Bradl confirmed at Aprilia for 2016
Stefan Bradl will remain a factory Aprilia rider in MotoGP next season alongside Alvaro Bautista, the team has officially announced.
Photo by: Red Bull GmbH and GEPA pictures GmbH
Bradl joined the Gresini-run outfit for July's Indianapolis race after parting ways with the beleaguered Forward Racing team, which was forced to skip the American round in the wake of financial problems caused by the arrest of team boss Giovanni Cuzari.
The former Moto2 champion opted to terminate his contract with Forward as a result, soon filling the Aprilia seat vacated by Marco Melandri.
In his first four races for the Italian marque, Bradl has taken a best finish of 14th aboard the RS-GP, which is due a significant overhaul for next season, the German proving a close match for Bautista.
"At my first Grand Prix with Aprilia in Indianapolis I immediately felt really welcome by the whole team," said Bradl.
"I can say without a doubt that Aprilia is the best team I have raced with since starting my World Championship career.
"I could tell from the first day that they really believe in me and I like the way they prepare and plan every session. Signing for 2016 gives me a lot of confidence for the upcoming races and it is great motivation to prepare for next season as best as possible.
"I know Aprilia has high expectations and I am confident that we have what it takes to be a consistent top 10 contender for 2016. This must be our goal.”
Lowes signs for 2017
Aprilia has also confirmed that Moto2 frontrunner Sam Lowes will be joining the team as a full race rider in 2017, after reports emerged that the Brit had signed a pre-contract with the team.
Former World Supersport champion Lowes will remain in Moto2 for a third and final season, switching from Speed Up to the Gresini squad, before making the step up to the premier class after undergoing an extensive testing programme in 2016.
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