Pedrosa favourite on home soil

Dani Pedrosa, of Honda, will chase a triumph on home soil when the MotoGP circus hits Europe for the first time this season after Australia’s Casey Stoner won race one in Qatar.

Pedrosa, the winner in Jerez in 2008, is cast as favourite for to-morrow’s meeting even though he goes into the challenge having to shrug off a collarbone injury that will require surgery afterwards.

“Jerez has always been special for me. It will be tough to change my riding position,” he said, in allusion to the injury that has caused numbness and reduced strength in his left arm.

Fellow Spaniard and reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo, of Yamaha, who won in Jerez last season on the way to his first MotoGP title, will be out to take full advantage, as will Stoner.

Pedrosa is working his way back to fitness after suffering a double fracture in the Grand Prix of Japan and for now he is putting the prospect of further surgery to remove a titanium plate to the back of his mind.

“I want to concentrate on the race and work with my team in the best possible way to prepare for the race,” he told motogp.com, yesterday.

Lorenzo, runner-up to Stoner in Qatar with Pedrosa third, had forecast a massive challenge from Honda after they dominated pre-season testing and that has certainly proved the case to date.

Lorenzo feels his bike has not shown as much technical progress over the winter as those of his rivals.

“It is not a bad bike. She does brake well and hugs the curves well. We will have some new kit by the time Estoril comes around (May 1) or a little bit later,” said the 23-year-old.

His second place at Losail, at least, suggested that his own stable are not far off where they need to be.

Stoner, despite his fine start to the campaign, has never really shone at Jerez, aside from a 2009 podium finish. He must hope he can barge in and end the Spanish-Italian dual hegemony in Jerez over the past decade.

The past ten editions have seen wins for Spain in the shape of Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Sete Gibernau (2004) while Valentino Rossi won six times over that period and Loris Capirossi weighed in with a 2006 success.

The crowds will be doing their utmost to cheer on the Spanish contingent.

Around a quarter of a million habitually turn up at Jerez across the three days, while a challenging circuit last year saw the top ten on the opening two days separated by barely three quarters of a second.