Dani Pedrosa will remain with Honda until the end of the 2018 MotoGP season after signing a new two-year contract with the Japanese manufacturer last week.
Pedrosa had been linked with a possible move to Yamaha following Jorge Lorenzo’s decision to switch to Ducati at the end of the season, with Spanish telecommunications giant Movistar supposedly pushing for a deal.
However, Pedrosa will extend his stint with Honda to 13 seasons, paving the way for current Suzuki racer Maverick Vinales to take Lorenzo’s ride for 2017.
“I’m very happy to be able to announce my renewal with the Repsol Honda Team,” Pedrosa said.
“I’m very grateful to Honda for the trust they’ve shown in renewing with me for an additional two years. I think it’s best for me to continue with the company I was with at my very first race.
“I’m happy that the negotiations have been quick, and now I can just focus on racing. I want to give 100% this weekend at the Italian GP.”