Dani Pedrosa has opened up on his decision to join KTM in a testing capacity from the end of this year, stating the chance to lend his considerable experience to a “young team with high expectations” was a crucial factor.
As rumoured since August , Dani Pedrosa has officially joined Red Bull KTM as its MotoGP test rider on a two-year deal having recently announced his retirement from Grand Prix racing.<
MotoGP Race Director Mike Webb has explained the reasoning behind Freddie Spencer’s appointment as the Chairman of the FIM Stewards Panel for 2019, stating the respect commanded by the American will compliment the experience and understanding of racing incidents that he brings to the role.
Both Red Bull KTM riders Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro see Phillip Island as their best shot ar a strong result to end 2018 given the team’s impressive pace both in last year’s race and in previous tests.
Bradley Smith says the extremely competitive level in MotoGP came out with his last-lap battle against Scott Redding to secure the final point place in 15 th at the first-ever Thailand round as he seeks answers behind pace problems in the first Asia flyaway race.
Results haven’t been going his way but Sam Lowes remains resolute and feels he and his Swiss Innovative Investors Team are capable of scoring a podium finish in the final five Moto2 races of 2018.
The British Superbike title contender opens up on his move to the Moto2 class in 2019 and feels he has “the best package … [to] develop into one of the top riders” in the series.
Bradley Smith expressed disappointment after he missed out on a place in the second qualifying shootout of the day, and felt some of the riding he witnessed in that session was “dangerous.”
To say that Saturday at Aragon was a day to forget for the Espargaro family would be a massive understatement. It began with factory KTM rider Pol re-breaking his healing left collarbone in morning practice, sending him back to hospital for surgery.
Dani Pedrosa remained silent on Thursday about his highly-rumoured switch to KTM as a MotoGP test rider next season, but Pol Espargaro spoke openly about what the 31-time race winner could bring to the Austrian project.
As expected, Mika Kallio has extended his MotoGP testing contract with KTM for 2019. The Finn, currently sidelined by serious right-knee ligament damage at the Sachsenring, will thus remain part of the team for a fourth season.
Pol Espargaro is confident he’ll be able to manage the pain during the Misano race but accepts he’ll be hampered by a lack of physical power on his Red Bull KTM on his return from injury.
Bradley Smith has revealed he is edging closer to confirming his role as Aprilia’s MotoGP test rider for 2019 while reiterating a aim of being a full-time presence in the paddock the following year.
During the build-up to the British MotoGP – before it was cancelled – Crash.net caught up with Moto2 world title contender Miguel Oliveira to chat about all things orange at KTM, his early preparations for his move up to MotoGP and what his dentistry studies mean to him.
Aleix Espargaro would welcome the arrival of Bradley Smith as an Aprilia test and wild-card rider in 2019. The struggling Italian factory is among the teams looking to boost its development programme by signing a test rider with proven MotoGP speed and experience.
John McPhee has said the Moto3 title is “100 percent the goal” in 2019 after it was confirmed he would join the Petronas-backed SIC [Sepang International Circuit] Honda squad in the junior category in November.