Dani Pedrosa has his eye on only one result at this weekend's Dutch Grand Prix, but while he is confident he can challenge for victory at Assen, he is well aware of the challenges facing him in light of
Casey Stoner's resurgence.
Having slipped a little further behind championship leader
Valentino Rossi with a third place finish at
Donington Park, Pedrosa is eager to peg back that advantage again around one of his favourite venues.
Still, with Stoner bringing Ducati back to prominence at Donington Park, Pedrosa is aware that this year's title fight has the potential to accommodate a third rider and manufacturer before the season is out.
“We got some useful points at Donington last week but at Assen we want a better result. First of all, I hope the weather stays dry because that way everyone can prepare better for the race. It will be a tough event because the level in
MotoGP at the moment is just incredibly high.
Like many have already mentioned, Pedrosa admits he is not a fan of the re-profiled Assen circuit, which he believes has taken a significant amount of character away from one of the most traditional venues on the calendar. Nonetheless, despite the layout, Pedrosa is looking forward to the weekend.
“Assen used to be a beautiful circuit but the big changes they made two years ago have spoiled some of its character. The track surface is quite smooth, which is good, but it's not as grippy as some other tracks. My favourite section is the final chicane, which is a legendary corner, the site of many great battles.
“The atmosphere at Assen is very much a motorcycling atmosphere, with a lot of life in the town, in the restaurants, everywhere. The atmosphere is the most classic left in the World Championship.”
