in Sepang we couldn’t make all the progress we would have like to have done, but we still have two more days of testing ahead of us and we will take the maximum profit from them to prepare for the first race. In Qatar we will be working to improve a few more areas with the machine and I’m sure that when we solve these issues we will take a big step forward – and I hope to do it in Qatar. I’m looking forward to this season.”
Andrea Dovizioso: “I’m really sorry not to able to attend the Repsol Team Launch but unfortunately high fever and flu are keeping me in bed, and at this moment of the season with the Qatar test taking place next week, our priority is to be fit and ready for the last test of the winter. Our common goal is to be competitive from round one – we all want to see the Repsol Honda machines fighting at the front every Sunday.”
Dovizioso added: “We have all worked hard during the winter: Honda has improved all aspects of the package, and from our side we have been committed in training as well as giving direction to the development team. We know that it won’t be easy but we will give our best to fight with the fastest riders every race weekend. I’m very happy to be in the factory Repsol Honda Team for a second year.”
The Repsol Honda Team begins its assault on the MotoGP World Championship at the opening round of the season on April 11th at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar, and will be present at the final pre-season official test at the same circuit on Thursday 18th and Friday 19th of March.
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