Redding admits MotoGP future now "not in my hands"
Pramac Ducati rider Scott Redding has admitted his future in MotoGP is “not in my hands”, and concedes he may be forced to switch to World Superbikes for the 2018 season.
Scott Redding, Pramac Racing
Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
The British rider will not be retained by his current team, which is set to announce it has signed Jack Miller for 2018 alongside Danilo Petrucci this month.
It comes off the back of a tough season for Redding, who lies 13th in the points with a best finish of seventh in the Qatar season-opener on board the year-old GP16 Ducati.
Teammate Petrucci, who has the latest-spec GP17 at this disposal, has taken two podium finishes in the last four races and sits eighth in the standings ahead of this weekend's Brno race.
Redding’s best option to stay in the grand prix paddock appears to be a return to the Marc VDS Honda team, where he raced in 2015 before moving to Pramac the following year.
He has also been linked to a switch to WSBK, where he could join leading satellite Ducati squad Barni in an expanded two-rider line-up.
However, speaking to media on Thursday, the 24-year-old said he was having to wait on other riders to finalise their 2018 plans before he can seal his own deal for next year.
“At the moment it’s not in my hands,” said Redding. “I’m waiting for other people to make decisions. I have to pick up what’s left and make the most of it, which I’m happy to do.
“I want to stay in this paddock because I believe, at my age, I’m 24, that I’m still young and I’ve got potential and I’ve worked really hard for it.
“I’ve just struggled the last couple of years with luck, with being in the right place at the right time, I have to wait and see. I’m kind of just waiting to see where it goes."
Despite admitting he has an “option” to move across to WSBK in 2018, Redding stressed this was not his preferred choice.
“At the end, if there isn’t anything here [in MotoGP], I have an option for Superbike,” Redding added. “But I don’t really want to go there unless I can fight for the championship.
“I’m not worrying too much about it. If [my grand prix career] ends, it ends. I have to keep working hard here, which I enjoy doing, and then we have to see what happens.”
Miller has so far refused to confirm his Pramac deal is complete, but added he hoped to "sign something soon".
Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont and David Gruz
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