Lorenzo: Honda “lost a lot when Pedrosa left”, has ‘proved’ his worth at KTM

Considered the best test rider in MotoGP, Pedrosa is a huge reason why KTM have become consistent challenges to the likes of Ducati and Aprilia.

Taking part in his second wild card of the season last weekend at Misano, Pedrosa was in stunning form as he claimed two P4 results.

• Nakagami: HRC “committed to fixing current situation, but no massive difference” 
• Bagnaia: Pedrosa “was always impressive, has one of the best riding styles”

Pedrosa narrowly missed out on the podium in both races, finishing just a few tenths behind world champion Francesco Bagnaia in both races.

Pedrosa left Honda at the end of 2018 and was replaced by Lorenzo, who himself completed just one season with the Japanese brand before calling it a career.

Speaking to DAZN, Lorenzo feels Honda could have been helped had they retained Pedrosa as a test rider: "Under the same circumstances that Honda has faced in the last four of five years, including Marquez’s injury, I’m sure they would go infinitely better if they had Dani as a test rider."

Honda are currently going through their worst moment in MotoGP history, despite having the likes of Marc Marquez and Joan Mir aboard their factory bikes.

A rider who could at times get the better of Marquez aboard equal machinery, something very few teammates have done, Pedrosa is considered the best premier class rider ever that failed to win a world title.

And Lorenzo was full of high praise after the Spaniard's achievements in Misano: "The merits he has throughout his career are enormous. I have never seen such a small rider achieve so many victories in MotoGP, it has never happened which shows the technique he had to develop to do it. 

"On a technical level and feeling level, Pedrosa is a super sensitive rider who helps a lot to understand which components are right and which are wrong. 

"He proved it at KTM and Honda lost a lot when he left."