Dani Pedrosa ‘hit one of the damp patches’ in early race exit

Avoiding the treacherous damp patches had been key to KTM wild-card Dani Pedrosa riding from 16th to a shock top three - after a penalty for Fabio Quartararo - in the Jerez MotoGP Sprint race.

But the home hero’s luck ran out in Sunday’s grand prix, when he was caught out by a lingering damp patch when entering Turn 8 on lap 3.

“I made a good start and recovered some positions,” said Pedrosa, who was in twelfth place.

“I was hopeful of a good race and a good rhythm. For some reason, I lost the front in Turn 8. 

"I was not pushing to the maximum there. Maybe it was because if you don’t take the perfect line then you hit a slippery spot.

“My aim was to make the top ten. Anyway, we took some experience with the new bike, what it is capable of doing and ideas for the future direction of the development.

“We will also take away the atmosphere and the Sprint podium!”

Red Bull KTM team manager Francesco Guidotti did not doubt the cause of Pedrosa’s exit.

“It was a shame he did not finish the race, but he hit one of the damp patches that was still there. Luckily, he is uninjured but a pity to close the weekend that way,” Guidotti said.

While further wild-card entries are yet to be announced, Pedrosa has now made a total of 298 grand prix starts and told the official MotoGP podcast before the weekend that he would prefer the number 300…

Although the Sprint result doesn’t count, Pedrosa’s current tally of 112 MotoGP podiums is also just two behind countryman and great rival Jorge Lorenzo, with whom the #26 has agreed to a charity boxing match.

Pedrosa raced at Jerez and then Misano as a KTM wild-card last season, finishing fourth and a fraction from the podium in both races at the San Marino Grand Prix.

New KTM test rider Pol Espargaro will make his wild-card debut at Mugello in early June.