It was something that racing fans were fearing and their worst fears have come true as one of the sport’s fairest riders calls it a day. Yes, Dani Pedrosa broke our hearts and millions worldwide as he announced that he would no longer race in motorcycle racing’s premier competition from 2019. We were expecting an announcement from him over the past two GPs in Catalunya and Assen as the news preceding the Catalan round had found Pedrosa out of the factory Honda seat, set to be replaced by compatriot Jorge Lorenzo.
“It is a very hard decision because this is the sport I love, but I have no regrets as I have achieved more than I ever expected” said an emotional Pedrosa on his decision to continue no further. There were rumours floating in the MotoGP paddock of him perhaps switching over to the newly formed SIC Yamaha racing team, elongating his career by just a few more years. But that was not the case.
Pedrosa has won three consecutive world championships from 2003-2005 out of which two were under MotoGP’s 250cc category and one in the 125cc category. He also remains the youngest world champion in the 250cc Grand Prix.
MotoGP’s ‘Little Samurai’ did not win a championship in the premier class due to sheer bad luck on accounts of multiple injuries ruining his chances multiple times. With 54 wins and 112 podiums, he is the most successful rider to have never won a premier class title. He was also part of the ‘aliens’ that blew the competition away during the 2013-16 seasons, a club which had the likes of Lorenzo, nine-time champion Valentino Rossi and the current MotoGP champion Marc Marquez in it. We bid adieu, Dani. Thank you for the great moments.