Smith second fastest in Barcelona opener

British teenager Bradley Smith has made a brilliant start to this weekend’s Catalunya GP by claiming the second fastest time in this morning’s opening free 125 practice.

The Repsol Honda rider clocked a best of 1.51.279 on his last and 20th lap to leapfrog from fifth to second at the end of the 45-minute session.
Smith’s time was only bettered by Italian Mattia Pasini who logged a 1.50.747 to finish 0.532s ahead of the 16-year-old Brit, who is chasing a second world championship podium in his team’s home race this weekend.

Smith recently became the youngest British rider in history to claim a GP podium when he scored a brilliant third place in last month’s French GP in Le Mans.
He followed that up with eighth place in last weekend’s Italian GP when he finished less than three seconds behind winner Hector Faubel, and is looking for a confidence boosting result in Sunday’s 22-lap race to take to the British GP at Donington Park on June 24.