MotoGP Mugello Repsol Honda Preview

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After continuing their perfect start to 2014 in Le Mans last week, the Repsol Honda Team and factory riders Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa are en route to Tuscany, Italy.

Marc, who has won every race so far this season – and all from pole – has been victorious on two occasions in Mugello (2011 in Moto2 and 2010 in 125cc) and suffered one of only two DNF’s of2013 here when he crashed out from second place with just three laps remaining(the other being a blah flag in Phillip Island). Dani, who celebrates eight podium finishes in Mugello including two victories (2010 in MotoGP, 2005 in250cc) will be looking to enjoy a better weekend after only managing fifth place in Le Mans and is now 42 points behind Marc in the Championship.

Just 30km north east of Florence, Mugello was first opened in 1974 and at 5.245km in length, it’s one of the longest tracks on the calendar. Through its mix of nine right-hand turns and six lefts – some fast,some slow – changes in radius, camber and gradient, Mugello is one of the most popular circuits among Grand Prix riders, and its 1.141km straight is also the longest.

Marc Marquez

Championship Standing: 1st – 125 points

“Le Mans was a great weekend for us and although it may look easy from the outside, it is a result of a lot hard work with the team over the weekend to set the bike up. Mugello is a tricky circuit - one of the hardest on the calendar - and we struggled a lot last year. I had many crashes over the weekend and then crashed out of the race also. Now I have an extra year’s experience and I hope it will go more smoothly for us! I know that Valentino will be very strong at his ‘home’ race,Jorge has won there for the past three years and Dani is also very fast there, sowe will need to stay focused and if we cannot challenge for the win then we must take important points for the Championship”

Dani Pedrosa

Championship Standing: 2nd – 83 points

"Mugello is a very fast track with many long corners so finding the optimum set up and grip is essential. The atmosphere is also very special in Mugello and the weather usually perfect so I look forward to going there and racing in front of a full crowd! In the past few races my overall pace has been good but I’m hoping to improve in qualifying”

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MotoGP Le Mans Repsol Honda Preview

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Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa are en route to France after an incredible start to 2014, with Marc winning the first four races from pole position and Dani scoring a very positive 72 points from a possible 100, with two 2nd places and two 3rd place finishes. Thankfully Dani has healed well from his minor surgical operation last week to treat compartmental syndrome, in order to fix discomfort in his right forearm. It took just two incisions to enter the forearm, freeing the flexor and prone-extensor muscles in the appendage via minimally invasive microsurgery.

The Le Mans Bugatti circuit, very different from the much longer 24-hour car track, returned to the GP calendar in 2000 after an absence of four years,during which time the French GP was run at Circuit Paul Ricard in Provence. The track’s character is very stop-and-go, with plenty of slow turns where braking and acceleration performance are crucial. Riders and their engineers concentrate on honing their machines’ stability during braking, as well as improving rear-end traction for the numerous hairpin exits.

The 4.18km circuit features the same start-finish straight as the Le Mans 24hrevent and a blindingly fast right-hander leading to the famous Dunlop chicane.Following this quick start to the lap, the stop-start character becomes evident, with a slow right-hander leading on to the main straight. It is one of nine right hand turns, and four lefts.

Dani has finished on the podium 7 times in Le Mans including an emphatic win in atrocious conditions during the MotoGP race last year and three victories in the lower classes (2003 in 125cc, 2004 and 2005 in 250cc). Marc has had mixed results at this circuit, including three DNF’s, but endured his first wet MotoGP race here last year and came through the field to take 3rd. He’s also enjoyed a victory in 2011 (Moto2) and a podium in 2010 (125cc).

Marc Marquez

Championship Standing: 1st - 100 points

“After another really great weekend in Jerez and a positive day of testing on Monday, we are now on our way to Le Mans. You never know what the weather will do there so it is important to start strong from FP1. Last year we had our first wet race here and I really learned a lot, but this year I hope it will remain dry! We know that Dani, Jorge and Valentino will come back at us hard here, but we will work on our own programme - as usual - and fight for victory or at least some important Championship points”

    

Dani Pedrosa

Championship Standing:2nd - 72 points

“I enjoyed the weekend in Jerez, and the battle at the end with Rossi was a lot of fun. After Monday’s test I had a tight feeling in my right forearm. On Tuesday morning I went to see Dr. Mir and he recommended surgery immediately.We took his advice and it seems to be healing up well but I guess I won’t know until I’m back on the bike on Friday for FP1. I won for the first time in Le Mans in MotoGP last year in a very tough race. I enjoy the circuit and we’ve had good results there in the past but we must always pay attention to the weather! The testing in Jerez was useful and we confirmed some feelings, now we must see if they translate to the track this weekend”

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Repsol Honda Review Jerez MotoGP Day 2

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Marc Marquez, marking his 100th GP start here in Jerez, now celebratesa 59% ratio of poles in all MotoGP starts (13 in 22 races) after clinching thetop spot for the Spanish GP, breaking the lap record en route with teammateDani Pedrosa in third under scorching weather conditions.

Before qualifying, Marc and his team calculated that a three-stop runwould be possible during the 15 minute session, which was important as the lifeof the soft rear tyre is optimum for only one flying lap - especially withtrack temperatures in the fifties. Dani opted for the more normal two stopstrategy, completing two flying laps with each tyre, and clocked a time of1'38.630 placing him on the front row in third for tomorrow’s 27 lap race. Marcrecorded just one flying lap on each exit but on his third and final run, hestole Lorenzo’s lap record from 2008 (1'38.189) - the last season in whichthere were still qualifying tyres in MotoGP - and recorded the fastest ever lapon two wheels at Jerez with a time of 1'38.120 on lap 8 of 8.

Marc Marquez – 1st (1’38.120)

“I am very happy with this pole position, as it was hard fought and Iwasn't expecting it. We are suffering a little more here than at other tracks,but despite this we are still at the same level as Lorenzo and Dani. We changedour strategy at the last minute; I asked Santi if it would be possible to usethree soft tyres, and he said that it was. It was all last minute and I am satisfiedwith how it worked out, but we know that tomorrow is the important day. Jorgeand, above all, Dani have a great pace”

Dani pedrosa – 3rd (1’38.630)

"We took a step forward with the bike setup today and also wentbetter with the race tyres. In the qualifying session we tried to do as well aspossible, but it is always difficult to put in a really fast lap. Tomorrow wewill try to get a good start, then have a good race”

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Repsol Honda Preview Jerez MotoGP

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Fresh from their third consecutive victory of 2014 at the Red Bull Argentina Grand Prix, the Repsol Honda team are en route to Spain with no time to rest. The Jerez GP may feel like the true start to the season for Spanish duo Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa, when they have the opportunity to race in front of their home fans for the first time of the year.

A tight and twisty circuit, Jerez has hosted a motorcycle grand prix since 1987, soon after it was built, and hosted Formula 1 races during the 1990s. With a track length of 4,428km, Jerez features eight right turns and five lefts and circulates in a clockwise direction with a trademark final turn that has seen some legendary clashes – most recently between Jorge Lorenzo and Marc last year – when Marc came out on top to finish second behind teammate Dani.

Marc, who celebrates his 100th GP start in Jerez next Sunday, has taken second place on three occasions at the Andalusian track – in 2009, 2012 and 2013- but victory here has eluded him so far. Dani has an enviable record, consistently reaching the Jerez podium for the past nine years. This tally includes two MotoGP wins in 2008 and 2013, five second place finishes, and a 250cc win in his second world championship season of 2005. Included in that string are eight front row starts, with two MotoGP poles and a 250cc pole.

Marc Marquez - Championship Standing: 1st - 75 points

“Argentina was only a few days ago but we are already on our way to Spain! We had a really good weekend, taking another important 25 points, but now we go to Jerez where I know Dani and Jorge are very strong. The crowd and ambiance is very special there and it gives you special motivation to perform at your maximum level. After three fly away races it will be nice to arrive back in Europe for a few ‘normal’ races, I’ll try to relax a little and prepare myself ready for Friday’s FP1”

Dani Pedrosa - Championship Standing: 2nd - 56 points

“It was a good weekend in Argentina although I would have liked to be in the battle for the victory, but I really enjoyed the race and the track! Now we have no break, and next weekend we race in Jerez! This is one of my favourite circuits on the calendar, I really enjoy seeing all the fans and racing back in Spain after three long races away. As usual we will start working hard from the Friday and hope to continue with the same momentum that we found in Argentina”

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Repsol Honda Review Argentina MotoGP Race

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2013 World Champion Marc Marquez has enjoyed another fantastic race weekend taking victory from pole position. He has become the first rider since Valentino Rossi in 2001 to win the opening three premier class races of the season, and all from pole – a feat not matched since Giacomo Agostini back in 1971

Teammate Dani Pedrosa capped the amazing weekend for the Repsol Honda team with his second place finish at the Red Bull Argentina GP, and has now finished on the podium at the last seven MotoGP races – his longest sequence of successive podium finishes since 2012. He now moves ahead of Alex Barros, into third place, on the top ten list of all-time point scorers in the premier class. (1st Rossi – 3884, 2nd Doohan – 2298, 3rd Pedrosa – 2092, 4th Barros – 2079).

It was a difficult start for Marc and Dani, who were 1st and 2nd on the grid respectively, slipping to 2nd and 5th by turn one. The early stages of the 25 lap race were filled with drama as riders passed and ran wide and Marc dropped back to 6th with Dani 7th by lap three. As the race began to find its rhythm, so did Marc and Dani, and they started to move through the traffic. By lap five Marc was up to 2nd behind Lorenzo but Dani was still amongst the pack. However, he overtook four riders and by lap nine was up to 3rd behind Lorenzo and Marc.

Marc was content to sit behind Lorenzo for thirteen laps but finally made a move on lap seventeen passing him comfortably and opening up a two second gap in just three laps. Dani then began to close the gap on Lorenzo. He set the fastest lap of the race (1’39.233) on lap twenty two and then on the penultimate lap he passed Lorenzo to claim second place for the Repsol Honda Team.

Marc has extended his lead in the Rider Championship to 75 points, with Dani on 56. Honda lead the Constructors Championship by 28 points and also the Team Championship by 68. The team must now pack up and fly directly to Andalucia, Spain for the GP of Jerez next week.


Marc Marquez - 1st - Championship Standing 1st - 75 points
“I am happy with how the weekend went in general and I’d like to thank all my team! I think it was a nice race for the fans, with plenty of passes and I wasn't expecting it to be like that. As the race went on and I saw what the gap was to Jorge Lorenzo and I tried to catch up with him quickly and spend a few laps on his tail. When I saw that Dani was getting closer, I tried to overtake in order to maintain more of a gap. I took 25 more points today which are very important and I've put together three wins in a row, but we are aware that the season is very long and we are now heading to Jerez where Dani and Jorge are very fast. We will need to be up there with them, fighting for the win!”

Dani Pedrosa - 2nd - Championship Standing 2nd - 56 points
"I enjoyed the race but after losing some time at the start it affected me and I found myself alone again. In the final part of the race I had a good pace and was able to recover places, but it didn't count for much. I took second place, but with the pace that we had we could have pushed for the win. You always have to learn and maybe I saved my tyres too much when I was riding as part of the group. Fortunately we found a good setup that allowed us to be more competitive, and this is positive”

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Repsol Honda Review Argentina MotoGP Day 2

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Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez has claimed his third successive pole in as many races continuing his perfect start to the 2014 season with teammate Dani Pedrosa also taking an important front row start for tomorrow’s 25 lap race.

Marc recorded his blazing fast lap of 1'37.683 on lap 5 of 6 and finished 0.742 faster than second place man Lorenzo. Marc and Dovizioso (5th) were the only riders who chose to use the hardest option front tyre - partnered with the medium rear - with the others opting for the medium compound front. Dani, who will be aiming for one of his trademark starts, recorded his fastest lap of 1'38.651 on lap 7 of 8.

Marc Marquez - 1st (1'37.683)

“Today I really felt good on the bike and I am happy to have taken pole position! In the morning and in FP4, we worked a lot with the used tyre and this afternoon we obviously focused on qualifying. I put in a very good lap and I think that tomorrow it will be interesting to see which tyre will be required for the race, because there are various options for both the front and the rear - it is going to be a difficult choice! One of the keys for the race will be tyre management, in order to try to get to the end with optimal grip - which will allow us to make the difference”

Dani Pedrosa - 3rd (1'38.651)

“Qualifying did not go perfectly. I wasn't as fast as I wanted to be and I know that I made a few mistakes - especially on the final corner - which hindered me a lot. However, I'm happy, because the important thing is that we had some good practice sessions. We are high up the grid for tomorrow, so we shall try to make the most of this and have a good race”

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Repsol Honda Review Argentina MotoGP Day 1

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After a busy morning on a dirty track, Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa have made significant progress in this afternoon’s FP2 session, finishing first and second.

During this morning’s FP1 they chose to remain on the same soft rear tyre for the entire session whilst they adapted to the new track, whereas every other MotoGP rider put a fresh tyre on at the end of the session, thus demoting Marc and Dani to 14th and 16th respectively.

However, this afternoon on a cleaner track, both riders made substantial gains with Marc, who was over a second faster than anyone else, improving his time by 5.790s (FP1: 1’45.103) to 1’39.313 on lap 16 of 18, and Dani shaving 5.328s off his time with 1’40.396 on lap 18 of 18 (FP1: 1’45.724). What made this even more notable was the fact they recorded these impressive times on the hard rear Bridgestone tyre (and medium front).

Marc Marquez - 1st (1'39.313)

“It was a fun day, it is always interesting to learn all the different corners and their secrets at a new track and the practice sessions go by more quickly. Maybe the day was affected by the first session, in which we sacrificed putting in a fast lap in order to keep the same tyre on during the entire session. That was to enable us to keep more tyres for the remainder of the weekend. This afternoon we were able to have a more normal practice session and the track had improved a lot. The tyre durability also seemed much greater than before, and I think that it will continue improving as the weekend goes on. I am happy with how this first day went and with the base that we have. We shall continue working in the same way, as we are aware that tomorrow's times will be much closer”

Dani Pedrosa - 2nd (1'40.396)

"Overall this was a good first day, because we were able to try out the track in dry conditions. The asphalt was very dirty this morning and the tyres were getting destroyed immediately so we weren't able to make much progress. In the afternoon the asphalt was better and we had an opportunity to put in some laps, testing things out with the bike and with the track. We were able to ride more consistently and gather data that will allow us to improve again tomorrow”

Repsol Honda Press Release

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Repsol Honda Preview Argentina MotoGP

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After a very strong start to the 2014season, which has seen World Champion Marc Marquez win the first two races andteammate Dani Pedrosa finishing on the podium twice, the Repsol Honda Team areenroute to the inaugural GP of Argentina leading the Rider, Constructor andTeam Championships.

The 4,805km Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo (1100km North West of Buenos Aires),had a complete overhaul and major renovation in 2013 based on designs byItalian circuit designer Jarno Zaffelli, and plays host to the first WorldChampionship race in Argentina since 1999. A selection of riders and teamstested at the track last July, including Honda satellite riders Stefan Bradland Alvaro Bautista. Their initial data collection will be important when theteams take to the track on Friday morning for FP1.

Marc Marquez

“Argentina will be a new track for most of us, some riders went a year ago butI don’t think the track surface was ideal so they were a little limited on theamount of laps they could do. I’m looking forward to visiting a new circuit andit will be nice for the fans. We will be looking to continue with the samemomentum from the first two races of the season”

Dani Pedrosa

"After Austin I’m looking forward to Argentina and getting some lapsaround the track to feel the bike and learn the circuit! I don’t know muchabout the new track, I've tried to do some homework with maps and videos andfind out as much as I could before arriving but it's hard to say something notbeing on the bike. I'm looking forward to the weekend and meeting the fans overthere as it will be my first visit to the country!"

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Repsol Honda Review Austin MotoGP Race

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Marc Marquez has completed the perfect weekend in Austin, having led every session, taken pole (with a new lap record), recorded a new fastest race lap and crowned it with a victory this afternoon. His teammate, Dani Pedrosa, also contributed to the fantastic Repsol Honda spectacle with a strong second place 16.8 seconds ahead of third place finisher Dovizioso.

Starting on pole for the 11th time in just 20 MotoGP starts Marc, as last season, was once again the only rider to choose the hard rear Bridgestone tyre. He had his best start in the premier class, only beaten in the first corner by Lorenzo who made an uncharacteristic jump start - forcing him into the pit lane for a drive through penalty - and promoting Marc back up to first by the end of the first lap.

Once out in front, he never looked back. He set a new race lap record on lap three with a time of 2'03.575 (beating his time of 2'04.242 in 2013) and went on to win the race comfortably, apart from a final corner scare on the last lap when he briefly lost concentration, and finished four seconds in front of his teammate. Dani, starting from second on the grid, was also unfazed by Lorenzo’s mistake and slipped in behind Marc as the Repsol Honda duo ran away from the race leaving them untouchable.

With this result, Marc has become the first rider to win the first two races of the year from pole in the premier-class since Repsol Honda’s Mick Doohan in 1995. Repsol Honda riders have now won the last nine MotoGP races in the USA. The last non-Honda MotoGP winner in the USA was Jorge Lorenzo, at Laguna Seca in 2010.

Marc Marquez:

"I'm very happy! I got a really good start, but when I saw Jorge overtake me off the line at first I was a little worried, but then I saw that he had jumped the start. It was a different race to previous ones because I led from start to finish; although it might seem easier that way, it is tough because you have to maintain concentration. It was a perfect weekend and gives us plenty of confidence, although we are aware that the coming races will be different. I know that the race was a little boring for the fans, but sometimes these types of races are good for a rider. Let's hope that the next one is more exciting!”

Dani Pedrosa:

"It was a tough race as Marc was that little faster than me and although I tried to improve with every corner, it was too difficult to gain ground on him and the distance between us increased with every lap. In the end, he was too far away from me. I didn't have anyone behind me either, so I just kept up my pace as best I could. I learnt a few things in this race and we will try to apply them and make the maximum improvement possible, in order to be able to put up more of a fight next time”

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Repsol Honda Review Austin MotoGP Day 2

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Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez scored another record this afternoon with his pole position lap for tomorrow’s grand prix, at the track he celebrated his first pole position and victory in the premier class.

After leading every session so far in this weekend’s Red Bull GP of The Americas, Marc topped his pole time of 2013 (2'03.021) by 0.248s with a lap time of 2'02.773 on his final lap of 7 in this afternoon’s qualifying at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Teammate Dani Pedrosa found an improvement in his setup from yesterday, and starts from second on the grid alongside his teammate, with a time of 2'03.062. LCR Honda rider, Stefan Bradl, completed an all-Honda front row for tomorrow’s 21 lap race which will start at 14h00 local time.

Marc Mrquez - 1st (2'02.773) 

“I’m very happy with how the weekend is going and with the qualifying session - especially taking pole position. I have a good feeling with the bike and have been setting a good pace ahead of tomorrow's race. We will try to get a good start and I'm sure we'll be fighting with Dani, as he is our strongest rival. I think that the beginning of the race will be the most important part, because with this heat the tyres suffer a lot. I will try to remain focused and have a good race!”

Dani Pedrosa - 2nd (2'03.062)

“We improved the bike a lot today and I was able to ride much better than yesterday. I managed to come very close in qualifying and hope to take advantage of all my chances to win tomorrow's race. Last year we came second so I will look to take one step further tomorrow!”

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Repsol Honda Review Austin MotoGP Day 1

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World Champion, Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez, has finished the first day in Texas a second faster than his next competitor, with teammate Dani Pedrosa in third.

With air temperatures 7ºC warmer than this morning, and the track temperature 20ºC hotter, all the riders were able to improve on this morning’s FP1 time. Both Marc and Dani spent the afternoon session, and set their fastest times, on the hard front and rear option Bridgestone tyres with Marc’s fastest time of 2’03.490 (just 0.469s off his pole time from 2013) coming on lap 9 of 15, and Dani’s time of 2’04.623 on his final lap of 15.

Marc Marquez - 1st - 2'03.490

“This first day of practice in Austin went really well. Obviously I’m happy with the time I set, and also with the gap of a second between myself and the next quickest rider. However, the most important thing for me is that my leg feels ok – much better than it did in Qatar. The injury was bothering me a little, but I was able to participate in both Free Practice sessions without taking any painkillers. Now I just have to wait for tomorrow and see if things go better or worse for us then; we know that we have a small advantage and we will try to manage it well, but I am aware that the rest of the riders will

also make improvements”

Dani Pedrosa - 3rd - 2'04.623

"Today we did a good job with the tyres. We tried the hard compound and it went fairly well for us. Although we didn’t go very fast, we have a good feeling and I think that with a few tweaks to the setup we can take a big step forward and improve considerably tomorrow. Today was a positive day for us”

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Repsol Honda Preview Austin MotoGP

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This is just the second time the MotoGP paddock will visit the 5.513km Texas circuit, designed by well-known German architect and circuit designer Hermann Tilke and completed in 2012. The driving direction is counter clockwise and has a total of 20 corners with 9 right turns and 11 left turns.

Reigning World Champion and Qatar winner, Marc Marquez, has been focusing on the rehabilitation of his injured right leg – from a pre-season injury – and will hope to be closer to 100% for this weekend’s race. Even though it didn’t seem to impede him too much in Qatar, Marc commented that with so many right hand turns at the Losail track, he was having to compensate for his weaker leg with his right arm, so this two and a half week break has been vital for the young Spaniard.

Teammate Dani Pedrosa, who took 3rd place in Qatar, will also be looking to take a step up and challenge for the win in Austin, a race in which he led the first twelve laps of last year, before being passed by Marc who went on to win, marking the first 1-2 finish for the Spanish Repsol Honda duo in 2013.

The normal weekend schedule returns in Austin with first practice on Friday and the race on Sunday at 14h00 local time.

Marc Marquez - Championship Standing: 1st - 25 points

“Since Qatar I’ve been focusing on getting my leg stronger and my body fitter in preparation for the Austin race this weekend. This track is one of my favourite tracks, I had a good race here last year where I have good memories of taking my first win in the MotoGP class. We’ll have to wait and see the situation with the new rules for this year, but anyway we will be focused on our work. Thankfully the majority of hard turns are left handers at this track which is easier on my leg as I’m still not 100% fit”

Dani Pedrosa - Championship Standing: 3rd - 16 points

“I've had a good training week at home and now I'm looking forward to get to Austin, to see the team and ride at a track I like. We had a good race there last year and we’ll have to see how the bike works there this year. I hope to ride well and that we are greeted by the usual good atmosphere in America at this second visit to Austin for the RedBull GP!”

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Repsol Honda Race Review Losail MotoGP

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2013 World Champion, Marc Marquez, has started the defence of his title in the perfect way; with a victory in the first race of the season. His teammate, Dani Pedrosa, completed a double podium for the Repsol Honda team with his 3rd place finish.

It was a dramatic race with pole sitter Marc – the only rider to use the hard rear option tyre today – slipping back to 4th by the first turn and Dani, who started in 6th, dropping a spot to 7th. However, Marc started to settle in and made up a position before Jorge Lorenzo made an uncharacteristic mistake and crashed out, thus promoting the Repsol Honda duo a position each. Marc battled with Gresini Honda rider, Alvaro Bautista, for a few laps before passing him but then lost a position to Valentino Rossi. The two riders then began to chase down race leader, LCR Honda’s Stefan Bradl.

Dani also began to make progress and when race leader Bradl crashed out on lap nine, both riders were once again promoted a position, into 2nd and 4th respectively. The following lap, Dani passed Bradley Smith to take 3rd and then went after Marc and race leader Valentino Rossi. With some fantastic close racing, Marc finally made a move on Rossi on lap fourteen and led the race for the first time. Dani was still in a battle for 3rd with Bautista, with the two of them trading positions. Then on lap twenty-one – the penultimate lap – Marc and Rossi began to push for the win, passing each other on four occasions, Marc finally came out on top to take the victory and his first win since Aragon last year. With Bautista crashing out, the battle was over for Dani who celebrated third, taking the final spot on the podium.

This first victory of the season marks Honda’s 250th in MotoGP, making them the first manufacturer to reach the milestone of 250 wins in the premier class of Grand Prix racing.

Marc Marquez - 1st 

Championship Standing: 1st - 25 points  

"I'm very happy with the result today. The 25 points are important but it’s also been an important race, because I was coming back from an injury that caused me to miss most of the pre-season. Also, this weekend there were a lot of riders up at the front, all with a great pace, and seeing how the race went, this win is a big one. The battle with Valentino was the best part of the race besides the win, I really enjoyed it!”

Dani Pedrosa - 3rd

Championship Standing: 3rd - 16 points

"Third place is a positive result. We've finished on the podium this weekend at a circuit that’s difficult for me, because it isn't well suited to my style. So it's a good way to start. We were close, but with the way the race went - with so many crashes - it was important to finish. So from here on in we will try to keep improving and try to fight for the win at the next race!”

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Repsol Honda Review Losail MotoGP Day 3

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Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez has secured the first pole of the season at the Losail circuit in Qatar with a time of 1’54.507, marking his 10th MotoGP career pole, from 19 starts in the class. Teammate Dani Pedrosa, despite being just 0.196s from Marc with 1’54.703, will start from the second row in 6th position.

It was an exciting session with fastest times being traded between several riders. Marc, who is still suffering from the injury that sidelined him from the last two Winter tests, took provisional pole on his first exit in Q2 before securing it with a faster time on his final lap of his second exit. He’s now found a setup he is happy with and will work on fine tuning it in tomorrow’s warmup session.

Dani was also happy with his pace after making positive setup changes in FP4 and will be looking for one of his trademark starts in tomorrow’s 22 lap race, that will begin at 22h00 local time.

Marc Marquez - 1st  (1'54.507)

“I’m really happy and this pole position is a special one for me, because after coming back from injury it gives me a boost in confidence. In any case, we know that tomorrow is the day that counts and it’s in the race that points are decided, so we have to be very focused. It is going to be a very tough for me physically, because I don't have much strength in my leg and I have to compensate with my right arm. We are happy with how today went and seem to have found a good setup, with just a few details still to refine in tomorrow's warmup. It will be difficult, because many riders have pace within a tenth of each other, but we shall try to have a good race”

Dani Pedrosa - 6th  (1'54.703)

"The qualifying session was really closely contested today - especially in the final laps. Looking at things objectively, we have a good pace and were able to set a fast lap in the session, even though in the end we qualified sixth by a really narrow margin. We're going to continue to be positive about things, believe in the work that we have been doing here so far this weekend, and tomorrow we'll give everything that we have to do well at the first race of the season"

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Repsol Honda Review Losail MotoGP Day 2

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Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa enjoyed a productive second day of the 2014 season at the Losail Circuit in Qatar.

Marc, who took some painkillers today (but no injection) to ease the pain from his injury, completed a total of 32 laps today, recording his fastest time of 1’55.446 in FP3 placing him 5th in the combined times.

Teammate Dani, recorded his fastest time of 1’55.562 in FP2 and completed 34 laps in total, finishing 8th for the day. Both Marc and Dani remained on the soft rear tyre in both sessions.

The riders will be back on track tomorrow for FP4 at 19h55 local time, and have confirmed their spot in Q2 which will take place at 21h00.

Marc Marquez - 5th  (1'55.446)

“The day went pretty well. Besides not being as high up the timesheet as I would have liked, I'm happy because my leg felt much better than yesterday. We’ll see if things continue in this way tomorrow, as I had a little more strength today and less pain. We have also improved our setup, although we still have room for improvement with the bike and also myself. Tomorrow we shall continue working in the same way with a focus on the race. Qualifying is going to be difficult, because the Open class riders have a softer tyre available, but the important thing is the race”

Dani Pedrosa - 8th  (1'55.562)

“I am working on improving everything a little: my one-off lap times, my overall pace, my feeling with the tyre and also my feeling with different fuel amounts in the tank. We are focusing on many things with very little time available. At the moment we haven’t taken a big step forward, so we hope to keep up our steady progress and not to get worse in any aspect. We have chances of getting a top time tomorrow, but I have to work on my fast laps in order to do so. There are riders setting very quick times so far, and I’m sure that the qualifying session will be tough!”

Repsol Honda Team Press Release

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Repsol Honda Review Losail MotoGP Day 1

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Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa have completed the first practice session of the 2014 season.

Dani, who struggled with grip in this first session, was anyway the fastest factory rider – with the satellite teams enjoying a clear advantage after testing here two weeks ago. He finished the 45 minute session in 6th place with a time of 1’56.332 recorded on lap 13 of 16.

2013 World Champion, Marc, who climbed back aboard his RC213V for the first time in 6 weeks after breaking his leg, chose not to have any painkillers and managed an impressive 15 laps. He finished 11th for the night with a time of 1’56.682 on lap 13.

Dani Pedrosa - 6th (1'56.332)

"We had a few problems today with grip, which is something that some of the riders who rode here at the test two weeks ago had commented about before. There isn’t much grip on the track and that means we have to try to get the most out of the bike under these circumstances. We’ll see if the track improves with a little more rubber laid down, giving us more traction. Today we just didn’t really have any, even though the track was in good condition. We still hope to improve session-by-session”

Marc Marquez - 11th (1'56.682)

"I am fairly happy with how the first session went, because I haven't been on the bike in a while. I didn’t think my foot would bother me so much - especially on the right hand corners - although at the end of the session I felt better and this gives me hope of improving tomorrow. We are going to try to follow the same working strategy as today. In terms of the times, we aren't too far off Jorge, Valentino and Dani - and it's normal that the riders who were here for the test a fortnight ago are fast right from the get-go”

Repsol Honda Press Relase

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Repsol Honda Preview Losail MotoGP

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Winter testing is over and the Repsol Honda riders, Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa, are on their way to Doha for the first race of 2014. It was positive Winter for Dani who completed many laps, however, it was a difficult period for World Champion, Marc, who missed two of the three tests due to injury.

The Losail circuit, located in the desert outside Qatar’s capital, Doha, sprung up in 2003 and hosted its first international motorcycle race in 2004. In 2008, it became notable for hosting the first-ever floodlit MotoGP race. At 5.380km in length, Losail is one of the longest circuits on the international calendar, with the main straight more than 1km long. Ten right turns, mix with six lefts but the flat and featureless landscape make it a difficult track to learn. Desert sand also causes grip problems.

This first grand prix of the season is also the only race weekend that stretches over four days, with FP1 beginning on Thursday evening, FP2 and FP3 on Friday evening, Qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday night at 22h00 local time.

Marc Marquez, who took his first MotoGP podium here last year en route to his World Championship, will be eager to get back on the bike for the first time since the 6th February. Marc suffered a training accident on the 19th February which ruled him out of the second Sepang test and tyre test in Phillip Island. Marc has visited the Qatar podium in all three classes, 3rd in MotoGP (2013), 1st in Moto2 (2012) and 3rd in 125cc (2010).

Teammate Dani Pedrosa, who has had a positive pre-season took second place here in 2012 and has finished on the podium a total of four times in MotoGP (2012 – 2nd, 2011 – 3rd, 2008 – 3rd, 2007 – 3rd) and once in 250cc (2004 – 2nd).

Marc Marquez

“Obviously it was very disappointing for me to miss the two tests but the good news is that I’m getting better and the bone is mending. I’ve been exercising more, so I’ll have to see how I am in Qatar - I don’t expect to be 100%, but I will try my hardest. The important thing is to take some valuable points and then get up to 100% by round two in Austin. Arriving in Qatar as World Champion is something new to me - to defend the Title - and I know that from the first session the eyes of the World will be on us. Taking my first podium here last year was special and I have good memories!”

Dani Pedrosa

“It’s been a pretty positive pre-season and we’ve completed a lot of laps in both Sepang and Phillip Island. We’ve made a lot of progress but as always there is room to improve. Since we finished in Australia, I’ve been concentrating on my fitness and focusing on the start of the season, my days are pretty hectic with the various training regimes. The race weekend in Qatar is quite long - as it stretches over four days - and the grip level is always quite low the first practice. Now I’m looking forward to the start of the Championship!”

Shuhei Nakamoto - HRC Executive Vice President

"We've had a positive Winter testing period with Dani. He has had an incredibly busy test schedule, completing over 500 laps in the 9 days tests, which has been vital. He is happy with the bike, and ready for the start of the season. Unfortunately Marc was unable to take part in two out of three tests. Anyway in the only test he did, Marc was very fast and completed many laps gathering a lot of data for the HRC engineers. Now we must wait and see his physical condition when he arrives in Qatar. It will be an interesting season, and we look forward to start it!"

Repsol Honda Press Relase

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Repsol Honda Review Phillip Island Tyre Test Day 3

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Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa has completed the three-day tyre test in Phillip Island, signalling an end to his Winter testing schedule and a gruelling six days testing in the past eight days.

With weather conditions changing drastically from yesterday, air temperatures down by 13ºC and the track 20ºC cooler, Dani waited until 12pm to go out on track, as light rain threatened the cliff top circuit. Fortunately, the rain never came and Dani was able to follow Bridgestone’s schedule. He recorded his fastest time of 1’29.458 on lap 18 and ended his day with a longer run of 14 laps, taking his total for the day to 32, and over the three days to 178 laps.

The next time Dani will be on track, he will be rejoined by his teammate Marc Marquez, for the first practice session of the season opening Qatar Grand Prix, on Thursday 20th March.

Dani Pedrosa - 2nd (1'29.458)

Overall, this has been a positive three days. Today we tried to do another 20-lap race simulation with the second best tyre that we had. I didn't fully complete it, only managing 14 laps, because after so many days riding I had some neck ache. In any case, generally speaking it was a test that went well. We have enough data gathered not only for Bridgestone, but also for ourselves, so I think that it has been positive and now we shall try to rest up a bit. It's all about continuing our training now, with the first race in Qatar on the horizon.

Repsol Honda Team Press Release

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Repsol Honda Review Phillip Island Tyre Test Day 2

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Dani Pedrosa has completed an active second day in the Bridgestone tyre test in Phillip Island, finishing second with a time of 1’29.381 recorded on lap 20 of 58. With fantastic weather conditions, Dani was able to fulfil Bridgestone’s plan including a long run of 20 laps which he reported positively on, even though he hit a bird in the process.

The three-day test will conclude tomorrow, when rain is expected to hit the Australian circuit, and signals an end to Winter testing for the Factory teams.

Dani Pedrosa - 2nd (1'29.381)

Today we tried two more tyres with a different construction - but with the same compound - and the feeling was not great with them. In any case, we picked the best of what we have tried over the past two days and put in 20 laps with those tyres. That experiment worked rather well, but it's really Bridgestone who have to analyse the data and give us their feedback for us to work with tomorrow.

Repsol Honda Press Release

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Repsol Honda Review Phillip Island Tyre Test

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Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa has finished the first day of the three-day tyre test in Australia, completing 88 laps (more than any other MotoGP rider) with a best lap of 1’29.961 on lap 43 placing him 4th.

Bridgestone brought eight rear slick tyres per rider to this test – two 2013 specification tyres and six new experimental tyres with changes to construction, compound and shape. Today, Dani’s programme was to start on the 2013 tyres – for comparison purposes – and then perform short runs (of at least 6 laps) on the experimental tyres to collect initial data.

Tomorrow and Wednesday longer runs of 15 laps or more will be requested, depending on weather, to gather sufficient information to take back to Bridgestone in Japan. If possible, they would like each rider to complete a full race simulation on the final day.

Dani Pedrosa - 4th  (1'29.961)

This morning I spent time riding to regain my feel for this track, and then after lunch I began the testing programme with the new compounds. We've been evaluating the different tyres that have been brought here, and tomorrow we will continue our testing with another compound.

Repsol Honda Press Release

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