Brno MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa hails ‘unbelievable’ victory

Dani Pedrosa hailed his stunning last gasp Brno MotoGP victory as ‘unbelievable’ as he piled the pressure on fellow Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo in the 2012 title hunt.

Barely split by more than two or three-tenths for the entire 22-lap race, Pedrosa came out on top of a thrilling final lap duel to claim his third win of the season.

The pair exchanged the lead four times on the final lap and Pedrosa only clinched a precious victory with a sweeping overtake around the outside of Lorenzo’s factory Yamaha YZR-M1 at the final corner.

Pedrosa has now slashed Lorenzo’s title lead to just 13-points with six races remaining and he was jubilant after claiming one of the best victories of his career.

The Repsol Honda rider said: “It was unbelievable because the race was very tight. It was amazing how different riding styles and bikes can be fast but in a different way. Jorge was very strong in the middle of the corner and I was stronger going into the corner. But at the end of the lap times were pretty much the same. It was difficult for me because my bike was sliding a lot in the middle of the corner and it didn’t turn very well. I had to spin with the throttle to make it turn and I knew that Jorge was closing on me a lot. I am just happy also for my team because it is a great victory also for them. On the last lap I knew if I opened the door a little bit he would go inside because he was super close. When he passed me I could see his fairing on my face. It was so close I could see all the stickers, so I was really trying to not lose him and be close to him. I tried in the downhill but I wasn’t really strong there so I tried to get a good run up the hill for the final chicane and try to get next to him and try on the brakes  and it came out right and I am very happy.”

Pedrosa said strategy goes out of the window in such a close scrap on the final lap and he added: “In this case you can’t plan anything and you just go for it and try. I am very happy because we had a very clean fight and it was a good spectacle for the fans. Maybe in the past it can be a bit rough but today it was clean.”

With the gap to Lorenzo down to just 13-points, Pedrosa has never been in such a strong position to fight for the title in his seven-year premier class career.

But he said it will still be a difficult challenge to overhaul Lorenzo. When the 2010 world champion has finished a race this season he hasn’t been lower than second and Pedrosa added: “It is important to stay focused and keep riding well because when Jorge is not winning he is second and it is hard to catch some points back. We are doing great so I hope we can keep this going.”

For seven pages of coverage from Brno, including news of Cal Crutchlow’s first MotoGP podium, see the August 29 issue of Motor Cycle News.