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Perhaps the biggest mistake made by Honda-HRC recentylwas to let Dani Pedrosa go, when he announced his retirement in 2018, after 13 seasons as an official rider.
Having switched to KTM as a test rider the following year, Dani occasionally, and without really caring much about it, participated in Grand Prix races as a wildcard. Last year, for example, he finished 7th and 4th in Misano, coming close to a podium finish.
It was KTM that announced his next event, in Jerez. His fourth appearance since retiring. The Andalusian track is one of his favorites, to the extent that the circuit dedicated Turn 6 to him.
So, it's no coincidence that Dani spent two test days there last week, along with his new colleague, Pol Espargarò, for the development of the RC16. The latter will also participate in the Italian GP at Mugello as a wildcard.
"I had a lot of fun at Jerez last year, and the fans was amazing," Dani said. "We all know Jerez is a special place. It'll also be important for us to use some references for our tests and put it into the race environment again. This is the main reason to compete in 2024."
“I'm really happy to be racing again, especially at Mugello, which is a very special place to get on a MotoGP bike," Pol added. "It'll be cool to be back on the grid with the guys. Testing has been going really well, and I’m very motivated. I'm more like my "old self" after my injury in 2023. I’m can't wait to being back in the MotoGP "family" and demonstrate that our testing work is strong and fast."
