Dani Pedrosa re-signs with HRC

2007-09-21 08:09
Dani Pedrosa has today renewed his contract with HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) and signed to ride in the factory Repsol Honda MotoGP squad for 2008 and 2009. The two-year deal continues the 21-year-old Spaniard's long and highly successful association with Honda which has spanned his entire motorcycle racing career.

Pedrosa is already a three-time World Champion with Honda, having won the 125cc title in 2003 and the 250cc title in 2004 and 2005. Last year Pedrosa had a brilliant debut season in MotoGP, scoring two race wins (GP of China, British GP), eight podium finishes, setting four pole
positions and taking the coveted Rookie of the Year title. In 2007 he has won the German GP to date.

Today's announcement ensures a talented rider
line-up in the factory Repsol Honda squad with
Pedrosa once again joining American World
Champion Nicky Hayden for a third year together.

Dani Pedrosa
"I am very happy to have signed with Honda for
another two years. Both Honda and I considered
that it was good to continue our relationship
after so many successful years together. We want
to stay together to achieve the targets we had
set ourselves before. Although this year things
have not turned out to be quite as we wanted,
Honda and I have the spirit to come back next
year with renewed motivation and to be stronger
than ever. So I would like to thank Honda for the
confidence it has placed in me and I trust Honda
will know how to give me all I need to be up
front. I will do my very best to achieve our
goals. I would also like to thank Repsol for its
unconditional support. Repsol's link to Honda is
very important for me to take part in this project."

Masumi Hamane, President of HRC
"Honda and HRC are very pleased to have signed
Dani for another two years. Dani's talent is
beyond question and we are looking forward to his
success in the future. This is the first year of
the 800cc MotoGP era and Honda has been
struggling a lot. Although of course we have not
given up on this year's campaign we have already
begun the plans for next year. We have many
objectives, such as to improve the machines and
improve communication, and we will go forward
together with the same fighting spirit. With Dani
and Nicky Hayden once again riding together we
have retained an extremely strong rider line-up
which gives us valuable continuity for next year."



Dani Pedrosa - Biography

Date of birth: September 29, 1985
Place of birth: Castellar del Vallés (Barcelona)
Age: 21

Career statistics
First race: 1996 Spanish Minibike Championship
First Grand Prix: 2001 Japanese Grand Prix (125cc)
First pole position: 2002 Japanese Grand Prix (125cc)
First fastest lap: 2002 Pacific Grand Prix (125cc)
First podium finish: 2001
Comunitat Valenciana Grand Prix (125cc)
First victory: 2002 Dutch Grand Prix (125cc)
Total Grands Prix: 109 (46 in 125cc, 32 in 250cc, 31 in MotoGP)
Victories: 26 (8
in 125cc, 15 in 250cc, 3 in MotoGP)
Podium finishes: 55 (17 in
125cc, 24 in 250cc, 14 in MotoGP)
Pole positions: 23 (9 in
125cc, 9 in 250cc, 5 in MotoGP)
Fastest laps: 26 (5 in
125cc, 15 in 250cc, 6 in MotoGP)

Racing history
1997: 3rd Spanish Minibike Championship
1998: Spanish Minibike Champion
1999: 8th
Movistar Activa Joven Cup Trophy (Honda RS 125)
2000: 4th
Spanish 125 GP Championship (Honda RS 125)
2001: 8th
125 GP World Championship (Honda RS 125)
125cc Rookie of the Year
2002: 3rd
125 GP World Championship (Honda RS 125)
2003: 125cc World Champion (Honda RS 125)
2004: 250cc
World Champion (Honda RSW 250)
250cc Rookie of the Year
2005: 250cc
World Champion (Honda RSW 250)
2006: 5th
MotoGP World Championship (Honda RC211V)
MotoGP Rookie of the Year



Address by Mr. Masumi Hamane, President of HRC
Motegi Circuit, September 21, 2007:

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

"Today I am pleased to announce that HRC and Dani
Pedrosa have reached an agreement for a new
two-year contract for 2008 and 2009.

"Maybe you wonder why it took so long for us to
reach this agreement. We had a full conversation
about what we should do to win races for the
remainder of this year and also to build the
structure for the future which will let us win
races. We continued our negotiation until today
in order for both parties to be in full agreeement.

"HRC begun a racing program called "New Generation" from 2006.

"The situation surrounding racing regarding
environment and safety is becoming more and more
severe. Also now we are in the era of Japanese
manufacturers fighting against an Italian
manufacturer, which is a kind of repeat of the racing situation in the sixties.

"Under these circumstances, I became the
president of HRC on April 1st and since then I
have been thinking what is the most important
thing in racing. The conclusion I reached is, the
most important thing is human relationships.

"When innovative engineering and the strong
fighting spirit of a rider get together, we will
be able to achieve victory, I believe.

"During our conversation with Dani, we put a
greater importance on communications and sincere
conversation. That resulted in our agreement
today and I am really happy about it.

"Dani's talent is beyond question and I believe
our responsibility is to prepare a machine capable of winning.

"Of course we have not yet given up the title for
this year, but we will prepare a machine which
shows the true potential of Honda and also our
true fighting spirit from the start of next season.

"With Dani and Nicky Hayden once again riding
together we have retained a strong rider line-up for next year."

Images of the event can be found on the
Hondaproimages server in the motegi file

Source: Honda Pro Image

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