Pedrosa signs new Repsol Honda deal
Added on Friday, September 17th, 2010 by Carole Nash Editor
Pedrosa signs new Repsol Honda deal
Dani Pedrosa has signed a new contract with Repsol Honda, keeping him with the team until 2012.
The Spaniard, who was out of contract at the end of the season, has agreed a new deal with HRC that will see him ride with Honda’s factory team in the 2011 and 2012 championships, partnering new recruit Casey Stoner.
The two-year deal extends Pedrosa’s career-long relationship with Honda which has brought three World Championships, 35 Grand Prix victories in all classes and 12 MotoGP wins – including victories at the last two races.
“I’m really happy to be signing with Honda again,” said Pedrosa. “This has been the team of my dreams since I was a kid and that’s still the same feeling I have now. We’ve had a long and successful relationship already and we believe together we can have even more success in the future.
“Over many years we have built up a very strong relationship and have enjoyed the successes and faced the difficulties together. We are at a good moment now and we must try to continue in this way. Our goal of course is to fight for victories every weekend and win the MotoGP World Championship. I believe we have what it takes to do both of those things.”
The announcement will raise further questions over the future of his current teammate, Andrea Dovizioso, who could see himself forced to Gresini Honda.
Because of performance related clauses in his contract, Honda have to offer Dovizioso a factory ride for 2011 but HRC have so far failed to raise the finances for a third Repsol Honda bike. That, combined with the resigning of Pedrosa, has raised the prospect of the Italian being given “factory support” from within the Gresini satellite team.
