A look at the 2012 performance of Honda rider Dani Pedrosa – MotoGP special
The 27-year-old Spanish rider Dani Pedrosa made his MotoGP debut in 2006 and has been riding the Honda RC211V for Repsol Honda Team ever since. 22 Grand Prix victories, 71 podiums and 24 poles lace the Spaniard’s 7 year MotoGP career.
2012 was by far Pedrosa’s best MotoGP career. He finished 2nd on drivers’ standings with 7 victories, 15 podiums, 5 poles and 332 championship points. 7 victories in a single MotoGP season were career best for Pedrosa.
In Qatar Grand Prix, inaugural round of the season, Pedrosa finished 8.852 seconds behind the winner Jorge Lorenzo, thus clinching a silver medal in the race. In the Spanish Grand Prix, Pedrosa finished 3rd and ended the Spanish Grand Prix with the same
result. With three rounds of the season gone, Pedrosa was 3rd on riders’ championship standings with 52 championship points to his name, 13 points behind Lorenzo who in turn was only 1 point behind the leader Casey Stoner.
Pedrosa missed the podium in the French Grand Prix finishing 4th, his first off-podium finish of the season. Pedrosa was 18.063 seconds behind Stoner who finished 3rd in the race. Pedrosa got back on the podium in the Catalan Grand Prix, finishing the race
with a silver medal. In the British Grand Prix, Pedrosa finished 3rd, a mere 0.286 seconds behind Stoner. With one third of the season over, Pedrosa stood 3rd on riders’ standings, 14 points behind his closest competitor Stoner.
In Dutch TT, Pedrosa clinched yet another 2nd place finish of the season. Finally, the long awaited first 2012 victory came for Pedrosa in the German Grand Prix. Fourth 2nd place finish of the season for Pedrosa was the result of the Italian Grand Prix which
he finished 5.223 seconds behind Lorenzo. First half of the 2012 MotoGP season was over. Pedrosa was 2nd on drivers’ standings with 166 points, only 19 points behind Lorenzo.
In the second half of the season, although Pedrosa had to retire from 2 out of 9 Grand Prix rounds, still he was able to clinch another 166 points. It was his run in the second half that brought him very close to being the MotoGP champion but courtesy the
2 Grand Prix retirements, Pedrosa’s dream could not come true.
In the United States Grand Prix, Pedrosa again finished 3rd. It was the fourth successive 3rd place finish of the season for him. In the next two rounds, Indianapolis and Czech Grand Prix, Pedrosa clinched consecutive victories thus narrowing down the lead
of Lorenzo to 13 points.
San Marino and Rimini’s Coast Grand Prix was a setback for Pedrosa. He had to retire from the round as a result of a collision. Lorenzo won the round and the difference between Pedrosa and Lorenzo rocketed to 38 points.
Pedrosa won the next three rounds with Lorenzo finishing 2nd in all three of those rounds. Following 3 consecutive victories for Pedrosa, the difference went down to 23 points. With 2 more rounds to go in the championship, the upcoming Australian Grand Prix
was to make all the difference between the World Champion and the runners up.
Bad luck struck Pedrosa in the all important round, since he had to retire after 26 laps. Pedrosa’s retirement and Lorenzo’s 2nd place finish sent Lorenzo into 43 points unrecoverable lead over Pedrosa with only 1 round to go in the championship.
Pedrosa’s run for the title was over. First three places on drivers’ standings had been decided before the Valencian Community Grand Prix even started. Pedrosa finished his 2012 season with yet another victory to his name.
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