DANI PEDROSA RE-SIGNS WITH HRC Dani Pedrosa has today renewed his contract with HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) and signed to ride in the factory Repsol Honda MotoGP squad for 2008 and 2009. The two-year deal continues the 21-year-old Spaniard’s long and highly successful association with Honda which has spanned his entire motorcycle racing career. Pedrosa is already a three-time World Champion with Honda, having won the 125cc title in 2003 and the 250cc title in 2004 and 2005. Last year Pedrosa had a brilliant debut season in MotoGP, scoring two race wins (GP of China, British GP), eight podium finishes, setting four pole positions and taking the coveted Rookie of the Year title. In 2007 he has won the German GP to date. Today’s announcement ensures a talented rider line-up in the factory Repsol Honda squad with Pedrosa once again joining American World Champion Nicky Hayden for a third year together. Dani Pedrosa “I am very happy to have signed with Honda for another two years. Both Honda and I considered that it was good to continue our relationship after so many successful years together. We want to stay together to achieve the targets we had set ourselves before. Although this year things have not turned out to be quite as we wanted, Honda and I have the spirit to come back next year with renewed motivation and to be stronger than ever. So I would like to thank Honda for the confidence it has placed in me and I trust Honda will know how to give me all I need to be up front. I will do my very best to achieve our goals. I would also like to thank Repsol for its unconditional support. Repsol’s link to Honda is very important for me to take part in this project.” Masumi Hamane, President of HRC “Honda and HRC are very pleased to have signed Dani for another two years. Dani’s talent is beyond question and we are looking forward to his success in the future. This is the first year of the 800cc MotoGP era and Honda has been struggling a lot. Although of course we have not given up on this year’s campaign we have already begun the plans for next year. We have many objectives, such as to improve the machines and improve communication, and we will go forward together with the same fighting spirit. With Dani and Nicky Hayden once again riding together we have retained an extremely strong rider line-up which gives us valuable continuity for next year.” Dani Pedrosa – Biography Date of birth: September 29, 1985 Place of birth: Castellar del Vallés (Barcelona) Age: 21 Career statistics First race: 1996 Spanish Minibike Championship First Grand Prix: 2001 Japanese Grand Prix (125cc) First pole position: 2002 Japanese Grand Prix (125cc) First fastest lap: 2002 Pacific Grand Prix (125cc) First podium finish: 2001 Comunitat Valenciana Grand Prix (125cc) First victory: 2002 Dutch Grand Prix (125cc) Total Grands Prix: 109 (46 in 125cc, 32 in 250cc, 31 in MotoGP) Victories: 26 (8 in 125cc, 15 in 250cc, 3 in MotoGP) Podium finishes: 55 (17 in 125cc, 24 in 250cc, 14 in MotoGP) Pole positions: 23 (9 in 125cc, 9 in 250cc, 5 in MotoGP) Fastest laps: 26 (5 in 125cc, 15 in 250cc, 6 in MotoGP) Racing history 1997: 3rd Spanish Minibike Championship 1998: Spanish Minibike Champion 1999: 8th Movistar Activa Joven Cup Trophy (Honda RS 125) 2000: 4th Spanish 125 GP Championship (Honda RS 125) 2001: 8th 125 GP World Championship (Honda RS 125) 125cc Rookie of the Year 2002: 3rd 125 GP World Championship (Honda RS 125) 2003: 125cc World Champion (Honda RS 125) 2004: 250cc World Champion (Honda RSW 250) 250cc Rookie of the Year 2005: 250cc World Champion (Honda RSW 250) 2006: 5th MotoGP World Championship (Honda RC211V) MotoGP Rookie of the Year Address by Mr. Masumi Hamane, President of HRC Motegi Circuit, September 21, 2007: “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. “Today I am pleased to announce that HRC and Dani Pedrosa have reached an agreement for a new two-year contract for 2008 and 2009. “Maybe you wonder why it took so long for us to reach this agreement. We had a full conversation about what we should do to win races for the remainder of this year and also to build the structure for the future which will let us win races. We continued our negotiation until today in order for both parties to be in full agreeement. “HRC begun a racing program called “New Generation” from 2006. “The situation surrounding racing regarding environment and safety is becoming more and more severe. Also now we are in the era of Japanese manufacturers fighting against an Italian manufacturer, which is a kind of repeat of the racing situation in the sixties. “Under these circumstances, I became the president of HRC on April 1st and since then I have been thinking what is the most important thing in racing. The conclusion I reached is, the most important thing is human relationships. “When innovative engineering and the strong fighting spirit of a rider get together, we will be able to achieve victory, I believe. “During our conversation with Dani, we put a greater importance on communications and sincere conversation. That resulted in our agreement today and I am really happy about it. “Dani’s talent is beyond question and I believe our responsibility is to prepare a machine capable of winning. “Of course we have not yet given up the title for this year, but we will prepare a machine which shows the true potential of Honda and also our true fighting spirit from the start of next season. “With Dani and Nicky Hayden once again riding together we have retained a strong rider line-up for next year.” More, from a press release issued by Repsol Media Service: Pedrosa will race for the Repsol Honda Team the next two seasons Today Dani Pedrosa, just 21 years old, extended his contract with HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) for another two years, so he will race for the Repsol Honda Team in 2008 and 2009. This new 2 year agreement is an extension of the Spanish rider`s successful relationship with Honda, a company that he has been competing with during the whole of his career in the World Motorcycling Championship. Pedrosa has already been World Motorcycling Champion three times with Honda, winning the world 125cc title in 2003 and 250cc title in 2004 and 2005. Last season the Repsol rider made a brilliant debut in the MotoGP category, getting two victories (Chinese GP and the British GP), 8 podium finishes and four poles, results that made him Rookie of the Year in the top category. In 2007 Dani has won the German GP. The agreement reached today guarantees Repsol and Honda the chance to keep a competitive factory team, as Dani Pedrosa will be in the team with the reigning World Champion Nicky Hayden for the third consecutive year. Dani Pedrosa “I am very pleased to have signed with Honda for two more years. Both Honda and I think that it is good to continue this successful relationship for another two years. We want to carry on together getting the results that we set ourselves some time ago. Although this year things are not turning out as we would have liked, both Honda and I are eager to come back next year with renewed enthusiasm and stronger than ever. I thank Honda for the confidence they have put in me and I know that they will be able to provide me with everything I need to be among the leaders. I myself will continue to do my best so that we reach our goals. I also wish to thank Repsol for their unconditional support; their collaboration with Honda is very important for me to be part of this project”. Jaume Giró, General Director of Repsol “We at Repsol are very satisfied with the fact that Dani Pedrosa will continue in the Repsol Honda Team. Dani is the most valuable asset in the World World Motorcycling Championship without a doubt, for both Repsol as well as HRC, and he is a very important piece in our project in the fight to be World Champions. His three world titles and his quality as a rider are the solid facts that let us think that Dani is destined to achieve great feats in MotoGP. All the members of the Repsol Honda Team, in HRC and Repsol, are working together so that both Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden have all the components they need available in their fight for next year`s World Motorcycling Championship.” Masumi Hamane, President of HRC “Honda and HRC are very pleased to have signed Dani for two more years. His talent is not in doubt and we hope to have a successful future together. This is the first season of the 800cc era and Honda has been suffering quite a bit. Although obviously we have not given up on the year, we have already started working for next season. We have several objectives, such as improving the bike along with the communication, and we will all progress together in that direction with a stroong fighting spirit. With Dani and Nicky Hayden together again, we have assured a really strong team that will guarantee the highest level of performances next year”.