Japanese ace Hiroshi Aoyama will likely replace Dani Pedrosa at Repsol Honda.

Japanese ace Hiroshi Aoyama is all but confirmed to be replacing Dani Pedrosa on the factory Repsol Honda team for this weekend’s Assen round of MotoGP, with Pedrosa expected to be ruled out through injury once again.

San Carlo Honda Gresini regular Aoyama is standing by to take over Pedrosa’s factory bike alongside Casey Stoner and Andrea Dovizioso in the Repsol squad, and he’s excited for the opportunity to step into Pedrosa’s position for the weekend.

“I will most probably be contesting the Dutch TT at Assen onboard a factory RC212V as part of the Repsol Honda Team,” Aoyama revealed. “I would like to thank Team San Carlo Honda Gresini and HRC for offering me this great opportunity.”

HRC test rider Kousuke Akiyoshi would replace Aoyama on the San Carlo Honda Gresini squad.

Aoyama scored one of four wins during his 2009 250cc World Championship-winning season in the Dutch TT. This will be the Japanese rider’s first visit to the circuit on the Honda RC212V.

Aoyama missed last with a broken back suffered in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Pedrosa will likely miss the Dutch TT. The Spaniard is recovering from surgery last week to fix a small fragment of bone in the right collarbone that had moved during his previous rehabilitation. Pedrosa has made next week’s Italian Grand Prix the target for his return.

Pedrosa started the season strongly, with the high point coming at the Portuguese Grand Prix in Estoril where he won, after finishing third and second in the previous two races. But injuries, both old and new, have denied him a chance to be a championship contender.

“It’s been some days since the surgery and I feel much better,” Pedrosa said. “I don’t feel the pain I had before the operation and the evolution has been very good. I’ve already begun the rehabilitation and I am very positive.

“Every day I notice an improvement and this is very good because I really wish to get back on the bike as soon as possible. To be honest, it will be very difficult for me to make it to Assen, but I really believe I will be okay for Mugello.

“I’m focused on working to get better every day and see how far I get. I want to return as soon as possible, but I want to do the right thing.”