Mystery surrounds? It seems everyone is talking about Dani Pedrosa’s future except the rider himself.
With Yamaha close to finalising details with new sponsor Petronas to run a second team, and talking freely about supplying at least one factory-spec motorcycle, Pedrosa seems to be keeping his powder dry until the last details of the contract are signed.
He spoke at the official pre-event press conference, basically repeating his non-information from the Catalunyan race two weeks earlier. “I know a lot of people are wanting information, but I can’t give any different news. I expect to sooner or later, but things are going slowly.”
Pedrosa, Dutch MotoGP 2018
Although there is no official confirmation, Pedrosa is expected to be joined in the new squad by Rossi protégé Franco Morbidelli, a move that Rossi laughingly approved of, “as long as he is not going to beat me”.
Sepang circuit chief Razlan Razali was at Assen, but operating behind closed doors as plans for the new Petronas team continued to crystalise.
Pedrosa, Dutch MotoGP 2018
Prime candidate to manage the squad is former GP winner and long-time Yamaha Racing staffer Wilco Zeelenberg. The Dutchman worked as rider coach with Lorenzo and more recently with Maverick Vinales.
The need to take over an existing team means an arrangement still under negotiation to take over the slot from Jorge Martinez’s “Aspar” team, currently running Alvaro Bautista and Karel Abraham on Ducatis under the “Angel Nieto” name. Martinez has been struggling for a title sponsor.
Pedrosa, Crutchlow, Rossi, Marquez, Zarco, Lorenzo, Dutch MotoGP 2018