Savadori to take over from Smith for Aprilia in last three MotoGP rounds

(Reuters) - Italian test rider Lorenzo Savadori has replaced Briton Bradley Smith at Aprilia Racing Team Gresini for the final three rounds of the season, the MotoGP team said on Tuesday.

Italian Superbike champion Savadori will partner Spain's Aleix Espargaro and make his MotoGP debut at the Europe Grand Prix on Nov. 8.

The 27-year-old will also feature at the Valencia and Portuguese Grands Prix on Nov. 15 and 22, respectively.

"To say I'm happy would be an understatement," Savadori said in a statement https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2020/10/27/savadori-to-replace-smith-in-valencia-and-portimao/353716. "I will be arriving prepared for the event, thanks both to the work done during the tests on the RS-GP and to the CIV season that just ended.

"I need to reorganise my thoughts, glean from the kilometres I've ridden astride the RS-GP and make sure I'm ready and focused for the first practice session."

Test rider Smith was brought in to replace Andrea Iannone, who is serving a doping ban. Smith has scored 12 points, and Aprilia did not explain why he would not see out the season.

(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Chennai; Editing by Hugh Lawson)