What a difference a season makes. Last year, Honda factory rider Dani Pedrosa had a tough Friday in Austria, wth a big crash and struggles for pace.
Fast forward to 2017 and the number 26 was top Honda on Day 1 and third overall, moving up the timesheets towards the end of action in FP2. And it wasn't just Friday the 'Baby Samurai' completed at speed after arriving into the Red Bull Ring with some serious style.
Pre-event antics aside, Pedrosa got his head down on Day 1 and focused on the task at hand to take third - with some good pace to back it up. And no one is willing to gamble on the weather on Saturday morning, so Friday could prove crucial for automatic entry to Q2 - with Pedrosa very well placed.
There's more to do tomorrow on the setup and the ever-crucial tyres, but it was a good Day 1 for the number 26.
"Today we started in the dry when we were expecting wet sessions, but it was important to do some laps and we are happy because we could get a good feeling on track, try some tyres, and we really improved from last year, which is a positive part." Said the Saniard
"Still, we need to work more tomorrow, especially on the tyres but also with the setup a little bit. I don’t know about Ducati but Dovizioso was fast, so I think it’s important to keep an eye on him because he could have a better setup than the others."
"We still have to make improvements and there are still gaps in some of the sectors, which is clearly important for us to improve." He added "We have to keep focused for tomorrow, keep working with the tyres and setup, and see if we can see something with the Ducatis."
