Dani Pedrosa’s passion for motorcycles began, like many of the top current riders, as a small child riding pocket-bikes. By the age of twelve he had won the national championship in his native Spain, but a lack of funds almost curtailed his promising career before it had begun. However, a revolutionary search for fresh racing talent in Spain headed by former Grand Prix star Alberto Puig with funding from telecommunications company MoviStar gave the youngster the opportunity to prove himself on a bigger stage and he took it with both hands.
After responding to a national advertisement, Pedrosa competed in the MoviStar Activa Cup in 1999 and was one of the riders selected by Puig from hundreds of hopefuls to contest the 125cc Spanish Championship in 2000. Four pole positions from twelve rounds and fourth position overall was enough to convince Puig to select him as part of a three-man team alongside Toni Elias and Joan Olive to contest the 125cc World Championship in 2001.
- Birth date: 29/09/1985
- Birth place: Sabadell, SPA
- First Grand Prix: 2001 JAP 125cc
- First Pole Position 2002 JAP 125cc
- First Race Fastest Lap 2002 MOT 125cc
- First Podium 2001 VAL 125cc
- First GP Victory 2002 NED 125cc
- Grand Prix Starts 46
- 125cc Starts 46
- Grand Prix Victories 8
- 125cc Victories 8
- 2nd Placements 4
- 3rd placements 5
- Podium 17
- Pole Positions 8
- Race Fastest Lap 5
- World Championship Wins 1 - 2003 125cc
- Total Points 566
GP CAREER
- 2001: World Championship debut at the 125cc Japan GP riding an Honda in Team Telefonica Movistar Junior Team. Final Championship position: 8th with 100 points
- 2002: Second season with Telefonica Movistar Junior Team. Final Championship position: 3rd with 243 points - 3 wins: Netherlands, Pacific, and Valencia.
- 2003: Wins his first 125cc World Championship for the Telefonica Movistar Junior Team. Championship position: 1st with 223 points after 14 of 16 rounds. 5 wins so far: South Africa, France, Catalunya, Czech Republic and Malaysia.
