You are here

MotoGP, Pedrosa: "Honda considers me too small to be test rider"

Dani explains the reasons behind his move to KTM: "Nomura considers Bradl to be better suited. Puig? I won't be drawn into a pointless debate"

MotoGP: Pedrosa: "Honda considers me too small to be test rider"

Share


Now that the relationship between Dani Pedrosa and Honda has come to an end, some interesting details have begun to emerge, with none of the credit going to the Japanese manufacturer. One month ago it was Alberto Puig who described his former rider in less than glowing terms while today Dani tells Marca about the reasons behind his move to KTM as test rider.

His twenty-year relationship with HRC should have been enough to guarantee Pedrosa a role as test rider, yet the Spaniard will now take his experience over to the manufacturer's Austrian rival.

It was Honda management who essentially pushed Dani into the move.

KTM offered me a solid project and its full trust, while HRC president Yoshishige Nomura told me that, with my physique, I wouldn't be able to go in the direction required by Marquez and Lorenzo, who are bigger than me. He considered Stefan Bradl to be better suited to that role”.

The fact that the Spaniard has always worked on bike development over the years, despite having physically bigger team-mates (from Hayden to Stoner, by way of Dovizioso), has gone largely ignored by HRC, as strange as this consideration may seem, also because Dani's rivals (Marquez included) have always praised him on his sensitivity and ability to understand the bike.

As for the attack from former manager Puig, Pedrosa takes the high road: “Alberto has played a very important role throughout my race career, the whole world knows this and I've never hidden the fact. But, after recent events, that's a closed chapter and there's no need to get into a pointless debate”.

Translated by Heather Watson

Related articles