Livio Suppo has declared that Honda aims to retain the services of Dani Pedrosa, whose current contract expires at the end of 2014.

Pedrosa has raced with Repsol Honda Team since he stepped up to the MotoGP™ premier class at the start of 2006, having also taken the majority of the manufacturer’s 100 Grand Prix victories since the four-stroke era began in 2002.

With reigning World Champion Marc Marquez having in May extended his Honda contract until at least the end of 2016, Pedrosa is yet to put pen to paper.

“For sure, we will speak with Alberto (Puig, manager to Dani Pedrosa),” Suppo explains. “Of course, the priority for Dani is to remain here and the priority for Honda is to keep him here – and that is what we have to do. Now we will go ahead, but there is no rush.”

In Barcelona last Sunday, Pedrosa came extremely close to winning for the first time this year, but dropped to third place following contact with Marquez on the final lap.