Pedrosa spills the beans on private Marquez call: “We exchanged information”

Marquez chose to quit Repsol Honda and join Gresini Ducati in 2024 but, before firming up his decision, he sought out Pedrosa for advice.

Marquez first shared his side of the story to DAZN: “Who did I call? [Shall] I say it? I called Dani Pedrosa.

“On the Sunday of the Japan MotoGP. I was in my room after the race.

“‘Dani, can I call you?’ And I called him.

“What I asked him, and all that, he can tell you, if he wants!

“But I called him. Because he was at Honda for a long time and he also had an unconventional career.

“What did he say to me? He can tell you, if he wants! I wonder if he would be annoyed, because…

“I called him for advice rider-to-rider.

“It wasn’t ‘should I or shouldn’t I?’ Because he’s a rider, he works for KTM.

“But rider to rider, I’ve always had a very good relationship with Dani.

“And he helped me.”

Pedrosa has now added further detail, saying: “First of all, I was surprised.

“I was just watching the race and, a few hours later, I got his call.

“I can’t tell you the details of what the conversation was about.

“But, obviously, I can say that when I hung up the phone, I wasn’t sure what his pick would be!

“He just wanted to have this exchange of rider experience.

“Obviously, in my situation now with KTM, I cannot advise him to do anything.

“But we exchanged some information. 

“Maybe, just because I was a long time with Honda.

“He wanted to have a different point of view.

“The situation was hard to choose, because he was in a contract. He had to split the contract. That’s always a difficult thing to do.

“I have no doubt about his talent, no doubt about his ability to go fast.

“We’ve seen him go fast in 125cc, in Moto2, in MotoGP. I see no reason why he shouldn’t adapt to the Ducati.”

Pedrosa, the most successful-ever MotoGP rider to never win a championship, spent six years as Marquez’s teammate at Repsol Honda.

Now a KTM test rider, he has thrilled fans and impressed fellow riders with wildcard outings this season.

Although we don’t know if Pedrosa told Marquez to leave Honda or not, the enduring closeness between them remains fascinating.

Not least because, after 2024, Marquez will become a free agent and KTM have a longstanding interest in him.

And if Marquez needs any information about the development of their bike…