Former world championship leader Dani Pedrosa, forced to withdraw from the US GP due to his Sachsenring injuries, is now 16 points further back in third.

Looking ahead, Burgess confirmed that the next month marks the last real chance for technical upgrades to be introduced this season.

"We have a two day test after the next race in the Czech Republic [on August 17] so we'll be going through some [new] equipment there," he said. "The Japanese have some time to work, but of course after Misano [August 31] we spend quite a lot of time on the road so we have to be ready for the last part of the season."

Seven races and 175 points remain up for grabs between now and the end of the 2008 season, at Valencia on October 26.