Stefan Bradl and his crew were working diligently throughout Friday’s opening practice session to collect valuable insights.

For the 25 year young German the main object is to continue his familiarization with the team’s Aprilia RS-GP machine. Bradl encountered a few problems from a physical point of view due to pain in his right wrist this morning but the situation improved by the time when he was able to cut almost one second off his best lap time to finish the session in 15th position.

#6 Stefan BRADL (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, Aprilia), FP1: 21. – 1´59.434 (9/17) / FP2: 15. – 1´58.484 (13/16):

“We tried a lot of setup solutions today because we’re still in a phase where we need to figure out exactly which direction to go in order to adapt as best as possible to the bike. We worked on the frame geometries, implementing a few ideas that we had, and in doing so we made some progress both in the morning and in the afternoon. Then, during FP2, I put on the softer tyre for the first time and I managed quite well to take benefit from it. But we also must keep an eye on hard work on being more consistent with our race pace. My wrist isn’t at 100 percent but the situation improved in the afternoon. I hope that I’ll be more fit during Sunday’s race to push harder than I was able at Indy last time.”

Combined Free Practice Times FP1/FP2:
1 Jorge LORENZO / SPA / Movistar Yamaha MotoGP / Yamaha / 1´56.499 (FP1)
2 Marc MARQUEZ / SPA / Repsol Honda Team / Honda / 1´56.513 +0.014 (FP2)
3 Andrea IANNONE / ITA / Ducati Team / Ducati / 1´56.750 +0.251 (FP2)
16 Stefan BRADL / GER / Aprilia Racing Team Gresini / Aprilia / 1´54.484 + 1.985 (FP2)

Indianapolis, 8 August – Stefan Bradl qualified for P17 on the grid in his debut as Aprilia factory rider though, this performance came surprisingly for him.

Bradl displayed a steep learning curve over the course of both practice days. With every single run he feels better with the team’s Aprilia RS-GP and furthermore he was able to improve his lap times by one second session by session. With his personal best marker of 1´33.822, Bradl will start from the sixth row, just ahead of his more experience team mate Alvaro Bautista. Despite reduced grip and less than perfect track conditions for the brand-new Italian MotoGP prototype, as well for Bradl’s physical conditions due to his still injured right wrist, he underlined grit and determination.

#6 Stefan BRADL (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, Aprilia), Grid position 17th – 1´33.822 (5/7):

“I’m absolutely surprised to have already reached such a strong level on my first outing with the new team and bike. It’s true that I didn’t take much to get more familiarized to it further, but in any case I hope that we’ll capable of making another steps in terms of setup tomorrow. Today we did a lot of work both on the geometries and on the electronics and the most important thing is that I can feel the changes well. That means that we know which direction to go in order to improve. In any case tomorrow’s race won’t be no walk in the park: I pushed hard during practices and in qualifying today and I could feel that my right wrist is still not at 100 percent. I’ll give it a rest this night as well do to everything possible in order to be physically fit tomorrow. Anyway, it will be tough of course because also the tyres will wear, the bike’s performance will change and I still need to learn how to ride it in these conditions, particularly with worn tyres. But in any case we have done a great job thus far and I hope we’ll be able to deliver a good race tomorrow.”

Classification Qualifying (QP1/QP2):
1 Marc MARQUEZ / SPA / Repsol Honda Team / Honda / 1´31.884
2 Dani PEDROSA / SPA / Repsol Honda Team / Honda / 1´32.055 +0.171
3 Jorge LORENZO / SPA / Movistar Yamaha MotoGP / Yamaha / 1´32.186 +0.302
17 Stefan BRADL / GER / Aprilia Racing Team Gresini / Aprilia / 1´33.822 +1.938 (Q1)

Indianapolis, Friday 7 August – Stefan Bradl experienced his debut aboard the Italian MotoGP bike on Friday with positive comments given to his technicians.

The first day of practice at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway went underway with sunny skies as Bradl making his debut aboard the Aprilia RS-GP, which he will ride for the remaining season. The first laps allowed him to get familiarized with the bike and his new team, but limiting himself and his crew to work on small changes to the setup. Attention was focused on ergonomics, the position of the foot pegs and the handlebar as well for the conformation of the right position in order to find a comfortable seat position. The conclusion of the first day of work was definitely positive even Bradl faces a lot of work ahead of him. However, Aprilia delivered a competitive bike with predictable reactions, particularly like the electronics and the seamless gearbox. Bradl finished day one in Indiana in 20th position of the combined practice times as he was able to better his lap time by 1.5 seconds between both Friday’s sessions.

#6 Stefan Bradl (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, Aprilia), FP1: 22. – 1´36.444 (15/19) / FP2: 20. – 1´34.935 (11/17):

“I’m very happy with the work done today. This morning I took on an entirely new situation for new to see how professional my new environment is and that gave me a lot of confidence. Of course it’s still too early to make any kind of real assessments with just two practice session’s und our belts but we did an excellent job during our first outing together. This of course is definitely positive and the bike’s basic performance is good, so I’m pleased at all. We still have a lot of work ahead of us because we just must try and stay focused as we’ll need to continue working on a lot of aspects. However, I think we’re capable of improving step by step. For my side I also need to be careful because I still feel a bit of pain in my right wrist which in any case doesn’t bother me at riding for the moment. I hope it will not get worse but it won’t be easy anyway because I’ve been out of the saddle for six weeks.”

Combined Practice Times FP1/FP2:
1 Jorge LORENZO / SPA / Movistar Yamaha MotoGP / Yamaha / 1´32.860 (FP2)
2 Marc MARQUEZ / SPA / Repsol Honda Team / Honda / 1´32.863 +0.003 (FP2)
3 Andrea Dovizioso / ITA / Ducati Team / Ducati / 1´33.155 +0.295 (FP2)
20 Stefan BRADL / GER / Aprilia Racing Team Gresini / Aprilia / 1´34.495 + 2.075 (FP2)

Stefan Bradl gets excited ahead of his debut as factory rider for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini at the world famous Brickyard at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

After the three week summer break the MotoGP™ series continues with this weekend’s Indianapolis Grand Prix, round ten of the 2015 championship. Bradl, who signed an agreement for the remaining nine races with the Italian manufacturer last weekend, turns back to his job as a racer now. In doing so the 25 year young German rider will make his debut aboard the team’s Aprilia RS-GP prototype.

#6 Stefan BRADL (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, Aprilia) – World Championship position 19 (9 points):

“I hardly can’t wait for Friday’s first free practice session in Indianapolis and to start this new, great adventure. Obviously it won’t be easy at the beginning because I’ll need to get used to a new team and a new bike, so my main goal for the first shakedown over the course of this grand prix is to get to know my crew and familiarising myself with the way how the bike performs. As for my injured right wrist, the situation is good. I’m very pleased because my hand is no longer giving me problems and finally I’ve been able to do the same training programme as I did before the injury. During the summer break the healing process went well and the doctors gave me green lights to race at Indy last Monday. Recently I did also some Motocross training in order to check my sensations on a bike. I still don’t know how I’ll feel aboard a MotoGP bike but I think that by the time the first day of practice goes underway I’ll closely reach a 100 percent level in terms of fitness.“

MotoGP™ Time Schedule for the Indianapolis Grand Prix (GMT+2):
Friday, 7 August: 15:55 – 16:40 FP1
Friday, 7 August: 20:05 – 20:50 FP2
Saturday, 8 August: 15:55 – 16:40 FP3
Saturday, . August: 19:30 – 20:00 FP4
Saturday, 8 August: 20:10 – 20:25 QP1
Saturday, 8 August: 20:35 – 20:50 QP2
Sunday, 9 August: 15:40 – 16:00 Warm Up
Sunday, 9 August: 20:00 Race (27 laps – 112.59 km)

Daten Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
First venue for the Indianapolis Grand Prix: 2008
Length: 4,170 meters
Width: 16 meters
Longest Straight: 872 meters
Left turns: 10
Right turns: 6
Best MotoGP™ Pole-Position: 1´31.619 (2014)
MotoGP™ Circuit Lap Record: 1´32.831 (2014)
Stefan Bradl‘s Results 2014: Startplatz 10 / NC

MotoGP™ World Standing 2015:
1 Valentino ROSSI / ITA / Yamaha / 179
2 Jorge LORENZO / SPA / Yamaha / 166
3 Andrea IANNONE / ITA / Ducati / 118
19 Stefan BRADL / GER / Aprilia / 9

The 25 year young Bavarian rider has signed an agreement with the Italian manufacturer to race the factory’s Aprilia RS-GP for the rest of the 2015 season.

Bradl will join his new team and ride the MotoGP Aprilia bike for the first time at this weekend’s Indianapolis Grand Prix, which marks the opening round for the second part this year. As well-known Aprilia’s factory efforts in the MotoGP™ World Championship led by the team of former champion Fausto Gresini. After a difficult start with Forward Racing’s Open bike Yamaha Forward during the first third of the season Bradl proved his speed to be a serious Open category winner with best placed Open rider and wining the class during the Barcelona weekend. But in a nasty fall at the TT Circuit in Assen two weeks’ later he suffered a broken scaphoid on the right hand for which Bradl was forced to sit out for his home round at the Sachsenring mid of last month. In previous races Bradl collected nine points. However, his Forward Racing team run into financial difficulties during the summer break, so the former Moto2 Champion was forced to look for other opportunities in order to be able to compete for the remaining season.

#6 Stefan BRADL (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, Aprilia) – WM-Position 19 (9 Punkte):

“The past few weeks were probably the most grueling of my career. After the setback, having to sit out at my home race, it got worse with the turmoil surroundings about Forward Racing. I already was declared fit for the Indianapolis race when I received the message, Forward has to withdraw from this race due to well-known reasons. Of course this was a slap in the face for me because I feel fit and I’m very eager to comeback to racing very quickly again. But fortunately things has changed for a better way after endless negotiations and countless telephone conclusions during the last week. I can hardly express my relief in words about the conclusion of the agreement with the Aprilia Racing Team; I’m really, really happy that I’m able to continue my career without any unwanted break. At this point I would also like to express my thanks to all parties equal align that everything worked out in such a short time. I’m very, very grateful and overjoyed at the same time to race in a proper factory team for the rest of the season. This makes me proud and I consider this opportunity as a tremendous one for me. From the first races with my new team we may not expect too much though. First of all I must familiarize with my new team as well to get used to the bike. Both are the main targets for Indianapolis Grand Prix. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward even more to the second half of the season after these difficult weeks in the past. Of course even more due to all the new, interesting challenges that await me. Thanks again to all for their confidence in me and this most unique opportunity that is offered to me in Aprilia and Team Gresini.“