Full Name: Dani Pedrosa
Height: 158cm
Weight: 43kg
Date of Birth: 29th September 1985
Place of Birth: Castellar del Valles, Barcelona, Spain
First Race: 1996
Grand Prix Debut: 2001
Dani Pedrosa was born in Castellar del Valles, a small village near Sabadell in the province of Barcelona, Spain, although he now lives in London. He is the youngest world champion in the 125cc and 250cc Grands Prix classes.
At the age of four, Pedrosa got his first motocycle, an Italjet 50. He got his first racing bike, a replica of a Kawasaki, at the age of six but it wasn't until he was eleven before he experienced real racing. Pedrosa entered the Spanish Minibike Championship in 1996, finishing the season in second place. In 1997 he entered the Championship again and finished third. He won the Spanish Minibike Championship in 1998.
Pedrosa briefly toyed with mountain bike racing due to a lack of funding, when a friend learned of the Movistar Activa Cup in 1999. Pedrosa entered and, in his first race on a geared bike and on a circuit, finished the race in eighth place. He was selected as one of three riders for Alberto Puig's Team.
In 2000 Pedrosa took part in the 125cc Spanish Championship with the Movistar Junior Team. He managed four finishes (from six races), took four pole positions and finished in fourth place overall.
In 2001, Pedrosa was promoted into the 125cc World Championship. He managed to take two podiums for third places (in Valencia and Motegi). Despite his lack of experience, he battled at the front. He finished in eighth place overall in the Championship.
Pedrosa finished third in the 125cc Championship in 2002.
The following year, in 2003, Pedrosa clinched the title in Malaysia with two GPs remaining. He took a total of five victories and six podium finishes. Unfortunately, just one week after his victory he had a bad accident during the practice session for the Australian GP. The bad accident left Pedrosa with both his ankles broken.
Pedrosa moved into the 250cc class in 2004. In his rookie season he became the 250cc World Champion in Australia, and the youngest racer in history, at the age of 19, to win the title. He only finished off the podium three times all season, twice in fourth place and a crash at Jerez.
Despite struggling during some wet races and several crashes, Pedrosa was able to retain his title in 2005. He won the Championship with two rounds remaining.