Moto2 World Champion in 2011, Bradl then spent three years with Honda in MotoGP on a satellite machine at LCR, finishing second once, then two seasons at Aprilia, finishing 18th and 16th in the Championship. He then moved to Honda Ten Kate in Superbike, without much success, before there was talk of him as a MotoGP test rider.
But the situation is getting complicated, as his manager Günther Wiesinger explains in Speedweek. com : “ Honda Motor Europe (HME) did not renew Stefan Bradl's 2018 option at the end of June. The German was later accused of losing motivation. He simply requested technical updates which were never carried out ».
“After the summer holidays, at the Lausitzring the situation remained unchanged, Stefan said.. I was disappointed when they told me: Now we have a new fairing, and so you will automatically ride two tenths per lap faster. »
“I've been working long enough to know that a new fairing in our project is not two tenths of a turn. Above all, we didn't need a new fairing, because on the straights I know how to make myself small, and my stature is really good for a driver. Better electronics and smoother power delivery would have been more important ».
“With this bike you had to take a lot of risks, if you wanted to get into the top ten. Such a risk cannot be taken every weekend in every test session. You have little time to ride SBK on Friday, during the two free practice sessions, and you need to be in the top ten for Superpole. »
“Giving 110% to finish 30 seconds into the race doesn't interest me. That's why I asked for changes. The expectations before the season were completely different.”
Therefore, he devoted himself more and more to plan B. The idea of becoming a MotoGP test rider came in August when KTM proposed it to Bradl. At that time, KTM was considering spinning off Bradley Smith and to promote Mika Kallio to the position of permanent pilot.
When HRC's request came, Bradl seemed more excited about the KTM proposal than about a second season with Honda in Superbike. Therefore, he turned down Honda WSBK's offer in November. Honda Motor Europe then took until the first week of December to name Jake Gagne as its second driver alongside Leon Camier.
Source: Speedweek. com
