“I am sorry everybody is here,” he said cheerfully, adding that there were more present than ever after he had won a race. “It was my plan to say something about my future, but unfortunately things are not clear, so I can’t really say anything.”

“All I can say is that I have several options, good options, but I need time to think about them. I don’t want to rush and take the wrong decision.”

Asked whether retirement was one of those options, the 32-year-old from nearby Sabadell was no more forthcoming. “I can only say that there are options, and I am considering them.”

As well as 13 years in the MotoGP team, Pedrosa has been with Honda since his 125cc debut in 2001. He won that championship in 2003, and followed it with two consecutive 250 titles, defeating among others Casey Stoner.

By Michael Scott

Pedrosa, Catalunya MotoGP 2018