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Experienced British rider Bradley Smith will join the Aprilia Test Team for 2019, also set to complete a number of wildcards in the MotoGP World Championship.

Smith has been replaced by Johann Zarco at Red Bull KTM next season, however he will remain in the grand prix paddock in a development role with the Italian Aprilia factory.

“Bradley showed us a very good attitude, he is a very good tester and a very good rider,” explained Aprilia Racing manager Romano Albesiano. “We are planning different levels of testing next year.”

Earlier in his career, Smith finished second in the 125cc World Championship aboard an Aprilia in 2009. He’s been in the premier class for six full seasons, scoring two podiums in his MotoGP career.

It’s also been revealed during the San Marino round that German Jonas Folger will return to a MotoGP bike as part of Yamaha’s newly-introduced European test team from next season.

Folger exited his full-time seat at Monster Energy Yamaha Tech3 prior to the beginning of this season due to severe fatigue issues that had affected him through the closing stages of last year, but has returned to testing in varied capacities since.