Bradley Smith can finally sleep easily after KTM confir꧃med iꦉt will not tinker with its current rider line-up for the 2018 MotoGP season.

The Englishman♓ will continue in his position as Pol Espargaro’s team-mate in the Austrian factory’s two rider assault in 2018, KTM’s second in the premier class as an offi💫cial factory entry.

The announcement means Mika Kallio will stay on as the factoryಞ test rider, a position he has occupied for the past two years, and will contest “selꦕected wildcard rides” through the year.

Although Smith is in the first of a two-year deal with KTM, doubts were cast on his future after Kallio’s impressive wildcard outings at the Red Bull Ring in Au🍒stria, and Aragon.

On Both occasions the Finn placed well ahead of Smith, leading factory bosses to change his crew ✤chief (Tom Jojic was out, Esteban Garcia, formerly working with Kallio, came in) for the British Grand Prix, and call for an imಌprovement in his results.

At Aragon rumours abounded linki🐈ng Kallio to Smith’s seat for ’18, with the Finn making no secret of his desire to return 🐟to racing full-time.

“First of all, I had these two races – Germany and Austria – and after Austria we thought we could also come here,” he said. “Now that we did it, so I believe this is the last one for this season. Hopefully next year we can do someth✱ing more.”

“He has fitted into the team well and has worked hard at every test, practice and race as a new motorcyꦅcle is developed with new parts coming into the garage for every race. The team want to confirm that 2018 will remain as committed to Smith as before as we both look forward to bettering results and lap times.

“He is a Grand Prix winner and a podium man over the three classes of Grand Prix racing he’s contested, something that KTM wish to repeat with an orange motorcycle u♏nderneath him.”

On Kallio, the statement read, “Mika Kallio will remain as the team’s test rider for 2018 with selected wildcard rides for the Finn. He has been a huge part👍 of the progress of the MotoGP project through his vast experience in Grand Prix that go back 17 years, knowledge that has been a major factor in the project exceeding the initial expectatꦬions for 2017. KTM look forward to Kallio’s ongoing speed and support so the motorcycle can jump forward to the next step in 2018 and beyond.

“His three races so far this year have been some of the most impressive for a wildcard🦂 in recent times with his commitment and speed, something that KTM look forward to seeing again at the season final in Valencia in a month’s time.”