Pedrosa's Weekend Curtailed By Warm-Up Crash

Dani Pedrosa made a welcome return to form at the Catalan Grand Prix after finishing on the podium in 3rd following his return from arm pump surgery. Pedrosa showed a good pace in practice and qualifying, putting his Repsol Honda RC213V 4th on the grid for the race.

His race day was was severely curtailed by a crash in the morning warm-up which destroyed his number one bike and left him with a damaged thumb. Riding injured and having to use his second bike, things went from bad to worse at the start as a clutch issue saw him bog down and drop to 13th by the end of the first lap.

The Spaniard found himself embroiled in the crazy train of bikes fighting for 5th for the rest of the race, ending the race 8th.

“I was a bad day. I had a very strange crash in the morning: I was going straight, braking, and the tyres were already up to temperature – but I lost the front without warning. Unfortunately the bike was damaged, then I took off my glove and saw I had cut my finger but I was still able to return for the race. I had to use my second bike and I had a problem with it, because when I released the clutch at the start the bike did not react. I had to release it completely and began to slide. I went from fourth to thirteenth and I lost may positions, but in addition I also had a problem with the brakes. I tried to adjust it but I could not control the bike under braking. It was very difficult to adapt, but in the end I managed to make up some places. However, I couldn't brake well and on the lap Crutchlow took me out on the lost more positions.”

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