Bradley Smith signs for the 125cc Polaris World team

[FourWheelDrift]

Rumours of him joining the Aspar Aprilia team earlier in the season but instead he has joined the factory Polaris World Aprilia team, which took 4 wins and 9 poles this season. When Passini's bike lasted a race. Although the other bike had much better reliability, I think Passini was just unlucky, he could have been champion this year.

Crash.net said:

The Oxford-based rider, who has ridden under the guidance of Alberto Puig at Repsol Honda for the past two seasons, has signed a contract to ride for the Polaris World team - which has won four grands prix, and taken nine pole positions, with Mattia Pasini this season. Smith will ride one of the latest factory Aprilia machines, which have won 13 of the 16 rounds so far held this season.

"I'm very proud to have been made such a brilliant offer and already I'm looking forward to next season," said Smith. "To compete on a slightly more competitive machine with the support of such a professional team will be fantastic. In the meantime I will now concentrate all my efforts at the final grand prix of the season in Valencia, Spain a week on Sunday."

Smith, who currently lies tenth in the 125cc World Championship with one round remaining, re-wrote the history books earlier this year when he finished third in the French Grand Prix at Le Mans - making him the youngest British rider to finish on a grand prix podium in the 58-year history of world championship racing.

[FourWheelDrift]

Oh and 14yr old Scott Redding gets a 125cc GP ride next year with the BQR Blusens Aprilia team.

Crash.net said:

The 14-year-old will be the team's number one rider for 2008 and 2009 in the 125cc World Championship. There is the option on the third year to move him into the 250cc class.

Originally, Redding was going to stay in the Spanish national series for 2008 whilst gaining experience in selected wildcard MotoGP rides but he has impressed the team so much with his progress that they've decided to run him full-time in MotoGP.

"It's what I've always dreamed of and my next goal is to win the 2008 125GP rookie of the year award," said Redding. The Gloucestershire teen has the ability to learn circuits in very few laps which has stunned everyone he has worked with and is a skill which will stand by him in the future.

[Skyedriver]

Well done Bradley and good luck next year.
ps take a tool box with you.....

[IforB]

That's great news. He's had a storming season so far and hopefully a quicker bike will let himget the results he deserves.

At last a brit in a GP class on a decent bike!

[Graeme_Gman]

Fantastic to hear that he will be finally able to showcase his talents on something truly competitive. He's been really unlucky this year with the broken wrist just as he seemed to be hitting consistent near podium finishes. He has shown his class though by being the leading Honda rider almost every time out by quite a margin.

Good to hear about Scott Redding too. 2 Brits on decent machinery at long last. Maybe we will finally have another British winner as it's been a long time since Jezza's win in on the 250 Aprilia!