*** Bradley Smith, Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team
Monster Yamaha Tech3 announced on Thursday that Moto2 sensation Jonas Folger will join the squad for the 2017 season. The 22 year old German has been in the fray since 2008 and is challenging for the Moto2 title onboard the All German Dynavolt intact GP squad alongside Sandro Cortese.
The Bavarian rider will be the second German rider on the MotoGP grid alongside Stefan Bradl (Aprilia Racing team Gresini) and is the first time that Germany has two representatives in the premier class of Motorsport. Folger will be joining the Tech3 team in the post season Valencia test in late November 2016.
Team boss Herve Poncharal stated it took him and the squad a very long time to decide on Bradley Smith's replacement at the team and finally zeroed on the young and potent German. Bradley Smith is set to leave the French squad at the end of the season to join the KTM factory project.
Jonas's contract announcement is only the fourth confirmed seat in the 23 rider grid for 2017 after Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Bradley Smith announced their future aspirations previously. With 4 seats taken, nineteen more places are up for grabs in the rider market which makes it the "silliest silly season" ever.
By: Suraj