MotoGP: Fan Applause at Jerez Makes Dani Pedrosa Almost Cry

– Senior racer, Dani Pedrosa, revealed that the welcome of fans and racers in MotoGP at Jerez made him almost cry with emotion.

Competing in his first MotoGP since 2021, and his first in front of Spanish fans since 2018, runner-up those three titles usually spend their time taking personal tests on lonely KTM race tracks.

But Sunday morning (30/4/2023) saw Pedrosa join the regular first class for a parade lap in front of 79,625 fans packed into the Jerez hillside.

And when the parade stops at the famous section of the stadium, only one name is cheered by the fans… and then the racers.

“It’s true, I really enjoyed that lap,” Pedrosa said on Sunday night. “At one point, we stopped (at the stadium) and they interviewed me a bit, and I almost cried!” he was quoted as saying crash.net.

“At that moment, I got emotional. And not just because of the full, packed crowd and everyone screaming my name. But also the drivers,” he said.

“I was so shocked! They were so cool, they joined the party and cheered for me too! It was amazing.”

Not only were the other riders cheering for Pedrosa, but Red Bull KTM teammate Jack Miller lifted the 37-year-old rider onto his shoulders.

“Jack is a master at entertaining!” Pedrosa smiled.

Regardless of the emotions that overwhelm him, the winner of 31 MotoGP race series has shown that he still deserves to be reckoned with. He led opening practice and qualifying in sixth.

Pedrosa then equaled his starting spot on his Sprint race debut, before spending most of the main race trying to repeat the feat in a duel with Ducati rider Luca Marini.

“So I’m always a bit far away when we come to braking. But in the last laps he dropped a bit of speed, so I tried to get closer and right on the finish line we were side by side, but I couldn’t get past him.”

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