Just prior to us going to print, it was announced that American Jake Gagne would be joining Leon Camier in the Ten Kate Red Bull Honda squad for WSB in 2018. Now, did this take us by surprise? A little bit of yes, and a little bit no, if we’re completely honest.
Stefan Bradl looked lost at sea during 2017, and the woes of the new Honda Fireblade can’t have helped at all either. Most GP refugees take a while to acclimatise to WSB (it took Biaggi and Checa five seasons to win their first WSB titles), the bikes, tyres, and the fact that the riders there are pretty good, but Bradl was woeful, only showing the briefest of glimpses and even then, usually outside of the top ten. He was hit by injury during the year, too, so when you add all of that up and include the bike’s issues, this does not a happy Stefan make, not one bit…
Had he jumped on something a little less underdeveloped, a different manufacturer perhaps, this could be an entirely different story right now. But he didn’t, and fromwhat we hear is now looking to be a test rider for Honda rather than race. Which is a huge pity, because he is undoubtedly a talent and someone who could go well in WSB on the right bike. It’s also a pity, as we would have assumed that he’d want to try and prove to all that his miserable debut Superbike season isn’t what he’s all about. But then signing for another team (when all the top rides are gone) is another risk, and perhaps one too far for Bradl. What a shame, but we won’t rule out a racing return for him entirely, at least not yet.