German Moto2 rider Max Neukirchner signs up with Kiefer for 2012 season – MotoGP news
Former MZ-RE Honda rider Max Neukirchner has signed 2012 Moto2 deal with Kiefer Racing. The German rider will be riding in place of Stefan Bradl.
Neukirchner said, “I'm thrilled about starting next year with the Kiefer Racing team in the Moto2 class. I'm also glad I'll get to ride a Kalex. A while ago I tried it out, just sitting on it and even then it was a very positive feeling.”
Bradl took a step up after winning the 2011 Moto2 title and moved to the LCR Honda team in MotoGP. He will be running as a satellite Honda rider aboard a 1000cc RC213V in 2012.
Kiefer Racing was left with search for a new rider. Neukirchner delivered a promising season in 2011 and earned a place in the championship winner team.
Before moving to the Moto2 championship, he spent three in the World Superbike Championship. During WSBK era, he scored ten podium finishes and two race wins.
He rode a 2010 specification bike with a FTR chassis under the MZ Racing team. He well adapted the new class of racing as he turned from a 1000cc racing bikes to a 600cc machine. He managed to propel his less developed bike and score points in seven races
out of initial eight events.
The German rider added, “I wish I could start now, but because of the testing ban for Moto2 teams over the winter, unfortunately I can't. We are beginning in February with the first private tests and then we'll attend the official IRTA tests.”
He aims to hit a strong start to the 2012 season and stay in the top ten slots and score podium finishes.
In the second half of the 2011 season Neukirchner was not able to score good results. However, he still took the ninth place finish in the season finale at Ricardo Tormo circuit, Valencia. A top ten finish helped him to rank at the 20th position
in the season standings.
This called the Kiefer team to get attracted towards another German rider form the 2011 championship. He will be taking a newly developed 2012 Kalex chassis for the next season.
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