A prescription of anti-inflammatory tablets and ice packs have reduced swelling in the area but the pain has not disappeared completely and the extra effort is counterbalancing the progress he made during the brief rest between the Grands Prix. The World Champion is therefore being careful not to take too many unnecessary risks during qualifying practice.

Pedrosa lines up on the second row of the provisional grid after setting the seventh fastest time in this afternoon’s official qualifying practice. Hiroshi Aoyama, boosted by the confidence of home victory at Motegi last Sunday, was fifth fastest.

DANI PEDROSA (7^th, 2’09”495): “I felt a little bit better this afternoon than I had done this morning and we have made up a few positions on the grid but we’re still a long way off. I hope to feel a little better on the bike tomorrow so that I can improve the setting. Perhaps today’s sessions were a setback with regard to my recovery from the injury but that’s the way it goes. At the moment the pain is similar to the way it was at Motegi but at this circuit you have to work harder to change the direction of the bike and that’s why I’m suffering more. The plan is to try and limit my efforts in practice, get something out of every lap and prepare for the race as well as possible.”

HIROSHI AOYAMA (5^th, 2’09”213): “I was looking forward to getting back on the bike after last weekend and in the free practice I felt good. In the afternoon we waited for the track to dry out as much as possible but the rain left it with much less grip and changed the conditions. We made a few changes to the set-up of the bike and improved in certain areas but we have to keep working hard on the front end.”

LAP TIMES