KTM wildcard Dani Pedrosa says his podium battle in the MotoGP San Marino Grand Prix sprint has made him 'know the value' of Valentino Rossi winning at 38 years old.
Pedrosa retired from MotoGP at the end of the 2018 season, while Rossi carried on until the end of 2021, when he was 42.
Clearly still competitive despite his time away from racing and his age, Pedrosa says he now understands just how impressive Rossi's final victory at Assen in 2017 was when he was 38.won his last race at 37, or Loris Capirossi at 38 [ed - he was 34 when he won at Motegi in 2007], at that time I, who was very young, didn't value enough the fact that they were able to win at that age," Pedrosa said.
"Now that I have those years, I'm back racing some races and I'm fighting in front with the young guys, now I know that racing at the top level with all these years is more difficult than doing it when you're younger. No doubt. "I can't speak for myself, but I do remember what I lived through when Valentino or Loris were winning at 38 and I didn't give it value, and now I know the value of them winning at that age."Binder fought with Pedrosa in the closing stages of the sprint on Saturday and came close to passing him.
The South African was ultimately unable to take fourth away from the veteran Spaniard, and noted how Pedrosa"looks like he's riding at 80%"."The last lap I tried to line him up and he had a big shake off the back straight. I had to smack the brake to not hit the back of him."The guy, he looks like he's riding at 80%. It's really impressive."
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