Day of Champions brings MotoGP paddock back together at Donington Park The entire Grand Prix paddock was reunited today with riders from the MotoGP, 250cc and 125cc World Championships teaming up with the British public to make their annual contribution to improving medical aid services in Africa as the Riders for Health charity held their biggest and most impressive Day of Champions yet at Donington Park. On the eve of the betandwin.com British Grand Prix some 3,000 fans poured into an open paddock for a day of festivities that ranged from a pit-lane walk to stunt shows, sidecar rides, live music, a circuit ride-in and the afternoon’s main event, the rider memorabilia auction. Despite preparing to sell his leathers off to the highest bidder in the auction, MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi was in anything but charitable mood as he prepares to defend a 79-point lead at the top of the championship. The Italian won his first MotoGP race at this track in 2000 and is hoping for a similar result in front of a vast army of local support. “For sure this is one of my favourite tracks, it’s near my home and I like it a lot,” said Rossi. “It is technical and difficult but always a great pleasure. It is incredible because I see from 2000 every year there have been more people following me and all the riders. It has been a fantastic year for me so far and now we’re at the turning point for the second part of the season. It will be difficult but our target is to arrive on the podium every race and try to make a lot of victories. The bike is going well and we’ll see what happens.” The Italian discovered yesterday that he will have a new rival next season as 250cc World Champion Dani Pedrosa confirmed at a promotional event in London that he has signed a deal with Honda to ride as part of their official team in the MotoGP class from 2006. The Spanish youngster, who won the quarter-litre title at the first attempt last season and currently leads the series by 37 points, tested the Japanese factory’s V5 machine at Valencia last November and expressed his delight at the deal. “As soon as Honda made the offer we accepted,” said Pedrosa. “Both Alberto [Puig, Pedrosa’s manager] and I were very clear we wanted the best bike more than we wanted the money. When I tested Honda’s MotoGP bike at Valencia I could tell that it was a bit big for me and my body isn’t quite ready for a bike like that so I will have to train very hard. I am not scared of anybody in MotoGP, just a little worried about my size.” Whilst Pedrosa will be looking to challenge Rossi for the title next season, the Italian’s nearest current challenger is Marco Melandri, who is looking forward to racing at a circuit just two kilometres from his Derbyshire home after crashing out of the race in the USA two weeks ago. “It’s a good feeling to be back in Europe after the experience of Laguna Seca,” said Melandri. “It was a tough weekend for us and I want to get back on the good run of results we’ve had so far in the championship. I also want to get over what happened at Donington last season, when I fell, broke my thumb, had to have an operation and suffered with the injury for the rest of the season.” Nicky Hayden is also hungry for success after getting his first taste of the winners’ champagne at his home round. The American rider is flying high on the confidence of his debut victory and is promising plenty more to come. “A repeat performance of Laguna will be a very long shot but I come here with a new spring in my step knowing that we have the capability to shock and that is what I want to do again,” said Hayden. “It took me a while to win races back home in AMA but when I did they seemed to come. I now know I can do it at this level and I won’t be happy till we can do it again.” With Melandri and Alex Barros all escaping unhurt from their race crashes at Laguna Seca there are no injury worries going into tomorrow’s first day of action, particularly with the 250cc and 125cc riders having benefited from an extra two weeks’ rest since their last Grand Prix at Assen. Australian rider Casey Stoner lies second to Pedrosa in the quarter-litre class and is hoping to close the gap this weekend at the circuit where he made his debut as a wildcard four seasons ago. “A lot will depend on how we can set the Aprilia up because the Honda is very strong at this circuit and Dani had it all his own way last year,” said Stoner. “Andrea Dovizioso is also good at this track so it will be a tough race but I’m looking forward to trying to beat them both and consolidate second in the championship.” Meanwhile, Gabor Talmacsi says he has enjoyed plenty of limelight in his native Hungary over the past four weeks after becoming the first rider from the nation to lead the 125cc World Championship but admits there is still plenty of hard work to be done with eight rounds of the season still remaining. “The people in Hungary are giving me a lot of support and I hope to stay on top of the championship on Sunday,” said Talmacsi, who is currently level on points with Mattia Pasini. “125cc racing is very unpredictable and there is a long way to go but so far the season is going very well for me.”