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MotoGP Misano: Dani Pedrosa 'No contact with KTM' - crash.net


Dani Pedrosa gave a blunt answer when asked about KTM rumours at Misano on Friday.

The Austrian factory is making its MotoGP debut in 2017 and reports in the European media suggest KTM is interested in signing the Repsol Honda rider.

Asked by Crash.net if there has been any contact with KTM, Pedrosa replied:

"No."

None at all?

"No."

Pedrosa was speaking after finishing third in Friday practice, when he set a strong pace, with more laps under 1m 34s than any other rider barring fastest man Jorge Lorenzo.

"I would be happy to be a little bit faster on the quick lap time, but I think the key also on this track is to have a good rhythm so I've been working on that," Pedrosa said.

"Trying two different settings chassis-wise and also tyres. So far it's hard to pick a tyre because there is quite a big mixture between the soft and hard.

"Just trying to put out the best laps possible today and we'll see tomorrow how the track impro ves and which is the final tyre choice we make."

Pedrosa is the only non-Yamaha rider to win at Misano since 2008, courtesy of victory in the 2012 event.

Meanwhile another rider linked with KTM's 2017 MotoGP project is Moto2 title leader Johann Zarco, who recently revealed he will remain in the 600cc class for another season.

Pedrosa, who won back-to-back titles in the then 250cc class in 2004 and 2005 before joining MotoGP, was asked for his thoughts on Zarco staying put.

"I didn't know about that until now," Pedrosa began. "I think it's quite fair. Maybe it's the first time that he feels that attitude of being in the front. And why not? I don't think it's a bad thing because you learn more from yourself. Maybe this year everything is coming easier and coming all-together for him.

"Then when you have to defend the title maybe it is not the same situation, but if you are still mentally building up your strength then you can learn more about you an d about how to manage your attitude in the season.

"And maybe also it is because he didn't like - I don't know which MotoGP options he had - but maybe today they were not the best options and maybe [after] next year there are some better options. I don't know.

"But I don't think it's a bad thing to stay and this means also he's confident about himself I think."

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