Honda open to Pedrosa test role

Repsol Honda team manager Alberto Puig is open to Dani Pedrosa staying on as a factory MotoGP test rider in 2019.

But it will depend entirely on what Pedrosa wishes to do.

“We are talking… [Dani] knows the opinion from Honda in case he wants to continue testing, which we really don’t know yet, because it’s his life and we respect what he will do and the position he has taken,” Puig said.

“It will be his decision if he wants to stay in Honda as a test rider or not. It’s up to him.”

Pedrosa, a Honda rider throughout his grand prix career, announced on Thursday that he will retire at the end of this season. 

The Spaniard’s seat has already gone to compatriot Jorge Lorenzo for 2019, yet HRC director Tetsuhiro Kuwata appeared to suggest (perhaps out of politeness) it had been Pedrosa who informed HRC he wanted to leave and they then sought a replacement to join reigning champion Marc Marquez.

“After we received Dani’s decision about, he leave HRC. We accept Dani’s decision, because we respect him, and then after that we started thinking about replacement riders. Then we made a decision a few days after Dani’s information,” Kuwata said.

Puig – who became Repsol Honda team manager at the start of this season, but previously spent many years as Pedrosa’s personal manager – indicated it was time for a change.

“After 13 years in the team we wanted to see other possibilities,” Puig said.

“Lorenzo, as you know, is a champion in MotoGP and was a very interesting option. We wanted to see our bike with other riders.

“I think Dani had a very long career with Honda and a lot of opportunities. So we decided to try another rider.

“It was a company decision.”

Pedrosa had been linked to the new SIC Yamaha team following the Lorenzo/Repsol Honda announcement, but finally decided to end his career at Valencia in November.

However, the triple MotoGP title runner-up said he wishes to remain involved in the paddock, to pass on some of his experience.

Current HRC test rider Stefan Bradl is riding in place of the injured Franco Morbidelli at Marc VDS in Germany this weekend… and was only one place behind Pedrosa in Friday practice.