Moto3 leader Danny Kent chooses Moto2 over MotoGP for 2016

The Briton is to stay with his current Leopard Racing squad, which is run by the Kiefer team that took Stefan Bradl to the 2011 Moto2 title.

"We've experienced a great season this year so I'm really excited to start our challenge in the intermediate category," said Kent, who has dominated grand prix racing's junior class in 2015.

"A massive thank you to all people in the team for believing in me and I'm pretty sure that we also can have a great season in 2016 together."

The 21-year-old has previous Moto2 experience from a difficult season with Tech 3 in 2013, after which he returned to Moto3.

Kent leads the championship by 55 points with four rounds remaining.

He had the opportunity to extend that advantage at Aragon on Sunday when main rival Enea Bastianini crashed out with Brad Binder on the final lap.

But Kent himself then had a violent fall while going for second place later in the lap. He was unhurt.

Aragon race winner Miguel Oliveira - who will be Kent's 2016 Leopard Moto2 team-mate - and Romano Fenati of Valentino Rossi's VR46 team are also still in Moto3 title contention.