Stefan Bradl: “I had to take this chance”

Moto2 world champion Stefan Bradl said the chance to move to MotoGP on a two-year deal with the LCR Honda squad was simply too good to turn down.

Bradl’s dream of switching to MotoGP in 2012 appeared shattered earlier in the season when plans by his Kiefer Racing Moto2 squad to move up collapsed as it couldn’t raise the budget to lease a Honda RC213V 1000cc machine.

But his hopes of racing against the likes of Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo in the inaugural 1000cc MotoGP world championship were rekindled when the chance to sign for Lucio Cecchinello’s satellite Honda squad emerged at the final race in Valencia.

Bradl had intended to stay in Moto2 for another season with the Kiefer squad but he told MCN: “If I had the chance I would have already signed two months ago. These chances don’t come around too often, so I will do it now and I’m very happy about it.

Another year in Moto2 would be good for me but now I have the chance I had to take it.” Bradl won the second Moto2 title in 2011 with four wins.