Having previously worked with Jeremy Mc
Williams, Ralf Waldman and Stefano Perugini - and spent two years as an Öhlins suspension technician - Mike Leitner first joined forces with Dani Pedrosa when the Spaniard stepped up to the 250cc class in 2004.
The 45-year-old Austrian has since become one of the most important figures surrounding the Repsol rider.
Together they have won two 250cc world titles, before stepping up to
MotoGP in 2006. That season saw Pedrosa win his first two premier-class grands prix, the rookie of the year crown and help Repsol Honda clinch the teams' world title.
In 2007 Dani added a further two MotoGP victories to his name and claimed second place in the world championship standings, while third and first places in the opening events of 2008 means he leads the MotoGP World Championship standings for the first time ever heading into this weekend's Portuguese Grand Prix...
Q:
As
Dani Pedrosa's chief mechanic, what are your main duties within the Repsol Honda Team?
Mike Leitner:
As chief mechanic, my main duty is to supervise every decision taken regarding the bike, which could be the engine, gearbox, suspension, tyres... I have the last word. We are a great team, with many specialists, and everyone works hard, but in the end, when someone has to decide on what direction to take, that's me. It's an enormous responsibility, and that means there's a lot of pressure.
Q:
How would you describe Pedrosa?
Mike Leitner:
This is my fifth season working with him and I can tell you he's clearly a very special rider. When you win a world championship in 125cc and two in 250cc; you win races during your first MotoGP season, and by the second year you're the world runner-up, it's quite clear that you're a special rider, different to the rest.
Q:
Is he easy to work with?
Mike Leitner:
As I said, he's a special person, but he is easy to work with. He's no hero, he doesn't see himself as a star or a
prima donna. He's an easygoing, down-to-earth guy. I think Alberto Puig always helped out a lot with that. He's been well trained to understand what life's about. He understands the positive and negative aspects of motorcycle racing, and has always been serious about his work.
Q:
What is the most difficult part of your job?
Mike Leitner:
There's nothing particularly difficult. We always try to adjust everything as best we can, in order to get the best possible result. It's a motivation that lasts from the first winter training session until the very last race. It requires a lot of energy, but if you have a rider like Dani, who gives back so much in return, it's very motivating for all the team members.
