Bradley Smith's early summer announceme꧟nt that h꧟e was contemplating retirement sent tongues wagging, but also set his mind in motion.

Is this really what I want?

🍨It was a question the factory KTM rider has contemplated in the two months since, but in Brno h🌼e came clean; there's “unfinished business” on the track.

The 27-year-old has miles on the tyres, but he's far from tired wꦺith life in MotoGP. Speaking before the race he assessed the situation and admitted&nb𒆙sp;he didn't want to take what he perceived as a backwards step in his career. 

“At the time I🧸 thought I'd got to the end of the road in my career,” said Smith about his Mugello announcement. “I thought what more is there for me to do? I was top satellite rider. I've beeᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚn a factory rider.

"The last couple of years haven't gone the way that I'd like but I'm a slow burner. I'mꦛ now getting the results I should be getting but Iꦡ build into things. It doesn't always help me in situations.

“When I talked about retiring I felt it was the end of the road for me. What else is there for me to do in MotoGP? I was never going to get a Factory Ducati, Factory Yamaha or Factory Suzuki based on ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚthese last couple of years. I started to look at what’s next for me and how to challenge myself.”

Initially considering options to remain in the paddock in a non-riding role, Smith is now certain he wants to stay i🃏n the saddle and is weighing up two different directions.

The safest for the long term would b﷽e staying in MotoGP as a test rider, wi🅷th a maximum of five wild-cards through the season. But the risky choice - a return to Moto2, where he took three podiums for Tech3 - is the one that seems more interesting to the Oxfordshire native.

“Toni Elias is the only rider I can think of that's gone somewhere else and gotten back to MotoGP. I’m not flavour of the month at the moment, but I’ll do everything that I can next year so that I’m back here in MotoGP 🍸in 2020. That’s my new challenge. It’s my n🌄ext focus.

“Stepping back to Moto2, by its nature, is setting yourself up for absolute failure. A test ride is certainly a more comfortable future. Folger is a good example at the moment. He’s going into a comfy seat where if he's fast he can try and get back and if not then he can just do the test riding job.♑ Going back to Moto2 takes balls!

“That's the scale for your decision. The question is if I'm thinking about one more year or am I going to try and set myself up for 🦂the next five? I love testing and I very rarely steer someone down the wrong direction but this world isn't just about passion; i෴t's a business too.

“When I🌜 first mentioned retiring I wasn't willing to look at taking a step back. Now I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that I actually get the opportunity to show what I can really do.

"I want to finish the business that I never ha🐼d the chance to do in Moto2. I want to get back to a situation that I get a chan🦹ce to show what I can do.”

With Moto2 switching from 600cc Honda to 765cc Triumph three-cylinder power in 2019, plu🔥s a new ECU, the class will undergo a massive shift. The experience of six years in MotoGP, including two podiums, would certainly make Smith an attractive proposition for the top teams…