Jerez MotoGP: Bradley Smith looking to improve

Bradley Smith is confident he can be back fighting for podium finishes in the 125GP world championship after a battling fourth place in Jerez yesterday.

The Oxfordshire rider was gifted a 13-point haul as crashes by Spanish duo Marc Marquez and Efren Vazquez and a mechanical issue for German Sandro Cortese elevated Smith from a lonely seventh.   

Smith, who triumphed at Jerez 12 months ago, said: “I finished fourth, which isn’t a bad result but not totally satisfying. I think that we could have achieved more and that we should be at the same level as the leading group.

“We are improving a lot with every race, but I am still finding it too hard to keep up a fast pace. We have some way to go. In any case, I’m motivated after taking thirteen points and making steady improvement from session to session.

“We’re a team and in it together and I can’t put the blame on anybody and right now I’m not quite there. It’s nice to know that my riding is going well and there is not too much fault there. I need to wait for the bike to come to me.”

Smith is now hoping to be more of a contender when the series resumes in Le Mans later this month.

The 19-year-old scored his first world championship podium at the French track in 2007 when riding for Repsol Honda and he added: “Le Mans is a track that I like a lot and I hope to keep improving the setting of my Aprilia. I am sure that we will be where we belong in France.”