Dovizioso and Pedrosa prepared for Italian attempt

With three podiums between them so far and occupying third and fourth in the Championship standings the Repsol Honda riders are ready to push hard at the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM.

Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa have been the main challengers to Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi for the podium places so far this season and the Repsol Honda duo will both be looking to go one step better this weekend at Mugello, as they each look to secure their respective first wins of the season.

Dovizioso has twice finished third so far this campaign (in Qatar and France) and will combine the progress made in the opening three rounds with the support of the home fans to continue his strong start.

"We’re arriving at Mugello in a good situation,” said Dovizioso, whose best finish at Mugello to date has been third in the 250cc class in 2006. “Two weeks ago at Le Mans I was able to ride fast, we had a good race and I ended up with a great podium finish - plus we were quite close to the two Yamahas. I think that if I had been able to qualify further forward, we could have got an even better result. So that result has set us up well for Mugello which is a very special track for me.”

“The circuit is really fascinating to ride - it’s so challenging and demanding to get right and this is what makes it so appealing. Plus the support of the Italian fans is incredible. It’s also a special appointment for my fans gathered at the Casanova Savelli turns, so I’ll do everything I can to put on a good show for them this weekend," added the 23 year-old.

Pedrosa’s record at the Italian circuit is strong and he has finished on the podium there five times across all classes, including a win in the 250cc category in 2005. He also set the highest recorded maximum speed at Mugello last year in the first practice session, posting a blistering 349.3 km/h.

The Spaniard will be aiming to add to his sole podium finish of 2010 so far, and continue with the promising direction his RC212V prototype is taking. Pedrosa said: "Mugello is one of the circuits you always look forward to because the atmosphere is incredible. It’s very similar to Spain, people are very passionate, the viewing areas are normally full from the first day of practice and it helps you to get quickly in the mood for the Grand Prix. We will have to work hard this weekend, for sure, but we are very motivated to improve on the final result we got in France.”

“This season we go there in much better shape than last year and that's important because Mugello is a physically demanding track to ride, especially in the fast direction changes. The strategy for the weekend is simply to be totally focused and get the maximum out of every session,” concluded Pedrosa.

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