Pedrosa: Full-time car racing switch depends on KTM MotoGP test role

The 31-time MotoGP race winner and three-time world champion across the 125cc and 250cc classes made his car racing debut at Imola earlier this month in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe series.

Pedrosa finished ninth in the Pro-Am class in his FFF Racing-run car in the first race before finishing fourth in the second.

The Spaniard retired from MotoGP at the end of 2018 and has been a test rider for KTM ever since, making a one-off race appearance in last year's Styrian GP – where he finished 10th having been caught up in a fiery tangle with Aprilia's Lorenzo Savadori early on which brought out a red flag.

Speaking exclusively to Motorsport.com following his car racing debut at Imola, Pedrosa says expanding his four-wheel exploits will depend on his progression in the final two rounds of Super Trofeo he will contest this year and what his testing calendar with KTM will look like in 2023.

"For sure my priority now is KTM," Pedrosa said when asked if he wanted to embark on a full season of car racing in the future. "So, my first calendar is that. I mean, I have to wait to see how I'm coming through the other two races I have left and see how it develops for the future.

"But in the ideal situation where I would pick up speed and perform a little bit better, then it would be interesting to at least do one season and see how it goes.

"But always I have to see if the calendar is not matching each other."

#29 Rexal FFF Racing, Lamborghini Super Trofeo Evo2: Daniel Pedrosa, Antonin Borga

Photo by: Lamborghini Super Trofeo

Pedrosa made his car racing debut on the same weekend ex-MotoGP rival and two-wheeled legend Valentino Rossi had his maiden outing in the GT World Challenge Europe.

The Spaniard's pit box was actually placed in front of Rossi's, so the pair were briefly able to discuss their outings.

"Well, actually it was a coincidence that my pit box was in front of his box," Pedrosa added. "So, actually at one practice we met and we had two minutes of talking about the experience so far and [he was] explaining about how you have to stay on the line.

"In MotoGP we are used to having the racing line which is faster because you have the rubber [on the line]. But we struggle more when you go off the line when it's dirty.

"But with the cars you get the [rubber] pick-up.

"So, I was talking to him when I have to move and give way to the faster guys I get the pick-up and then the tyres vibrate and I cannot remove the pick-up from the tyres to get the grip again. So, this was one thing we experienced in the same way."

Pedrosa and Rossi aren't the only ex-MotoGP stars to be racing on four wheels in 2022, as three-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo will contest the Italian Porsche Carerra Cup and also have an outing in the Porsche Supercup.

When asked if he'd like to see his old MotoGP foes reunite on track on four wheels, Pedrosa said: "It would be at least funny, for sure.

"It would be curious to see us in a different environment, although motorsport is pretty similar. But it could be fun."