BRADLEY Smith has secured a new position as test rider for the Aprilia MotoGP team next season.

The Oxfordshire star, pictured, will assist race riders Aleix Espargaro and Andrea Iannone, but will also make wildcard appearances – the number of which has not been announced.

Aprilia is allowed to enter as many as six additional

entries next season as one

of MotoGP’s concession teams.

“The only thing confirmed at the moment is that I’ll be at the Qatar test and Qatar race,” Smith said.

“So I will be at round one. That’s obviously exciting for me. I think it’s always nice to be at round one.”

Smith was agonisingly just one place out of the points in yesterday’s San Marino MotoGP.

The KTM Red Bull rider came home 16th in a race won by Andrea Dovizioso.