Friday, 18th July 2008

Valentino Rossi tells injured MotoGP title rival Dani Pedrosa not to give up.

Valentino Rossi has sent a message of encouragement to injured title rival Dani Pedrosa, who lost the 2008 MotoGP World Championship lead when he fell while holding a seven-second advantage in last weekend's wet German Grand Prix.

As if the accident alone wasn't a big enough blow, Pedrosa also fractured a finger and wrist bone in his left hand, and sprained his right ankle, but will still try to ride at this weekend's US Grand Prix.

"Unfortunately Dani crashed in Germany. It was a bad, horrible crash," said Rossi, who now sits 16 points clear of the Repsol Honda rider. "I saw him at the airport and his condition for sure is not at the maximum.

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"He will try [to ride] but for sure when you race with some fractures or some surgery it is always very difficult. So I have to say to him; 'don't give up and try the maximum to get some points and remain in the fight for the championship'."

Ducati's reigning world champion Casey Stoner, winner of the last three races, is now 20 points from Yamaha star Rossi.

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