HRC, Honda’s factory racing team, has announced that Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez will be riding for the Repsol Honda team for the 2013 and 2014 seasons.

The announcement has laid to rest all speculations that Valentino Rossi might be returning to the Repsol Honda team next year.

Speaking on the ocassion, Shuhei Nakamoto HRC team principal, stated, “We are very pleased to renew our contract with Dani and welcome Marc Marquez to the Repsol Honda Team. Dani is enjoying a very strong season and currently fighting with Casey and Lorenzo for the Championship, we are very pleased with his performance. Marc has already proved how fast he is in 125cc and Moto2, and we believe that, giving him the right time to adapt to the new class, he will also be able to show his talent in MotoGP in the future.”

Official Press Release:

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) is pleased to officially announce Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez as the two factory Honda riders for 2013 and 2014.

Dani Pedrosa, who currently lies 2nd in the World Championship as the season reaches the halfway point, will extend his contract with Honda, whom he has raced with his debut in the World Championship in 2001. Dani is a three time World Champion (2003 in 125cc, 2004 and 2005 in 250cc) and made his debut in MotoGP in 2006, claiming the Rookie of the Year title and fifth position in the Championship. He has been runner up twice and has also finished third in the premier class on two occasions. After celebrating his maiden win of the 2012 season last weekend in Germany, Dani has shown he is certainly one of the contenders for the title in the premier class this year.

Marc Marquez, born on 17th of February 1993, will make his debut in MotoGP with the Honda factory team at just 20 years old. Already recognised as one of the biggest young talents in the World Championship, Marc has signed for two years with HRC. He was 125cc World Champion in 2010, runner up on his debut year in Moto2 and is currently leading the Moto2 World Championship by 43 points.