MotoGP 2013 - Round 18 - PREVIEW #2

They spoke to the assembled press at the Thursday pre-race press conference joined by Repsol's Dani Pedrosa, Yamaha's Valentino Rossi, Ducati Team's Nicky Hayden as well as Monster Yamaha Tech3's Bradley Smith.

Marquez commenced proceedings: "We need to finish in the top four and that is not easy with all of those guys in MotoGP. The mentality is the same as on other weekends: try to do my best Friday, Saturday in the Warm-Up and the race. We will see whether we can fight for the win, fight for the podium or just fight for some points."

Lorenzo, who has a 13-point deficit over Marquez, knows he has a tough task at hand: "I am sure that, if he can, Valentino will help me, just as I would help him if he found himself in the same situation as me. The important thing is to be fast from Friday onwards and of course especially in the race. I think Marc and myself should be very proud as two Spaniards fighting for the MotoGP world title. I think the best strategy is try to win the race. That's it. That's the only thing I can do. We are fighting with a lot of Honda riders and that's the only thing we can do. Let's see if it rains on Sunday, but in normal circumstances I think it is very difficult."

Pedrosa, who won in Valencia last year, had to respond to journalists on the topic of "Team Orders": "HRC has no team orders as far as I know and I think he is still 13 points ahead and always on the podium, so I think he's capable of doing it anyway, but sure I'll try to do my best in the race. And winning it would be the best way of helping the team."

At the same press conference, Rossi announced his split from long-serving crew chief, Jeremy Burgess, for the 2014 season. See separate story.

Hayden, who clinched the title here in 2006, does not see a great similarity between his race here and what the two Spaniards are about to commence: "Not really. Obviously it's a lot better to be eight points down [as he was in 2006]. He has a bigger margin, so he needs more to happen. You have to think Marc is in a much better spot - I would much rather be in his spot than Jorge…actually, I would rather be in any of their spots! Marc is not exactly your typical rookie and you would think without any problems he should get it done, but you never know until the flag flies on Sunday."

Smith, coming to the end of his rookie season, is pleased with how things have gone, yet also believes that next year's newbies will maybe have more of an instant impact: "We seem to have been ahead of our own personal targets and also what Yamaha expected of me, so that is really nice. I am pleased with the final outcome and also looking forward to the winter before coming back and having another go next year. I didn't really have the best end to my Moto2 championship and didn't come into this season with the highest confidence, so I think my jump was a bit more from what we'll see from Scott and Pol."

Earlier in the day, Yamaha Tech3's Cal Crutchlow, new Moto2 champion Pol Espargaro (Tuenti HP 40) and fellow Moto2 pilot Nico Terol (Mapfre Aspar) took part in a popular Spanish sport called 'Padel' (a kind of paddle-bat tennis) at the Agora Tennis Court in Valencia. They received tuition from stars of the World Padel Tour, Pablo Lima, Juani Mieres, Miguel Lamperti and Maxi Grabiel.

Images: motogp.com