KTM, MotoGP's newest manufacturer, is 'proud' to have secured the ser🌳vices of 54-time grand🌟 prix winner Dani Pedrosa as its new test rider.

After 18 years༺ on Honda machinery in the 125cc, 250cc and MotoGP classes, Pedrosa competed in his final race at Vale💜ncia in November.

The Spaniard found out♔ he had lost his Repsol H🌞onda seat to Jorge Lorenzo during the middle of this season, but could have continued his career by moving to Sepang Yamaha, or remained at Honda as a test rider.

Instead, Pedrosa chose a fresh challenge at KTM, where he will 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:now make an early RC16 debut at Jer🗹ez on December 18-19, rather🌠 than Sepang in February.

"We are definitely really, really proud that a rider like Dani is coming on our side and bringing his experience into ou🗹r project," said KTM Motorsports Director Pit Beirer.

"I𝔍n the beginning he wanted to stop [racing], then maybe not to stop and there was another project for him coming up [the satellite Yamaha].

"We didn’t put any extra pressure on him to decide, but he knew from the beginning we really, really wanted him because he can give a huge value to our project🍃 in terms of development for the futu🐼re.

"I th꧒ink that’s always great for a rider - if he stops ▨his career, that he gets the feeling he’s really needed somewhere and not just a marketing idol or something," added Beirer, himself a former motocross grand prix title contender.

"So I think there is still a lot of fire in him and he wanted to get a job where he needs to work. That’s definitely something we𝐆 can supply him with!"

Beirer also hopes that the combined efforts of Pedrosa and long-time KTM test rider Mika Kallio will take some of the technical burden from Pol Espargaro and new factory 🅷team-mate Johann Zarco.

"I think our riders [have been] in a difficult situation because they came to the proj🅰ect with a difficult bike, they had to change parts every week and were always distracted from pure racing," Beirer said.

KTM claimed its first MotoGP podium with third place f꧅or Espargaro in the wet Valencia finale, allowing the factory to snatch fifth in the constructors' championship from Aprilia.

The RC16, which ma🍌de its MotoGP debut with Kallio at Vale🍨ncia 2016, has taken a best race result of ninth in the dry.

KTM will♒ also field a satellite team in 2019, having joined forces with Tech3.

"We need t𝓰o see this a༺s a long-term project," said Beirer.

"We could prove that we take it very seriously and have a great team and staff. The next step is we got riders like Johann, who gave us the trust already very early, and we have Da💮ni coming over as a test rider.

"So I think if we did not work so professionally, they would not give 💖us this trust. So this was already for us a little payback and will put the project definitely on another format.

"Getting the Tech3 team over with Herve and all his team and all the experience they have in 🎶that class will also ౠmake us stronger."