Esteban Garcia, the chief technician for Dani Pedrosa, has shared his insights on the Misano GP, stating, “To overtake Bagnaia, he would have had to lean on him, and Dani doesn’t like being in the spotlight for causing another rider to fall.”
It seems almost unbelievable, but with just two Grand Prix races this season, Dani Pedrosa is ahead of Marc Marquez by one point in the World Championship standings. During the wild card races in Jerez and Misano, the Spanish rider had nothing to prove, yet he left a significant impression. Especially in Italy, where he came close to the podium in both the sprint and the Sunday race. Moreover, he consistently emerged as the best KTM rider at the finish line.
In an interview with AS, Esteban Garcia discussed Pedrosa’s performance over the Misano weekend. He said, “Dani is very much a perfectionist, and so am I. I like being at his level, and it’s an intriguing challenge. With Dani, there’s a lot to learn, and it’s a significant responsibility to be with him in the box. You have to match his level, both as a rider and as a person, but I enjoy it.”
Many wonder if Pedrosa, who is approaching 38, would be capable of racing an entire season. Garcia responded, “He won’t do it, but he has the riding level to race for a full season. He proved it in Jerez and Misano, where the podium was within our reach in both races.”
Regarding the podium, it seemed that Pedrosa could have clinched the third spot on both Saturday and Sunday. However, he appeared reluctant to take too many risks when trying to overtake Bagnaia. Garcia explained, “Dani is a rider who doesn’t like to be known for making mistakes. We were at Misano to test some materials, and being in the spotlight for causing a rider to fall isn’t the best thing to do and isn’t pleasant. To overtake in MotoGP, especially against Pecco, who brakes very late, you simply had to lean on him, and we weren’t there for that.”