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On the day dedicated to the MotoGP post-season tests on the Valencia track, Dani Pedrosa was a spectator and, although mostly interested in what was happening in the KTM garage, he paid close attention to Marc Marquez's debut astride the Gresini team's Ducati.
Despite not yet being in optimal physical shape, so much so that as soon as he returned home he underwent yet another operation, this time on his right hand due to compartment syndrome, the eight-time world champion impressed. Even though it was his first few meters aboard the Borgo Panigale bike, he gave the impression of confidence, and it is no coincidence that at the end of the session he was the fourth fastest in the group.
A pace which, according to his compatriot, must sound like a cry of alarm for the competition. "A bit like everythe current test rider one else, I was curious to see him in action for the first time with the Desmosedici," confessed the team's current test rider - to whom #93 had also turned to for advice on what to do and therefore whether it was appropriate to leave Honda after so many years to accept the Italian offer - to the official motogp.com website. "What struck me was the smile he made after getting off the bike at the end of the first run. I don't think it was exactly good news for the rivals."
Turning instead to himself and his commitment to the Austrian team, the 38-year-old put any decision in the hands of the brand. According to the 2024 concessions, the weekends in which they will have the opportunity to field a wild card range from three to six, and if in 2023 the races in which he was the protagonist as a rider were two, namely Jerez and Misano, where he finished in seventh and fourth position respectively, next year there could even be more.
"We haven't planned anything yet. Furthermore, Pol Espargarò is also available - he maintained - We hope we can share this task, because it's hard to prepare, even if in recent months, when I raced, I felt good and the public appreciated it. However, we will have to understand the objectives first. Racing just for the sake of it makes no sense."
Lastly, Dani did not miss a comment about Pedro Acosta, the new talent of Iberian motorcycling, who enchanted everyone in Moto 2 and who we will see on the track with GasGas in the premier class from February. Eighteenth at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in his first contact with the bike, the 19-year-old was taken under the wing by the Sabadell veteran. "We actually only exchanged a few words. I gave him a couple of tips about the tyres, which are the most important thing to look after at the start."
