Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa has warned that although he managed a podium at last weekend's Motegi MotoGP race with a badly-worn front tyre, he is not competitive yet.

The diminutive Spaniard, who is still carrying injuries from his myriad pre-season crashes, said he struggled throughout practice in Japan and needs to keep the momentum going.

“It was great to get such an encouraging result in Japan right before we go to Jerez because now we have some momentum which we must try to maintain. Still, despite getting on the podium at Motegi, which I was really pleased with, we mustn’t kid ourselves that we are fully competitive just yet," said Pedrosa.

"We struggled quite a lot in the practice sessions at Motegi and we’re under no illusions that we have to keep working hard to bring our package up to its full potential. Still, I’m really looking forward to Jerez and it’s always a very special experience for me to race there.

"The fans are so passionate and give me and all the Spanish riders great support. I like the Jerez track and have had some great moments there. Having got that result in Motegi, and now that my physical condition is improving, I hope I can give the fans and the team something to celebrate this weekend.”