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Honda open to keeping Pedrosa as test rider

Honda is open to keeping Dani Pedrosa within its ranks next season a test rider, following the Spaniard’s MotoGP retirement.

Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team

Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team

Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team
Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team
Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team
Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team
Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team
Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team
Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team, Cal Crutchlow, Team LCR Honda

Pedrosa announced on Thursday that the 2018 campaign will be his last in grand prix racing, having lost his Honda seat to Jorge Lorenzo for 2019. 

He had been weighing up whether to accept an offer to join the new SIC Yamaha satellite operation before ultimately opting to call time on a top-level career that began in 2006.

Pedrosa has said he hopes to remain working within the MotoGP paddock in some capacity, with a test rider role a possibility for the two-time 250cc champion and 31-time premier class race winner.

But Honda team boss Alberto Puig said that any decision to stay within the Honda camp lies solely with Pedrosa himself.

“We were talking about the story, it’s always interesting about it,” Puig said when asked by Motorsport.com whether Pedrosa could stay on as a test rider.

“For this he knows the opinion from Honda.

“In case he wants to continue testing, which we really don’t know yet, because it’s his life, it will be his decision. It’s up to him.”

Pedrosa, who has only ridden Honda machinery since making his 125cc debut in 2001, said he would need time to consider whether a test rider role was the right move for his future.

“For the future, at the moment I don’t know what I will do, because already the decision to change the lifestyle is already important," he said when Puig's comments were put to him.

“I’ve been with Honda so long, I know very much the people, and they know me and how I work. It will be also important in a different way to keep working in the sport I love.

“But at this moment I don’t know. I need some time [to decide].”

Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont

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