Repsol Honda's
Dani Pedrosa assess the first part of the 2012 season and looks ahead to the remaining rounds. The Spaniard also talks about CRT, setting records and imagines what it would have been like to be Mick Doohan's team-mate...
Q:
You're second in the World Championship and 19 points off the lead at the halfway stage. Is the season going as expected?
Dani Pedrosa:
"It's gone well. We have got good results and everything has been fairly balanced. We've lacked a few more wins, so hopefully we can improve the number of victories in the remainder of the season".
Q:
In a year in which consistency has been your foundation, what stands out to you about your performances so far, and what do you need to improve?
Dani Pedrosa:
"The truth is that improvement is very difficult, because the competition is very tight and any detail can really make a difference. We must explore all possibilities".
Q:
There are eight races to go in 2012. What will make the difference in the second half of the season?
Dani Pedrosa:
"I think in the remaining races things will be very similar to what we have seen up until now. Each race is decided by details, it is important to be as high up on the podium as possible and not make mistakes".
Q:
Indianapolis, Brno, Japan, Malaysia… Which of the remaining tracks do you expect to be strongest at and which do you like the most?
Dani Pedrosa:
"This year we are all doing very well at every circuit —at those which we like and those which we don't. I think this will continue and that it won't be tracks that make the difference. You can't make mistakes and the winner will be whoever commits the least errors".
Q:
It seems as if absolute perfection is needed to win races this year. Is that the feeling that you have?
Dani Pedrosa:
"Yes, it really is. Whilst at the races you can think that we aren't going forward and we can give more, but we are at the limit of our possibilities and it is very difficult to make a difference. For this reason we are often racing in a 'queue', with little overtaking, because we have reached a level where you can squeeze very little more out of yourself, of the bike and of the circuit".
Q:
What's your verdict on the performance of the RC213V up to now? Is chatter still the main issue?
Dani Pedrosa:
"The bike is going pretty well. It is difficult to find an excellent setting at every circuit. Obviously it could go a little better, but I think we're doing a good job. Chatter is one of the problems that we have. We are trying to fix it, but it's hard. There is not much expectation of improvement in this regard for the end of the season".
Q: