Dani Pedrosa will continue as the official KTM MotoGP test rider for multiple years to come, following the signing of a new contract.
The announcement was made by KTM on Saturday morning at the 2023 Catalan Grand Prix, and confirms a new multi-year agreement between the Austrian brand and Pedrosa, who has tested the RC16 since 2019.
The length of Pedrosa’s contract has not been specified by KTM, but Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager Francesco Guidotti revealed to the MotoGP world feed during MotoGP P2 on Saturday morning that KTM’s agreement with Pedrosa will progress on a ‘year-by-year’ basis; essentially, KTM is happy to continue with Pedrosa for as long as Pedrosa is happy to continue his testing duties for KTM.
Dani Pedrosa said: “Very happy and very grateful to continue with KTM because the last few years have been very productive. We’ve made gradual progress but always positive and the riders have come closer and closer to the front and have taken some good results. We’ll try to continue this path with the bike because it seems to be even more essential now in MotoGP. I’m really happy to be part of the team and I’m looking forward to Misano, even if Jerez was really special for me with all the fans!”
Francesco Guidotti, said: “Dani’s MotoGP experience is immense and he showed us in Jerez that he is still capable of setting P1 lap-times! That ability and his standards and his unique feeling for a Grand Prix machine is what makes him so important and an inspiration to us and the riders. We are keeping many parts of our MotoGP project consistent and stable, so this commitment with Dani is very positive. We are looking forward to Misano!”
Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director, added: “The feedback and all the laps Dani have given us with the test team has helped make our RC16 what it is today: a bike that is one of the fastest on the track and one of the best to have in a fight. He knows our program, our technicians and our philosophy very well after five years together and the work is just as important as ever. We’re delighted to keep him in the structure and for Dani to continue helping us achieve our MotoGP goals.”
Pedrosa impressed earlier in 2023, when he finished seventh at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez. It was his second wildcard for KTM since joining the Austrians in 2019, the previous one coming in 2021 at the Red Bull Ring. Pedrosa’s next wildcard is scheduled for next weekend (8-10 September) at the San Marino Grand Prix in Misano, where he last won in 2016.
