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Pedrosa issues Honda quit threat
Eurosport - Mon, 25 Jun 14:34:00 2007
Dani Pedrosa has warned his Repsol Honda team that he will have no problem waving goodbye at the end of the season unless they up their game.
More StoriesMoto GP championship standings
The 21-year-old Spaniard, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has been Honda's top performer all season with four podium finishes from eight races and lies third in the world championship.
But with a 59 point deficit to championship leader Casey Stoner, the two-time Moto GP race winner has made it clear that he will listen to offers from rival teams unless Honda can give him a bike worthy of his talents.
Pedrosa told the El Mundo newspaper: "It is not necessary to close the doors [on other options]. At the moment there is no need to focus solely upon this year's performance. It is not necessary to think that there is only one option available [to me].
"If there are much better things, I am not going to refrain from them in order to stay [here] with something not so good."
Much of Pedrosa's frustration stems from Honda's inability to produce a race-winning bike built to the 800cc rules that were new for this season.
The Japanese manufacturer's inability to win the British Grand Prix at the weekend (in which the Spaniard was once more their best finisher in eighth), stretched their winless streak to nine races - their longest barren run for 17 years.
And Pedrosa, who won world titles in 125s in 2003 and in 250s in 2004 and 2005 before stepping up to the premier class, has become disillusioned as a result.
"Unfortunately I did not [hope for this], I thought it looked better from the outside," he added. From the first race we have not taken any great steps and I don't know if we will be able to do much more before the end [of the season]."
Pedrosa's remarks are likely to spark a flurry of interest for 2009 with Ducati, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki factory squads all with seats to fill.
Pedrosa issues Honda quit threat
Eurosport - Mon, 25 Jun 14:34:00 2007
Dani Pedrosa has warned his Repsol Honda team that he will have no problem waving goodbye at the end of the season unless they up their game.
More StoriesMoto GP championship standings
The 21-year-old Spaniard, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has been Honda's top performer all season with four podium finishes from eight races and lies third in the world championship.
But with a 59 point deficit to championship leader Casey Stoner, the two-time Moto GP race winner has made it clear that he will listen to offers from rival teams unless Honda can give him a bike worthy of his talents.
Pedrosa told the El Mundo newspaper: "It is not necessary to close the doors [on other options]. At the moment there is no need to focus solely upon this year's performance. It is not necessary to think that there is only one option available [to me].
"If there are much better things, I am not going to refrain from them in order to stay [here] with something not so good."
Much of Pedrosa's frustration stems from Honda's inability to produce a race-winning bike built to the 800cc rules that were new for this season.
The Japanese manufacturer's inability to win the British Grand Prix at the weekend (in which the Spaniard was once more their best finisher in eighth), stretched their winless streak to nine races - their longest barren run for 17 years.
And Pedrosa, who won world titles in 125s in 2003 and in 250s in 2004 and 2005 before stepping up to the premier class, has become disillusioned as a result.
"Unfortunately I did not [hope for this], I thought it looked better from the outside," he added. From the first race we have not taken any great steps and I don't know if we will be able to do much more before the end [of the season]."
Pedrosa's remarks are likely to spark a flurry of interest for 2009 with Ducati, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki factory squads all with seats to fill.
