- 2018-06-07
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Donate to support families affected by the crisis in Ukraine ➔ MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo signs with Repsol Honda, Danilo Petrucci Joins the factory Ducati
A couple days ago, Dani Pedrosa announced he will leave Repsol Honda at the end of the 2018 season. He has worked with HRC since 2002 including 125cc and 250cc class. But his 2019 season's team hasn't been announced yet.
"I want to thank HRC for all these years of great success," Dani 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.
After announcing the end of my relationship with HRC at the end of this year, I would like to say that I will have more information regarding my future at the Grand Prix of Barcelona.
Once again, I want to thank HRC from the heart for all of these years we worked together, for all the personal success, and professionalism from their side, and for having always respected my priorities and my decisions.
We've both benefited from one of the most fruitful working relationships in the world championship of MotoGP."
Jorge Lorenzo signed to Repsol Honda on a two-year deal to replace the outgoing Dani Pedrosa. He will be a teammate with Marc Marquez in 2019.
The announcement came in the wake of Lorenzo’s first win for Ducati, taken at Mugello, when he became only the sixth man in the MotoGP™ era to win races on more than one bike, following 44 wins for Yamaha.
After joining Ducati from Yamaha in 2017, Jorge Lorenzo had struggled to match expectations at the Italian manufacturer.
- Danilo Petrucci will move to the factory Ducati in 2019, who signed to one year deal. Currently, he has been working with satellite team Pramac
Ducati. This marks the step up to the factory squad.
“Being part of the factory team is a dream come true,” Danilo Petrucci said. “It’s a great honour to become an official rider for the Ducati Team, especially for someone like me who started in Ducati as a production motorcycle test rider. I would like to thank Paolo Campinoti and Francesco Guidotti, who gave me the chance four years ago to race on a Ducati for the Pramac Racing Team. Without them all this would not have been possible.
I also want to thank the managers of Ducati and Ducati Corse - Claudio Domenicali, Gigi Dall'Igna and Paolo Ciabatti - who appreciated me first as a person and then as a rider and I really can’t wait to start this new adventure in the factory team. Now all I want to do is to finish the year in the top five in the standings and then start the new season with the Ducati Team.” 
- Hafizh Syahrin has secured a contract extension with Tech3 for 2019 when the team will switch from Yamaha to KTM machinery. Hafizh Syahrin got the chance after Jonas Folger withdrew from the competitive Monster Yamaha Tech3 ride following last year's fatigue issues.
“It’s hard for me to say and to believe,” Syahrin said. “First of all, I have to say thank you very much to Hervé for trusting in me and giving me this opportunity to stay with the Tech3 family and at the same time to join the KTM family.
I also have to express a huge thank you to my manager Dato' Razlan, who helped me to achieve this dream arriving in the MotoGP class, plus thank you to KTM for believing in Hervé and in me. I will work hard for 2019 and I’ll be better prepared, as this is not as surprising as this season.
I’m incredibly happy to get this chance, I even feel close to cry for joy. Thanks to everybody and especially to Herve and Dato' Razlan for always believing in me.”
MotoGP 2019: rider line-up (currently)
Repsol Honda:
Marc Marquez (End of 2020)
Jorge Lorenzo (End of 2020)
Movistar Yamaha:
Maverick Vinales (End of 2020)
Valentino Rossi (End of 2020)
Ducati Team:
Andrea Dovizioso (End of 2020)
Danilo Petrucci (End of 2019)
Suzuki:
Alex Rins (End of 2020)
Joan Mir (End of 2020)
Red Bull KTM:
Johann Zarco (End of 2020)
Pol Espargaro (End of 2020)
Aprilia Gresini:
Aleix Espargaro (End of 2020)
Andrea Iannone (End of 2020)
Tech3 KTM:
Miguel Oliveira (KTM contract, end of 2019)
Hafizh Syahrin (End of 2019)
LCR Honda:
Cal Crutchlow (HRC contract, end of 2019)
Marc VDS Honda:
Franco Morbidelli (End of 2019, option for 2020)
Pramac Ducati:
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati contract, 2019 and 2020)
Jack Miller (Ducati contract, end of 2019)
Avintia Ducati:
Xavier Simeon (End of 2019) - source : MotoGP
