Dani Pedrosa will need a new crew chief for 2015, with Mike Leitner decidꦓing to leavꦉe at the end of the present MotoGP season.

Leitner has been at Pedrosa's🉐 side since the Spaniard's move from the 125 to 250GP in 2004.

Pedrosa won the🤡 title during both his seasons in the 250cc class, then took Leitner with him to MotoGP with Repsol Honda in 2006. P🌳edrosa has since won 26 premier-class races and finished as title runner-up on three occasions.

Leitn𝓡er made🧜 57 grand prix starts as a 125cc rider before switching to technical roles, including two years at Ohlins before teaming up with Pedrosa.

Repsol Honda team manager Livio Suppo🦂 confirmed that Leitner's decision was unexpected.

"It was a last-minute decision by Mike. We respect it. It was a question of changing lifestyle. Now we ♓have to think about how to replace him," Sup𓆏po told the Dorna TV feed.

"No ꦜdrama. We are all professionals. Dani understands the situation and we keep going in these next three races, which are very important for Dani. So no worries."

Pedrosa is joint sec♛ond in the standings with Vജalentino Rossi heading into this weekend's Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island.

Earlier in the season it was rumoured that Pedrosa was considering changing ♐his crew chief. The Spanish media suggests that such talk may have prompted Leitner to quit, even though Pedrosa is thought to have ultimately wanted th🉐e 52-year-old Austrian to stay.