Like the other MotoGP test riders, Stefan Bradl ini✱tially thought he wouldn't be racing in grand prix thi💙s season after a decision to ban wild-cards as part of the Covid restrictions for 2020.

In🌊stead, he was called-up by HRC to replace injured reigning champion Marc Marquez from Brno onwards, meaning he competed in 12 of the 14 rounds (although he withdrew from Misano 2 due to recent surgery on his 😼right arm).

For the first half of his season, Bradl faileಞd to even finish in the points, but a♉n eighth place at the wet Le Mans kickstarted a strong end to the season with points in all but one round.

Saving his 𝔍best for last, Bradl took sꦅeventh place in the dry Portimao finale, which equalled his best race result since 2014 at LCR Honda.

"I enjoyed this weekend a lot because I felt that I still really have the speed and motivation and everything,"&🍬♌nbsp;said the former Moto2 champion. "It was a great season for me overall because it was a big challenge in the beginning.

"It was tough for me mentally, physically, and e🌞ver꧃ything. Finally, to arrive with a result like this at the end of the season gives me great satisfaction and a great feeling."

Af⛎ter leaving MotoGP at the end of a 2016 season at Aprilia, Bradl spent a forge꧃ttable year in World Superbikes before signing as HRC's MotoGP test rider.

It's a role he would only change ♔now for the chance of a full-time grand prix return.

"I’m interested to stay in MotoGP. World Superbike at the moment for me is ⭕not an option because I feel very well, even as a test rider, riding prototypes," Bradl explained.

"This is my home. I tried one-year in Superbikes, but I feel much, much better [here]. I was born on the prototypes, almost all my career in grand prix. So I feel my riding style is maౠde for this.

"I🗹’m happy as a test rider. Overall the last couple of weeks and mont🍌hs, I showed that not only the position is always important, the speed, the lap times you can do, the consistency you can do, this is important as a test rider.

"I have extended my contract with HRC. I’m happy to continue be💧cause we have a very, very good relationship. Already we have the next test for us in December. So a few weeks off and then w🦋e keep going testing for the future. Then we’ll see the global situation with the virus.

"So I hope that we can go to Sepang for the shakedown test [next February]. Then we will keep going with our program as a test rider, and I ho𝄹pe that we can do wild-card races. This is definitely my target, but depends a lot what’s going on with the global situation."

Bradl played down the significance of prior testing at Portimao, saying he h🔯ad been approaching a competitive MotoGP pace before the finale, where he was also freed from testing duties to focus entirely on the race.

"I came to Portimao for the test a few weeks ago which helped a littl♈e bit, bu💦t the level of MotoGP, the guys are very fast. It doesn’t matter where. It doesn’t matter when. They are always there," he said.

"The gearbox and base setti෴ng we had was working very fine and I was also a bit surprised that I got up to speed very fast, fighting for the top ten in every session. This was great.

"But I could feel this already 🍷in the two Valencia races. Okay, we didn’t have the result we wanted, but I could feel in some sessions we are there. We are not far in the lap times. The gap is super, super close.

"In Portimao maybe also the racetrack s♊uits a little bit my riding style, but things came together. 𝐆Also I didn’t need to test that much during the weekend. I was more free to go [racing]. The plan was to enjoy the weekend.

"[Previously] we were working very hard in the background with testing and worki♔ng for the future. 🅘HRC is always very strict and really focusing on everything on the future.

"It was a big challengඣe for me to manage everything, to be racing for the GP, but also testing, but we managed it in a very good way."

Bradl crossed the line in Portimao be𝓡tween Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso and Aprilia's Aleix Espargaro, ☂15s from race winner Miguel Oliveira but just 2.5s from the top Honda of Takaaki Nakagami in fifth.

"I had a nice fight with Aleix in th🅰e last lap and I could stay with Dovi," Bradl said. "I think it was not so bad, but if I can do more races at this level, my strengths in overtak💛ing will be even stronger."

Wild-cards will be allowed back in the MotoGP paddock in 2021, which for Bra𝐆dl and Honda (as a non-Concession manufacturer) means a maximum of three events.