Dani Pedrosa will end an 18-year association with Honda at the end of the 2018 MotoGP season, the Japanese manufacturer has confirmed.
Pedrosa has ridden Honda machinery since his 125cc debut in 2001, and won the championship in the lightweight and twice in 250cc class in '03, '04 and '05 before stepping up to the premier class in '06 with the factory team.
The Spaniard has three times finished runner-up in the championship, and has amassed 31 MotoGP wins in his time in the premier class, the most recent of which coming in Valencia last year.
However, Pedrosa has endured a tough '17 so far, with three crashes and a best result of fifth leaving him 12th in the standings, while team-mate Marc Marquez leads by 23 points having won three times.
Pedrosa's place within the team for next year was thought to be more secure, as its sought-after option Joan Mir has reportedly signed for Suzuki. HRC confirmed the split is by “mutual agreement.”
“I want to thank HRC for all these years of great success,” Pedrosa said.
“I have grown not only as a rider but also as a person with them. I will always have HRC in my memories and in my heart.
“In life we all need new challenges and I feel it's time for a change. Thanks, HRC.”
HRC President Yoshishige Nomura added: “Today is a sad day for me. On behalf of HRC, I want to thank Dani for all his hard and successful work, and to express our gratitude for these two decades together.
“We also wish him the very best of luck and success. Thanks, Dani.”
With HRC's preferred replacements for Pedrosa in Mir and Johann Zarco, who will join the factory KTM team next year, unavailable, its options are limited.
Current Ducati stablemates Jack Miller and Jorge Lorenzo have been linked, with the latter's hopes of a factory contract boosted by his dominant Mugello win last weekend.
Miller endured a fairly torrid three-year stint with Honda at LCR and Marc VDS, and his results since joining Pramac this year have dramatically improved.
So a return to Honda may not be desirable for Miller, especially as he is likely to be given a factory-supported GP19 regardless of if he his chosen to replace Lorenzo or not.
Lorenzo has been linked to a Petronas and Sepang International Circuit-backed satellite Yamaha squad as his time at Ducati nears its end, though this could now go to Pedrosa if Honda successfully court Lorenzo.
Pedrosa was also tipped as an option for KTM next year, and a factory-supported RC16 is still up for grabs in Tech3 colours.
