KTM has announced the signing of the current Honda rider Dani Pedrosa in a multi-year agreement from the 2019 MotoGP season.
Pedrosa will join the Austrian manufacturer in a test and development rider capacity from 2019 MotoGP having signed a multi-year agreement, thereby securing a programme that will keep him in the paddock for two more seasons.
KTM’s Motorsport Director, Pit Beirer said: “To have a rider of Dani’s skill and experience as part of our MotoGP project is another strong sign that we are moving in the right direction and we are still pushing as hard as we can.
“We have seen how competitive MotoGP is this year and how fractions of a second can sometimes hide real progress and valuable lessons. We hope – and we are very excited – that Dani’s input alongside Mika Kallio and feeding into the two teams we’ll have on the grid next year will really help to close the gap even further.
“I think we can feel very optimistic about our possibilities for the upcoming seasons. I’d like to thank the whole crew at the factory, all the strong effort at the races and for all those testing miles as we come close to the end of our second year.
“Also to Dani: it is great that he believes and trusts in us and what we are doing.” At the same time, KTM’s Team manager, Mike Leitner, added: “I’m super-happy that we could reach this agreement with Dani.
“Thanks to all his years and success in MotoGP I believe he will help our project in a big way and in developing the bike. Dani is a three time world champion and three time runner-up in this category and I know him well from the time working together.
“He is still very competitive and this can only benefit our MotoGP effort.” Pedrosa announced his retirement from MotoGP earlier in July with his seat taken by Jorge Lorenzo in Honda alongside Marc Marquez.
Honda’s management also had offered him a test role along with KTM. But instead, Pedrosa has decided to join the Austrian manufacturer which will field Pol Espargaro and Johann Zarco in the team with Mika Kallio in the test role along with Pedrosa.