MotoGP Spanish GP

Race report

Jerez MotoGP: Top 5 quotes after race

Jerez win for unstoppable Dani Pedrosa, Marc Marquez second in Repsol Honda 1-2 podium

May 7, 2017, 12:50 PM

Upd: May 7, 2017, 7:23 PM

Podium: Race winner Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team

Pedrosa and Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team

Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team

Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team

Jorge Lorenzo, Ducati Team

Jorge Lorenzo, Ducati Team

Johann Zarco, Monster Yamaha Tech 3

Johann Zarco, Monster Yamaha Tech 3

Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team

Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team

Cla		#	Driver	Bike	Laps	Time	Gap	Interval	km/h	Points
1		26	Dani Pedrosa	Honda	27	45'26.827			157.6	25
“I’m super-happy with this win in Jerez, a track that I love very much, and in front of my family, my friends, and all these amazing fans. I’m enjoying this emotion so much, more than I would’ve done a few years ago, in a more ‘conscious’ way. I’ve had a great feeling all weekend, and the team have worked so well; we’re getting better race by race and I’m very happy for them as well. We knew we were in a position to have the race we actually did. I felt the tension a little bit before the start, but I remained concentrated and got away well at the start and just went for it. Today the track conditions were a bit worse than yesterday and the front was sliding quite a lot. I chose the hard front because of today’s high temperature, even if the medium was my favourite. The pace probably would’ve been faster with the medium, but anyway I was happy with my choice. When Marc started to push, we started a little battle like yesterday in qualifying. I knew he was very fast but I was determined to keep a gap on him. It was easy to make a mistake, to lose the front, so it was a matter of staying on the limit without going over it. It went well, it was a marvellous weekend, and we now must continue at this level. It’s also a special honour to be the winner of the 3,000th Grand Prix race and be alongside riders like Mick (Doohan, who won race number 2,000) and Angel (Nieto, who won race number 1,000).”
2		93	Marc Marquez	Honda	27	45'32.963	6.136	6.136	157.3	20
“I’m happy with today’s second place here at Jerez, a track that isn’t among my favourites, and having been able to be competitive and fight at a high level is very positive. Today Dani was really fast, as he has been over the whole weekend, in the wet and the dry. We got closer and closer session after session, but it was difficult to keep his pace. Today I tried to push, to put pressure on him, but even before the race I knew that Dani is very strong here. He’s also very good when conditions are really warm like today, because for me the front tyre is too soft; I mean, I chose the harder option today but even that was too soft for me. I tried to manage during the entire race, and I pushed. In the end I had a few risky moments, so I checked where Valentino and Vinales were and said to myself, Okay, second place is fine. I’m very happy with the result, to be just four points off the top and to be back in the battle for the Championship. The classification is very close and things are going to be very interesting. We must keep working as we’ve done so far. I dedicate this good result to my mom as today is Mother’s Day.”
3		99	Jorge Lorenzo	Ducati	27	45'41.594	14.767	8.631	156.8	16
“A podium here at Jerez, in front of all my fans and after three complicated races, is the best present I could receive for my thirtieth birthday. It’s a result that gives me more satisfaction than many wins I scored in the past, because it was very difficult to achieve. To finish third on a Ducati at a traditionally difficult circuit for the Desmosedici is incredible! Honestly, I didn’t expect to be able to fight for the podium, and the choice of front tyre was the key. The start was a bit chaotic because of the number of riders ahead of me but I didn’t give up so easily and believed that I could recover to overtake Zarco and finish third. The last few months have been tough, but the most important thing is that I’ve always believed in myself and that the team has shown its full trust in me.”
4		5	Johann Zarco	Yamaha	27	45'44.428	17.601	2.834	156.6	13
"I feel so happy about our performance today. Jerez is a complicated track and all of the riders were really close in qualifying so it has been a challenge here. At the beginning of the race, my feeling was great and I felt very comfortable, plus I had the confidence. I was able to overtake some of the top guys and then when I was second, I still felt good. However, I almost crashed twice, which allowed Marc to overtake me and from that moment I was wondering what would happen. I could not push anymore on the front because I was really on the limit and so I wasn’t able to follow the top two riders. I remained in third for a long time, but when Jorge overtook me, I was thinking that I could manage the gap, yet he was more consistent than me in the last eight laps. The target is to be on the podium or as close as possible to it, so we did the job today. I am happy and now I will take a good rest so that I can be strong again for my home race in two weeks. I am positive about going to Le Mans and this is perhaps why I am thinking that everything is going well now, so maybe the most difficult time is yet to come. The best way to control the pressure that I will feel in France is to enjoy every moment, live in the present and appreciate our work."
5		4	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati	27	45'49.740	22.913	5.312	156.3	11
“A good result after not a particularly easy weekend, seeing as I was starting from way behind on the grid, something that makes things more complicated. However we were really good, and I managed to make up a lot of positions and ride in a calm way to get a good result at the flag. We worked well all weekend and yesterday I demonstrated that I had good pace, but starting from behind certainly doesn’t help and so I have to try and be more incisive in practice and qualifying. I have to congratulate Jorge because he rode really well throughout the weekend and scored a great result for himself and for Ducati.”

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