Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Recommended for you

Why Neuville labels 2026 WRC Safari “probably the toughest rally ever”

Feature
WRC
Rally Kenya
Why Neuville labels 2026 WRC Safari “probably the toughest rally ever”

Albon: Williams' 2026 weight problem "doesn't explain" performance deficit

Feature
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Albon: Williams' 2026 weight problem "doesn't explain" performance deficit

WRC Safari Rally Kenya: Katsuta leads Fourmaux after Stage 16 cancellation

WRC
Rally Kenya
WRC Safari Rally Kenya: Katsuta leads Fourmaux after Stage 16 cancellation

Why the WRC could be on the verge of a revival

Feature
WRC
Why the WRC could be on the verge of a revival

Why Evans suffered his first WRC retirement since 2024

WRC
Rally Kenya
Why Evans suffered his first WRC retirement since 2024

Leclerc and F1 2026's oddities: The "crazy laps" are gone

Feature
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Leclerc and F1 2026's oddities: The "crazy laps" are gone

How Antonelli became F1's youngest-ever polesitter

Feature
Formula 1
Chinese GP
How Antonelli became F1's youngest-ever polesitter

What we learned from the 2026 F1 Chinese GP sprint race and qualifying

Feature
Formula 1
Chinese GP
What we learned from the 2026 F1 Chinese GP sprint race and qualifying

Scott Redding accepts his MotoGP career will end after Aprilia

Aprilia rider Scott Redding says he must "accept" that his time in MotoGP is over as he continues to weigh up where to race in 2019

It was announced in June that Suzuki rider Andrea Iannone will replace Redding at Aprilia for next year, leaving the double premier class podium finisher with no options to stay in MotoGP.

Since then he has been weighing up various options over his future, although the test rider role Aprilia had initially offered him has since gone to compatriot Bradley Smith.

"I wish him [Smith] all the luck," said Redding. "It's not going to be easy, but there's a good team behind and what they want to achieve, they are working for it, there's no doubt about it.

"I have some options, I need to make the right decision. I need to really think about my future to regain myself, to win again.

"I need to do a little step sideways and then I need to work out how to go forward again.

"So I have some nice options and definitely it will be interesting."

Asked whether he could yet return to MotoGP in 2020 or beyond, Redding replied: "Honestly there are too many young riders coming up. Pushing now [into MotoGP] every year there's two or three young riders.

"My time is over, it's done, I need to accept it and move on in another direction."

Among Redding's options for 2019 are a move to the World Superbike Championship, a British Superbike ride with top Ducati squad Paul Bird Motorsport and a possible move to Moto2, where he raced from 2010-13.

Redding said there were no hard feelings with Aprilia, despite him labelling the RS-GP bike a "piece of shit" in Austria - an outburst he does not think ultimately cost him the test rider chance.

"What happened in Austria didn't help me, but in the end we discussed, I explained myself," he said. "It wasn't against me at all.

"Maybe I was just taking too long to make a decision, but I'm not going to rush. My career could be on the verge of being over so I'm not going to rush to make my next decision.

"I need to do what is right for me in the future and being a test rider was not my main priority, I will admit that.

"I think if you ask anybody they would agree. You're 25, you've got a lot of talent why should you go and be a test rider?

"It was an option, I would like to have done it and had a chance to have come back to MotoGP, but what was the chance of me coming back in MotoGP?

"I'm not going to spin laps to do nothing in the end. I want to race."

Previous article 'Disgusted' Ponsson says MotoGP riders forced him out of Avintia
Next article Aragon Grand Prix crucial test for Ducati's MotoGP progress

Top Comments

Latest news