Dani Pedrosa could increase the heat on
MotoGP title leader
Jorge Lorenzo in this weekend's hot and humid Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.
Pedrosa is currently enjoying the best form of his career, claiming a fifth win of the season last Sunday in Japan - his fourth triumph in the last five races.
Lorenzo is still 28-points ahead with three rounds to go, but victory for Pedrosa this weekend would put him back within one race win of the Yamaha rider.
Pedrosa hasn't raced in Malaysia since 2009 - due to injury in 2010 and then cancellation of last year's race following Marco Simoncelli's tragic accident.
However the Repsol Honda star knows the circuit well from winter testing and had qualified on pole position last year.
"It's two seasons since I raced in Sepang and I'm looking forward to it now,” said Pedrosa.
“It's a track where you have a little bit of everything - it's hard to ride, it's hot, there are fast and slow corners, hard braking, long straights… and everybody has references from the tests.
“Nevertheless, we need to wait to see on Friday what the temperature and track conditions are like to understand how the tyres will work because it's normally very slippery.
“I'm really enjoying racing at the moment and I want to continue like this, pushing the maximum from our side without thinking about the others".