Honda extends Pedrosa’s contract to 2018

Barcelona, Spain - Dani Pedrosa will stay at Honda until the end of the 2018 season, the Japanese manufacturer said on Monday.

The 30-year-old, whose team mate is double world champion and compatriot Marc Marquez, will be starting his 250th Grand Prix in Italy this weekend.

Pedrosa has been with Honda all his career, winning the former 125cc and 250cc world championships that are now Moto3 and Moto2 respectively, before making his MotoGP debut in 2006.

“I think it's best for me to continue with the company I was with at my very first race,” Pedrosa said. “I'm happy that the negotiations have been quick, and now I can just focus on racing.”

Pedrosa had been linked to Yamaha, whose reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo will be moving to Ducati at the end of the season. But Spanish media have reported that Yamaha has signed his compatriot Maverick Vinales from Suzuki.