Jorge Prado started the outdoor season in the USA in great form going 2-2 at Pala but since his engine failed on the last lap at Hangtown while he was chasing down Deegan for third in moto one putting him on the outside gate for moto two and coming from 30th to 13th. Things haven’t quite been the same, almost as if the wind has been taken out of Prado’s sails despite his flawless technique on the motorcycle.
Jorge had a good ride in moto one at High Point holding Deegan off for third and even catching Jett Lawrence at the end before a strange moto two that saw him battling Deegan again for third with Jett just a few seconds away in second. But, once he got passed by Deegan, Prado dropped 2/3 seconds off his normal pace allowing teammate Plessinger to catch and pass him for fourth, Prado then upped the pace again but couldn’t find a way by his teammate, leaving him with 3-5 on the day, not bad, but not what he was hoping for.
Added to that is the astonishing fact that in eight motos Jorge has still not had a holeshot this season outdoors! This may be the biggest holeshot drought he has had in his career and maybe a sign of his confidence not quite being at it’s usual level.
An honest Prado told Lewis Phillips after he was expecting more but he is struggling to find the pace he had before his off year on the Kawasaki: “It’s very different racing for her P10 or P6 than racing for maybe a moto win or a second, so no, definitely I need to get used to it again. I’m missing some(thing), and I’m a little bit upset, to be honest, I was expecting to do a little bit better. But I think I’m still not at my level, at my normal level, so I’m just building. I need to build my confidence, build my speed, and it’s getting there, it’s getting there, I feel like, you know, sometimes I can be there, so as soon as I put it a little bit together, we will be okay.”
“I feel sometimes I’m going fast and I’m going slow, you know, but I know, I feel it! It‘s weird, it’s kind of like you feel you’re not fast because the guys up front are going away. But it kind of feels fast to you. I lost a lot last year, so man, it’s hard to get back, you know? It’s been years to get to that pace, so no, we need some good starts and running more often with these guys up front, and it will come.
He also explained why he is moving to Florida for the rest of outdoors: “I moved to Florida because I think it’s going to benefit me a lot, not only with the traveling, but also the training, just getting to the track, do your moto’s, and back home, the dirt, it’s so much better for training, way more realistic and closer to the races, so yeah, it’s going to be a hot summer. “
Get the full interview below:
