Dani Pedrosa (KTM): “Now I can enjoy it” / MotoGP

Dani Pedrosa faces his next mission in the MotoGP World Championship. KTM’s top tester and 54-time Grand Prix winner will ride the third factory RC 16 in Jerez de la Frontera this weekend. As a reminder: The 38-year-old Spaniard already caused a stir in Andalusia in 2023 when he finished 7th in the GP. In the short race, Dani was even sixth – just 1.8 seconds behind his teammate Brad Binder.

As expected, Pedrosa’s press conference in Jerez on Thursday was very well attended. “Yes, I’m looking forward to starting here on Friday. To be honest, I didn’t expect to go here again after last year. But the tests made things interesting again, so we decided to drive here again,” reveals Pedrosa, who knows: “It’s hard to estimate speed when you’re driving alone are on the slopes. But we have to test it in a more stressful situation. You usually have a whole day to adjust and adjust things.”

Dani says about the upcoming GP weekend and the MotoGP paddock: “I feel that my approach is completely different now. Before I was more and more focused in the tunnel – looking at my goals. Now I can open my scope more and immerse myself in the atmosphere and enjoy being just here. But it’s also a more normal feeling. It was just crazy – it was just a race.”

Pedrosa tells the famous musician Pedro Acosta: “I haven’t seen much more than you all. Needless to say, he has two podiums after three races. I can’t say much more. On TV, his driving style and lines look a little different than the drivers. But we are happy that he is doing very well. For a rookie, it is good for us to be in the front. So we are also happy because he has very motivated.”

Pedrosa said on the DAZN pay-TV platform that he will follow Acosta: “It’s true – of course! He drives very well (laughs).” Is there a plan to follow him? “No, no – of course it was fun on TV – but in reality it’s real again! Normally you should help a rookie find a rhythm, but in this case it doesn’t apply. We’ll have to see if he decides to give me a date.” Then the wild star says: “I’m more surprised by Pedro’s results and Jack and Brad’s problems.”

What is KTM still missing from the top? “It’s hard to say, so we want to try a few things,” says the fan favorite. And Pedrosa knows it well: “The times and the speed in the MotoGP World Championship are now faster than in 2023. We also have to evaluate that and adjust it again. Records have been broken – even if the conditions were not as good as in Portugal. Race times are faster. Yes, we have a lot to try here. But we have to do it now under these conditions.”