German MotoGP reaction: Brave Brit Bradley Smith claims Sachsenring top 10

British teenager Bradley Smith came through a severe mental and physical examination today to claim a brilliant eighth place finish in the German 125 MotoGP.

Riding with broken bones in his left foot, knee and hand, Bradley Smith’s challenge was made even more arduous with temperatures rocketing to 32 degrees for the 27-lap race. 

But just 17 days after he suffered multiple fractures in opening practice for the Dutch MotoGP in Assen, Bradley Smith collected eight valuable world championship points.
Starting from the front row of the grid after a heroic performance in qualifying yesterday (Saturday), he slipped down to 11th on lap two after a cautious start, before recovering to register his seventh top 10 finish in 10 races.

A physically and mentally drained Bradley Smith told MCN: “To come away with eight points is a good bonus from a race that I wasn’t even going to be able to compete in after the first medical verdict in Assen.

“But to qualify fourth and go back to eighth is also a little bit disappointing. The bike felt really good but I struggled in the first few laps. I think just struggling really, nothing I can put it down to.

“In the first part of the race they just seem to ride a bit faster. It wasn’t that I could run that pace but I was struggling and getting a little bit beaten up and in the back of my mind I didn’t know how the foot would hold up.

“The leg was a bit slower than usual but that’s because it’s broken so it’s not going to want to move as good. But it was mentally and physically draining because of the injuries and the heat,” said Bradley Smith who now has five weeks to regain full fitness before the Czech Republic MotoGP in Brno on August 19, 2007.