The San Marino Grand Prix saw the unexpected but impressive performance of KTM test rider, Dani Pedrosa. Though his stellar performance left spectators and fellow riders in awe, the 37-year-old Spaniard made a candid revelation: racing is “not something I miss very much.”
While many anticipated a podium finish for Pedrosa, given his track record, he ended up finishing fourth in both races of the grand prix. The climax of the event was when Pedrosa was tantalizingly close to a podium spot, trailing behind the reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia by a mere 0.669 seconds.
Since his retirement at the close of 2018, this was just the third time Pedrosa graced the MotoGP circuit, with his prior appearance being this year’s Spanish GP at Jerez.
Pedrosa, a three-time MotoGP championship runner-up, was showered with praises from fellow racers. A notable mention was Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro, who, impressed by Pedrosa’s performance, quipped that it “makes you doubt everything” seen in MotoGP. But even with the admiration and strong results, Pedrosa remained steadfast in his decision, stating, “I’m not considering returning at any time.”
The Spaniard remarked, “It’s nice to come back and compete and perform well, but it’s not something I miss very much.” Emphasizing the dedication and effort of his team, he stated, “I wouldn’t know how to give myself a grade, but I’m quite happy with the performance. I do give the team a very high grade, they’ve worked well and without errors.”
His decision to stay away from a full-time return resonated when he highlighted the competitive nature of the sport, observing, “Besides, you see the problem we have, there are more riders than bikes, we’re not going to mess it up any more.” He further added, “More and more, now I enjoy motorcycles from the outside.”
A significant takeaway from Pedrosa’s recent performance is his advancement in the championship, where he now stands a point ahead of former Honda team-mate, Marc Marquez.
The 31-time MotoGP race winner recollected his emotions from the event, sharing, “I was more nervous [on Sunday] than [Saturday], since the morning I was already noticing it.” Speaking of his fourth-place achievement, he joyfully mentioned, “fourth place had never felt so good to me before.”
In his reflections about the sprint race, Pedrosa added, “The feeling of the race was greater this Sunday. In the end, I thought that this was a race, the sprint is important and gives points, but the real race is on Sunday, that was my feeling.”
Indeed, as the world witnessed Pedrosa’s impressive comeback, his candid confessions gave fans a deeper look into the heart and mind of a true racing legend.