MotoGP news

Elias prepared for homecoming

Like his three compatriots, Toni Elias is ready to compete in Spain again this weekend as the MotoGP circus travels to southern Jerez. Elias is one of four Spanish riders in the field - along with Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Gibernau - and currently thirteenth in the championship for Gresini Honda, just four points away from the top ten.

"We improved at Motegi, but not as much as I would have liked," Elias admitted, who moved from Team Alice for the beginning of this season and celebrated his 26th birthday on Japanese race day. "We're not in the ideal situation going into my home Grand Prix at Jerez; however, the important thing is that I believe we are on the right path. By continuing to work hard in the way we are doing, along with a bit of help from Honda, we should be there soon. I've had some great races at Jerez in the past, the crowd there definitely give the Spanish riders a big lift and, with the data we have from pre-season testing, there is no reason not to go into this Grand Prix feeling excited and optimistic."

As the rider recalled being able to hear the crowd through his helmet in past races, his team manager is hoping to follow a usual routine for the first time this season. "Hopefully Jerez can be more of a 'normal' weekend, because it has been a strange start to the season with the weather problems in Qatar and Motegi, which really affected our work on the bike," Fausto Gresini said. "Going back to Europe, it feels like the true start to the season and we need to be competitive from here onwards. We took a step forward with Toni at Motegi and we have a few ideas to improve further at Jerez."

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