Bradley Smith has confirmed he is looking at test rider roles with Aprilia and Yamaha for 2019, after failing to secure a MotoGP race seat for next season.
The British rider, who has been a mainstay on the premier class grid since 2013, has not been retained by KTM for 2019 following a mixed run of form in his aboard the RC16, with Johann Zarco taking his place at the Austrian marque alongside Pol Espargaro.
Smith had hoped to take up residence at the SIC Petronas Yamaha team, but lost out to Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Quartararo.
The Briton has now turned his attention to securing a test role with Aprilia and Yamaha, and wants five wildcard appearances. With Yamaha limited to three per season, his wildcard stipulations mean Aprilia is his likely destination.
“Still waiting on a few things, obviously on my comments yesterday it's between Yamaha and Aprilia,” Smith, now 19th in the points, said.
“Both options are still available, nothing is signed or sealed on, there's no announcement.
“I know what I want, in terms of five wildcards and to be there as a test rider. When the final decisions are available, then that's what I'm pushing for.
“Still waiting for Yamaha to make their final decision and their final plan, but until that happens both are options. Honestly, I'm happy with both options.”
KTM had been keen to keep Smith in some capacity next year, but will be scaling back its wildcard outings as the test team's focus has become too distracted by racing.
Aprilia's Aleix Espargaro, who will remain with the team through to 2020, believes Smith would be a good option as a test rider as he is a “very experimental” rider.
“I talk with Bradley last week and he told me they were in talks with Aprilia, it was an option,” Espargaro said.
“I think Bradley is a very experimental rider, he has been riding the Yamaha – in one of the years in a very good level – and now he is working with the KTM.
“The last races he improve a lot the level of the bike and his level. So I think he is a young guy who still has potential to be a factory rider to race in MotoGP, but because of how tight everything is in MotoGP, there is no space for him.
“So to be a test rider I think is more than good.
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