Dennis Noyes's avatar
Author:
Dennis Noyes
Login For More
Rate this article:
  • 0/5 Stars
SPEEDtv.com Store
Grand National:America's Golden Age of Motorcycle Racing, by Joe Scalzo
Joe Scalzo’s book captures the spirit of the Golden Age of motorcycle racing.
Our Price: $39.95
Visit Button
Buy Button
Man-Made Thunder
The book examines the sport of stock car racing through the eyes and ears of the men behind the wheel and the wrenches.
Our Price: $49.00
Visit Button
Buy Button
Unisex Sandwich Cap
Unisex Velcro back hat with SPEED logo on front. PINKS logo embroidered on left and PAO logo on right. One size fits all.
Our Price: $24.95
Visit Button
Buy Button
Speedway T-shirt
Men's 6 oz. 100% Cotton Jersey Short Sleeve Tee. SPEED logo imprinted on the front center chest.
Our Price: $24.99
Visit Button
Buy Button
Ferrari Red Classic Hat
100% cotton twill. Ferrari shield embroidered on front, piping on the peak and Ferrari logo embroidered on back strap adjuster.
Our Price: $30.00 ($27.00 Member)
Visit Button
Buy Button
Footer Bg
  • Zoom More Photos Button
  • Camera Icon
MOTOGP: Pedrosa in Talks with Honda, (Possibly) Kawasaki
Written by: Dennis Noyes   
08/21/2007
Borrego Springs, CA
 
Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa (Photo: Honda Pro Images) » More Photos

Contrary to reports in the Spanish press over recent weeks, Dani Pedrosa has not signed with Honda for the 2008 season. Honda has offered a two-year renewal but Pedrosa's manager, former 500cc winner Alberto Puig, is also talking to Kawasaki.

According to Motociclismo.es, Pedrosa's manager will meet with Honda HRC President Masime Hamane in Misano at the next MotoGP race (August 30-September 2) and will insist on a one-year contract. This will give the former 125 and 250 World Champion the option of pulling out after the 2008 season if the Honda RC212V is not competitive. Pedrosa is unhappy with the performance of the bike and with the Michelin tires.

Although Kawasaki has already signed American John Hopkins for the next two seasons, Puig has opened conversations with Kawasaki according to the website of Spanish daily sports newspaper El As (elas.com).

America's Nicky Hayden won the 2006 World Championship with Honda but the Japanese manufacturer has admitted that the RC212V was built with a rider of Pedrosa's diminutive stature in mind. This admission shocked the MotoGP paddock since over the years Honda has traditionally built their machines to the specifications of their top rider… and Hayden is the first Honda rider to actually carry the number 1 plate in the premier class since Alex Crivillé in 2000.

Honda, however, did not build their program around Crivillé after he stepped up to win the title after five times 500 World Champion Mick Doohan suffered a career-ending crash at Jerez in free practice for the third race of the 1999 season.

Honda instead set up a second team built around Valentino Rossi, and Rossi, after finishing second in his first 500cc season, then won for Honda in 2001 but chose to run his personal number 46. Rossi went onto to win two consecutive titles for Honda when the 500 class morphed into the 990cc MotoGP four stroke class.

Hayden joined Honda as Rossi's teammate in 2003 and continued in 2004 and 2005 as notional 'second rider' behind Alex Barros
in 2004 and Max Biaggi in 2005.

In 2006 Hayden was joined by Pedrosa and won the title on the final day of the season when he finished third at Valencia and then points leader Rossi crashed early in the race and was only able to finish 13th. Honda insiders have told SpeedTV.com that former HRC President Suguru Kanazawa had picked Pedrosa as the rider of the future and intended to build the racing program around the Spaniard just as they had done with Rossi.

Surprisingly to some, but not to Spanish insiders, Honda built what they described as a 'compact bike for compact riders,' claiming, ingeniously, that they did not build the bike for Pedrosa but, rather, for 'the ideal MotoGP rider.' Pressed on this HRC director Satoru Horiiki admitted that 'Nicky is larger than the ideal rider.'

So far this season Pedrosa has had a much better season with a win and five podiums and is now third behind Stoner and Rossi with 168 points. Hayden is eighth on 89 points, but has been on the podium in three of his last four starts and probably would have also been on the podium at Laguna Seca had he and fellow American John Hopkins not collided at Turn 2 on lap one.

Is Pedrosa really considering a jump to Kawasaki or is this a ploy to force Honda to switch from Michelin to Bridgestone tires?

Update 1: Although Spanish journalists report that Pedrosa has given Honda a deadline, others closer to HRC and requesting anonymity say that there is a deadline, but one given to Puig and Pedrosa by Honda. HRC want to have this decided as soon as possible because replacing Pedrosa at this late date and with most top riders committed would not be easy.

Update 2: Toby Moody, writing for Britain's Autosport.com, has just posted that Kawasaki denies having had any contacts with Pedrosa or his management and that, as is known, they are currently close to bringing Shinya Nakano back to Kawasaki. Nakano went to the Konica Minolta Honda team (on Michelin) and has had, so far, a disappointing season.