The Spanish driver retired after an incredible career at the highest level. Even if he never managed to achieve the ultimate grail of a MotoGP title, the numbers place him among the best riders in history.
Dani Pedrosa decided to stop Grand Prix racing at the end of the 2018 season, and we will now only see him as a KTM test rider. If this last year was very complicated and he didn't get a single podium or win a single victory, it's actually the only time in his career that this happened to him. Its figures are indeed dizzying.
The Spanish rider is a three-time World Champion (125cc in 2003 and 250cc in 2004 and 2005) and has been on the podium every year for seventeen consecutive years, including sixteen where he won at least one Grand Prix and is the only pilot to have achieved it. These statistics alone are impressive, but that's not all.
With 54 victories, he is the seventh driver in history to have won the most behind Giacomo Agostini (122), Valentino Rossi (115), Ángel Nieto (90), Mike Hailwood (76), Marc Márquez (70), Jorge Lorenzo (68) and Mick Doohan (54). He is, moreover, the third driver to have the most podiums in his career (153), after Valentino Rossi (232) and Giacomo Agostini (159); the sixth to have won the most pole positions (49) behind Marc Márquez (80), Jorge Lorenzo (69), Valentino Rossi (65), Mick Doohan (58) and Max Biaggi (56); and the fifth to have completed the most fastest laps in a race (64), after Giacomo Agostini (117), Valentino Rossi (95), Ángel Nieto (81) and Mike Hailwood (79).
Just in terms of his numbers in the premier category, he is the best non-titled driver of all time.
For more information and statistics, go to the detailed article of Motorcycling.
