Hiroshi Aoyama, the intelligent and unassuming Japanese ace, took time from his schedule on Thursday to explain his feelings after his first day riding a factory MotoGP Honda at the Dutch TT, standing in for the injured Dani Pedrosa.
“It was a difficult day, I was so looking forward to my chance to ride the factory bike but we had one very wet session and then nothing this afternoon because the Moto2 oil spill cancelled all practice. So I will have a chance to try again on Friday, then the race of course on Saturday.”
“In these conditions it is not possible to say a lot about the bike, the engine power was very smooth, but of course in the wet the electronics are limiting the power delivery. What was clear was that the gear change that the factory bike has is a big help. When you are leaning over and you must change up the delivery is so smooth that it does not upset the drive at all in the wet and this is a big advantage.”
'Dani told me to enjoy his bike – that was very kind of him'
Hopefully Hiroshi enjoys this Grand Prix on the factory bike as he knows he will probably not be riding it next weekend in Mugello. “I spoke to Dani on the phone today and he said that he intends to be riding again in Mugello. He told me to enjoy his bike, though, and that was very kind of him. I hope he is recovering well.”
Both Pedrosa and Aoyama are both of course ex 250 world champions and in fact Hiroshi was the last 250 winner, in 2009, before the class was replaced by Moto2. The victory is seen as all the more impressive because the Honda was not considered the best bike at the time.
“Our bike was a couple of years old and the Aprilias had the latest development but the Honda was a very good package. If the track was all about power and speed it was very difficult, but there were 16 races and our bike handled well and was exceptionally stable on the brakes, so at some tracks we certainly had an advantage.”
Going from winning the world championship to riding a satellite MotoGP bike for 2010 and 2011 might have been seen as a come down to some but certainly not to the 29-year-old. “I have enjoyed it tremendously, I am proud to be part of the best championship in the world and riding against the best riders, so many champions. It is hard, but I enjoy that, it is a challenge and I am happy to meet it."
“Of course we want to move forwards and get better results, but we can do that. I have an image of how I want to be riding the bike and I am not there yet. I know that I can improve and get better results. There are nine factory bikes in the race so my aim is to get among them and if we do that I will be satisfied.”
“Already back in Jerez when the track was a bit damp and the conditions difficult it was possible to fight with some of the factory riders and finish fourth. That was a case of not giving up, trying everything and it worked out. That is what I enjoy about it,” said the nine times 250cc Grand Prix winner.
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