-
Dani Pedrosa will begin his MotoGP testing duties for KTM in June.
-
It will be sigh of relief for the Austrian manufacturer.
-
They had hoped for Pedrosa’s input in improving the RC16 MotoGP racer.
Dani Pedrosa will begin his MotoGP testing duties for KTM in June.
Pedrosa signed on as KTM’s test rider after retiring from the Repsol Honda factory team and active racing after last season. The Austrian manufacturer had hoped for his input on improving the RC16 MotoGP bike. Alas, Pedrosa broke his collarbone which required surgery and stem-cell treatement. After an all too long recovery period for KTM, Pedrosa rode an RC16 at Mugello to gauge his recovery.
The news was conveyed by KTM MotoGP technical chief Mike Leitner.
We imagine this piece of news will be happily greeted by KTM, given the lack of better results by the new manufacturer’s new riders in MotoGP.
Two-time Moto2 champion and 2017 Rookie of the Year Johann Zarco has suffered to no end as he couldn’t gel with the bike. His frustrations got the better of him until he was caught calling the bike’s chassis and electronics “sh*t” during the Spanish GP. He was later chastised by KTM CEO Stefan Pierer.
Hafizh Syahrin who nearly captured the 2018 Rookie of the Year is also having a hard time by qualifying and finishing consistently in last place. Syahrin’s Red Bull KTM Tech 3 Racing teammate Miguel Oliveira fared better by finishing a number of races just behind longtime KTM rider Pol Espargaró but found himself finishing just ahead of Syahrin in the last race in France.
Only Espargaró has done reasonably well by crossing the line in 6th at the same French GP.
KTM hopes Pedrosa will provide the necessary input to fast-track the development of the RC16.
