Repsol took a narrow win in the 2009 US GP

The Repsol Honda rider took a narrow win in the 2009 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca over Fiat Yamahas Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo.

At the start of the 32-lap race, the young Spaniard managed to get the holeshot despite starting from the second row, followed by Marlboro Ducati’s Casey Stoner, Rossi, Pedrosa’s Honda teammate Andrea Dovizioso and Lorenzo. American riders Nick Hayden and Colin Edwards weren't far behind in the sixth and seventh slots.

As the riders funneled into the Corkscrew, Rossi would dive-bomb inside of Stoner to take over second place. However, a few laps later Stoner retaliated with an inside pass going into the ultra-fast Turn 1. Behind him, the racing action got dicey, as Dovizioso hit the front brakes too hard coming into Turn 5 and crashed his Respol Honda on Lap 6. Luckily, Dovi was unhurt. One lap later, Sete Gibernau crashed his satellite Honda in Turn 11 with a little too much front brake.

Up front, Pedrosa continued to creep away from the field with a string of fast laps in the 1:22-range. Rossi would retake second position over Stoner and made the pass stick as the Marlboro Ducati rider's pace began to lag. On Lap 11, Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s James Toseland got black flagged for allegedly jumping the start, thereby ending his race.

By midpoint , Pedrosa would be the first rider to break into the 1:21s, with the young Spaniard carrying a three-second gap over Rossi. As Stoner’s pace slowed, Lorenzo was able to move into the third-position. Meanwhile, American rider Nicky Hayden had muscled up to fifth, 11 seconds behind the leader.

With two-thirds of the race completed, Lorenzo was the second racer to break into the 1:21 range, as the injured rider tried to track down his teammate. With five laps to go, Gorgeous Jorge was within striking distance of Rossi and dove underneath the Italian in a daring move into Turn 11, but the 22-year-old ran wide on the exit, handing the position back to Rossi. The daring move killed the Spaniard's drive onto the front straightaway and Rossi immediately opened-up a one second gap. The next lap Rossi immediately upped his pace and also dropped into the 21s, ending Lorenzo’s chances of catching up.

By the final lap, Pedrosa was within Rossi's clutches. The Championship Points leader attempted to make an inside pass on the last turn but was simply too far away to make it happen. The two would motor down the straightaway with Pedrosa winning by three-hundredths of a second.

“I was able to make up time at the end,” Rossi said after the race. “I made some changes after the morning on the front end and they didn’t work so well. Once the fuel was able to come down and the tires to slide some I was much better and I was able to push and catch Dani. I was very close at the end in the last corner but a pass was not possible, too dangerous.”

Lorenzo would secure the final podium position, which is astounding considering his recent injury. Fourth would go to Stoner some 10-seconds back of the winner, with Hayden crossing the line another 10 seconds behind him in fifth, making the home-race a season-best for the American.

“It’s hard for me to say that I’m happy with fifth place being a two-time winner here, but honestly I’m pretty happy,” said the Kentucky Kid with his trademark million-dollar smile. “In the race I was able to get a decent start, but I really wish I could have got by Toni (Elias) earlier and try to get in that front group. I think I could have kept them in sight a little bit. They weren’t a lot faster than me. But, again, by far my best qualifying and my best race. I’m happy and I feel like we’re really slowly making some progress. We’ve come a long way with the guys on some settings and the electronics and I really hope we can keep it going.”

Edwards would collect a seventh place finish, behind San Carlo Honda Gresini's Toni Elias. Rizla Suzuki’s Chris Vermeulen finished eighth.

Marlboro Ducatis Nick Hayden finished fifth at Laguna some 15 seconds behind winner Pedrosa.

Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix MotoGP Race Results:
1. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 44:01.580
2. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) +0.344
3. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) +1.926
4. Casey Stoner (Ducati) +12.432
5. Nick Hayden (Ducati) +21.663
6. Toni Elias (Honda) +22.041
7. Colin Edwards (Yamaha) +30.201
8. Chris Vermeulen (Suzuki) +32.857
9. Randy De Puniet (Honda) +40.325
10. Marco Melandri (Kawasaki) +48.028
11. Alex De Angelis (Honda) +48.810
12. Niccolo Canepa (Ducati) +78.531
DNF. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda)
DNF. Sete Gibernau (Ducati)
DNF. Loris Capirossi (Suzuki)
DNF. Gabor Talmacsi (Honda)
Excluded. James Toseland (Yamaha)

Dovizioso officially in Repsol Honda for 2009

Former 125 World Champion Andrea Dovizioso is to join the Repsol Honda Team for the 2009 MotoGP World Championship. The Italian talent will join Spaniard Dani Pedrosa in Honda’s official HRC squad, riding full-factory RC212V machinery. The announcement is a dream come true for Dovizioso, who has raced Hondas since 2002.

Masumi Hamane, HRC president: I am very pleased to announce that Andrea Dovizioso will join the Repsol Honda factory team for the 2009 MotoGP season, racing alongside Dani Pedrosa. Andrea has raced Honda machines throughout his career and with great success in all categories of grand prix racing. He has a 125cc world title to his credit and several very successful seasons in the 250cc class. We believe Andrea is now ready to accept the challenge that awaits him in 2009. His talent is unquestioned and we admire his attitude towards racing. His dedication to the task at hand has impressed everyone at HRC. Andrea came into the MotoGP championship this year with an open mind and his debut season has shown all of us that he possesses the character and qualities so necessary to succeed. The MotoGP class is the most difficult of all classes for a rider but Andrea’s skill and determination to learn has been rewarded. His current fifth place in the championship speaks for itself. HRC will provide Andrea with the best possible technical support to help him reach his full potential and we look forward to enjoying a happy and successful relationship.

Dovizioso is delighted with the news, which comes in the closing stages of his rookie MotoGP season.
Andrea Dovizioso:
I have raced Honda machines in grands prix for seven years because I have always wanted to be in the official HRC team. Now I have the opportunity to join Repsol Honda, so this is a dream come true for me, I am very happy. This year I have ridden my rookie season for the JiR Scot satellite Honda team. So far it has been a good year, I am fifth in the championship, but most importantly I have already gained a lot of experience on a MotoGP bike. I think that riding one season with a satellite team before joining the HRC team is the best way forward. Of course, I am still learning about MotoGP and I believe that you must never stop learning.

When I changed from 250, I quickly got a good feeling for MotoGP – riding the four-stroke and working with the electronics – but getting 100 per cent out of these machines is something very different. You must work very hard to take machine set-up and development in a direction which allows you to win races and championships. That is why you need to be on a factory team.

In 125s and 250s, there isn’t so much machine development, but in MotoGP there is always a lot of development. On a MotoGP bike you can change everything, so it’s a really tough job because you are always thinking very hard about what you need to go faster. It isn’t just your riding style and your racing lines, you have to think so much about all aspects of the machine, especially the electronics, which has been a new world for me this year. I am very much looking forward to starting work with HRC and the Repsol Honda Team. In the meantime, I will do my best to score some good results in the final races of 2008 to thank and reward my team who have helped me achieve so much over the years.

Dovizioso is riding a perfect curve of a race career. In 2001 he won the 125 European Championship, then moved to GPs the following year, winning the 2004 125 World Championship aboard an RS125. He graduated to 250s in 2005, twice taking runner-up spot aboard an RS250RW before joining MotoGP this year. Dovizioso has impressed throughout the 2008 season, his intelligent approach to racing paying dividends with some fine rides, including three top four finishes (at Losail, Catalunya and Laguna Seca) aboard his JiR Scot Team RC212V.

Andrea Dovizioso
Born: March 23 1986, in Forli, Italy
First GP: Italy, 2001 (125)
First GP win: South Africa, 2004 (125)
GP wins: 9 (5 x 125, 4 x 250)
First GP pole position: France, 2003 (125)
GP poles: 13 (9 x 125, 4 x 250)
World Championships: 125 (2004)

Career highlights
1994 5th Italian Minimoto Championship
1997 Italian Minimoto Champion
1998 Italian Minimoto Champion
1999 2nd Italian Minimoto Championship
2000 Italian Aprilia 125 Challenge Champion
2001 125 European champion (Aprilia)
2002 16th 125 World Championship (Honda)
2003 5th 125 World Championship (Honda)
2004 125 World Champion (Honda)
2005 3rd 250 World Championship (Honda)
2006 2nd 250 World Championship (Honda)
2007 2nd 250 World Championship (Honda)
2008 5th MotoGP World Championship (Honda), current points standings

Andrea Dovizioso's Profile

• Bike No.: 4
• Team: Repsol Honda Team
• Date of birth: March 23, 1986
• Place of birth: Forlimpopoli, Italy
• Nationality: Italian
• Residence: London, UK
• Hobbies: SuperMotard, Motocross, Football, Snowboard
• Favourite Riders: Kevin Schwanz, Valentino Rossi
• Favourite Bike: "My Honda RC212V"
• Music: various
• Favourite car: R8 Audi, Porche 911
• Grand prix debut: 2001 125cc Italian Grand Prix, Mugello Aprilia
• First Grand Prix win: 2004 125cc South Africa Grand Prix Honda
• Total Grand Prix wins: 10 (5 in 125cc and 4 in 250cc)
• Total podiums: 41 (15 in 125cc and 26 in 250cc)
• World Championship: 2004, 125cc

Andrea Divizioso is an Italian racer who has his eye set on superstardom on the grand stage of MotoGP. Dovizioso has shot up through the 125 and 250 GP ranks who contested his rookie.

His first MotoGP podium was a third place finish at the second to last round of the '08 season in Malaysia.
Career Highlights:

• 2007: 2nd World Championship 250cc with Kopron Team Scot
• 2006: 2nd World Championship 250 cc with Humangest Racing Team
• 2005: 3rd World Championship 250 cc with Team Scot
• 2004: 1st World Championship 125 cc with Team Scot
• 2003: 5th World Championship 125 cc
• 2002: 16th World Championship 125 cc
• 2001: 4th 125 GP Italian Championship, 1st 125 GP European Championship - 3 Victories (2 Hungary, 1 Czech Republic)
• 2000: 2nd Mini-bike Italian Championship, 1st Aprilia Challenge 125cc Italian Championship
• 1999: 2nd Mini-bike Italian Championship
• 1998: 1st Mini-bike Italian Championship, 1st Beginner Football Championship
• 1997: 1st Mini-bike Italian Championship
• 1996: 2nd Mini-bike Italian Championship, 3rd Minicross Italian Championship
• 1995: 3rd Mini-bike Italian Championship
• 1994: 5th Mini-bike Italian Championship

Dani Pedrosa's Profile

• Bike No.: 3
• Team: Repsol Honda Team
• Place of Birth: Sabadell, SPA
• Date of Birth: September 29, 1985
• Nationality: Spainish
• Height: 158cm
• Weight: 47kg
• First Grand Prix: 2001 JAP 125cc
• First Pole Position: 2002 JAP 125cc
• First Race Fastest Lap: 2002 MOT 125cc
• First Podium: 2001 VAL 125cc
• First GP Victory: 2002 NED 125cc
• Grand Prix Starts: 46
• 125cc Starts: 46
• Grand Prix Victories: 8
• 125cc Victories: 8
• 2nd Placements: 4
• 3rd placements: 5
• Podium: 17
• Pole Positions: 8
• Race Fastest Lap: 5
• World Championship Wins: 1 - 2003 125cc

Dani Pedrosa’s passion for motorcycles began, like many of the top current riders, as a small child riding pocket-bikes. By the age of twelve he had won the national championship in his native Spain, but a lack of funds almost curtailed his promising career before it had begun. However, a revolutionary search for fresh racing talent in Spain headed by former Grand Prix star Alberto Puig with funding from telecommunications company MoviStar gave the youngster the opportunity to prove himself on a bigger stage and he took it with both hands.

After responding to a national advertisement, Pedrosa competed in the MoviStar Activa Cup in 1999 and was one of the riders selected by Puig from hundreds of hopefuls to contest the 125cc Spanish Championship in 2000. Four pole positions from twelve rounds and fourth position overall was enough to convince Puig to select him as part of a three-man team alongside Toni Elias and Joan Olive to contest the 125cc World Championship in 2001.

Career Highlights:

• 2008: 3rd, MotoGP World Championship
• 2007: 2nd, MotoGP World Championship
• 2006: 5th, MotoGP World Championship
• 2005: 250 GP WORLD CHAMPION
• 2004: 250 GP WORLD CHAMPION
• 2003: Wins his first 125cc World Championship for the Telefonica Movistar Junior Team. Championship position: 1st with 223 points after 14 of 16 rounds. 5 wins so far: South Africa, France, Catalunya, Czech Republic and Malaysia.
• 2002: Second season with Telefonica Movistar Junior Team. Final Championship position: 3rd with 243 points - 3 wins: Netherlands, Pacific, and Valencia.
• 2001: World Championship debut at the 125cc Japan GP riding an Honda in Team Telefonica Movistar Junior Team. Final Championship position: 8th with 100 points

At the age of 18 years and 13 days old Pedrosa becomes the second youngest rider to win the title after Loris Capirossi, who took the first of his two 125cc titles in 1990 at the age of just 17 years and 165 days.

Pedrosa become the fifth Spanish rider to win the 125cc World Championship following on from Angel Nieto (1971, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984), Jorge Martinez (1988), Alex Criville (1989) and Emilio Alzamora (1999).

Pedrosa is the seventh rider to win the 125cc title riding a Honda, the others being; Tom Philis (1961), Luigi Taveri (1962, 1964, 1966), Loris Capirossi (1990, 1991), Dirk Raudies (1993), Haruchika Aoki (1995, 1996), Emilio Alzamora (1999).

Pedrosa is the first rider since Valentino Rossi in 1997 to clinch the 125cc title with more than one race still to go.


The road to the 2003 Championship

Young Spaniard Daniel Pedrosa is the new 125cc World Champion. The precocious eighteen year-old from Castellar del Valles raced his Telefonica MoviStar to brilliant victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix, at Sepang today to clinch the prestigious world crown with two rounds still remaining in the 16-round series.

Pedrosa is the youngest Spaniard ever to take the title following in the footsteps of former Spanish grand prix giants Angel Nieto, Jorge ‘Aspar’ Martinez, and Alex Criville.

Pedrosa went into the 19-lap (105.412km) race knowing the title would be on it’s way to Spain if he won the race and closest rival, Stefano Perugini, finished lower than eighth place. Pedrosa is a winner and wanted nothing less than a race victory to put the seal his magnificent season. He did not disappoint. He led from start to finish to take his fifth win of the campaign to take his first world title.

"It was a very hard race. When I woke up his morning I thought the race situation would not be easy for me because it was raining. In the race I got a good start and pushed hard but the track was very slippery but I managed to open a gap on the others and held it. When I finally crossed the finishing line I was very tired. I started crying and I still can’t believe what has happened to me, its fantastic, I have no words to describe it." Said the new 125cc World Champion.

"Since I was a little boy my ambition was to be a rider, and now I have been proclaimed World Champion. I guess I will need a little time to be able to explain what it’s like to be a World Champion." Beamed Pedrosa.

"I can only thank everybody who has supported me. Telefonica MoviStar because they gave me the opportunity to be here, to Honda for all the years we have been working together. To my team for the excellent job they have done in teaching me how to work, and to my family for always supporting me. But especially I have to thank Alberto (Puig), because from him I have learned everything. Without all these people I would be sitting at home watching the races on my sofa in front of the television."

Pedrosa, Telefonica MoviStar Honda and the team manager Alberto Puig, have been synonymous since 1999 when the 14-year-old Pedrosa was selected by Puig to contest the MoviStar Active Joven Cup series. The bold innovative series he launched, which was supported by MoviStar and Honda, to discover and develop talented young riders from raw novices to grand prix riders.

Pedrosa’s career took off when he entered the 1997 Spanish Pocket Bike Championship, aged 11. He finished third in his debut season and went on to win the championship a year later. But the youngster did not have the funds necessary to continue his career and his meeting with Puig was a Godsend to the youngster.

Puig took Pedrosa under his wing providing his young charge with the means that allowed him to fulfil his true potential. Pedrosa finished eighth in the Joven Cup and followed that with fourth place in the 125cc Spanish Championship, starting four races from pole position, proving he had the speed if not consistency.

The shy 15-year old arrived on the grand prix scene in 2001 his hard charging style immediately attracting attention. It came as no surprise when he finished the season in eighth place claiming two podium places in the last four races of the season. Under the guidance of Puig Pedrosa had added consistency to his fast growing range of talents.

He confirmed his credentials in 2002 with three race victories, the first at no less a venue than motorcycle racings most difficult race track the 6.027km Assen circuit in Holland, know to all riders as the ‘Cathedral’ of motorcycle racing. Pedrosa ended the season with third place in the championship and went into 2003 as the favourite of many to lift the world crown.

The 17-year old went to the line for the first GP of the year with his apprenticeship completed. He was ready to race, determined to make the 2003 season his and repay the faith shown in him by Puig, Telefonica MoviStar and Honda.

Shy to a degree Pedrosa’s choirboy looks hide a steely determination. In his short career Pedrosa has mastered the intricacies of 125cc two-stroke machine set up, learned how to nurse home an ailing machine and developed a race craft that belies his tender age.

Pedrosa lay the foundations of his title win in the first half off the season dominating the 125cc field in superb style, scoring three victories and a second place along the way. At mid-season point he faltered slightly, but his race craft saw him through a difficult time. The Telefonica MoviStar Honda team regrouped and struck back with a fine victory at the Czech GP, at Brno in August and the title was again Pedrosa’s to lose.

Two fourth places, at Estoril and Rio were followed by a brilliant ride at Motegi when, after leading the race by almost 10 seconds, a steering damper problem forced him to nurse the Honda home to sixth place and set up the title winning ride at Sepang today.

Pedrosa has earned the respect of all who have watched his career develop and all expect him to flourish in 250cc championship he is scheduled to contest in 2004.

An emotional Puig, team manager and mentor to Pedrosa said: "You have no idea how happy I am with this championship title. We started this project together five years ago, with Dani, MoviStar and Honda and today we are World Champions. When I was forced to stop racing through injury I swore I would help a young rider to win a world title and we have reached our goals."

"I truly believed in Dani from the very beginning and we have watched him grow to be a champion, it’s just a perfect day. He’s a real World Champion – he won it from the front, he’s a real winner. We have to thank Honda for all the support they have given us, and of course Telefonica MoviStar. I am very proud of this team and what they have done." Added Puig.

Puig went on to say. " We are going to move up to the 250cc class next season and we will approach 250 racing as we did the 125 class. We will need time to adjust in the first year. After that we hope to be in a really good position, able to fight for the championship"