MotoGP Jerez test: Rain fear for struggling Dani Pedrosa

Rain forecast for the final two days of testing in Jerez is likely to end injured Dani Pedrosa’s participation in the penultimate pre-season test.

Pedrosa made a painful return to action on home soil today for the first time since he suffered two broken bones in his right hand on the opening day of 2008 testing in Sepang last month.

• Get all the latest from the Jerez test here

The Spaniard managed only 37 laps today as he posted just the 12th best time, with a 1.41.352 over two seconds adrift of factory Honda team-mate Nicky Hayden, who was fastest on a Michelin qualifying tyre.

With Pedrosa still well short of 100 per cent fitness, the triple world champion admitted tonight that if the forecast rain does arrive, he is unlikely to take any further part in testing to avoid the risk of further damage in another crash.

“The hand still isn’t 100 per cent, today I couldn’t really do more than five laps at a time, “said Pedrosa, who needed to use an ice pack on the hand in between the short stints he could manage on track.

“The hand is very painful, especially during braking and direction changes. I am icing it after every ride in an attempt to keep the swelling to a minimum. I will continue icing it tonight and we will see how it is tomorrow morning.

“If the swelling is okay and I feel okay, we will continue riding. Today I was just trying to ride at a safe pace for my condition, so we weren’t really able to do any work on the bike or with tyres.”