Already requiring pain killing injections to treat a cracked thigh bone from Mugello, things didn't look good for Dani Pedrosa when he fell again in the closing stages of qualifying at Catalunya and left the track on a stretcher.

Fortunately, the Repsol Honda rider - winner of his home race one year ago - sustained no further injuries and is fully focused on converting eighth on the grid into a strong points finish on Sunday.

"I'm reasonably satisfied with my pace today, especially considering how things felt yesterday. We've qualified for the race and, although I'd have preferred to be on the front two rows, this position is OK,” said Pedrosa, who holds fourth in the world championship.

“In fact, I think I could have been a row further forward had I not had the crash in the last few minutes of qualifying - that's the period when the best times are usually set.

“I went into the corner a little bit too fast and wide and had to run straight on. Then I saw the air fence and decided it was best to get off the bike.

“This morning I had an injection for the pain which worked quite well so I didn't have another one for the afternoon, though it was becoming more uncomfortable by then.

“Tomorrow I'll have another injection and we'll try to take the best result possible in the race. It's going to be extra hard work because of the heat, but there are a lot of my fans out there so I'll be riding my hardest for them,” he declared.

“Dani's performance was very encouraging and, considering his condition, it's very impressive,” praised team manager Kazuhiko Yamano.

Pedrosa's Repsol Honda team-mate Andrea Dovizioso, now just one point behind the Spaniard in the world championship, will start from fourth.