Bradley Smith

Hi Everyone

Here is a little something for the older Bradley fan, or at least the 'Red Dwarf' fans amongst you

Yes, Dwayne Dibbley or 'The Cat' (Danny John Jules) is a fan of MotoGP and our Brit riders.

He came to visit us at the NEC show and spent some time with the fans who were there.

Thanks Danny

Steve

Bradley is currently in Dubai for this weekends 'Dubai Endurance Challenge'

This is a 24 hour Karting competition, more info about it HERE (This opens a pdf file)

As ever Bradley has gone out to the Dubai event, with the intention of trying to win it 

His team is 'TEAM RSF' and his teammates are, Oliver Turvey, James Calado, Jack Harvey and Graham Sharp.

Thanks to Jonathan Rawlins who has loaded 4 recent video/radio pieces on to YouTube.

There is

Bradley on the Chris Evans Radio show

Bradley on the Alan Titchmarsh show

Bradley at the NEC bike show

Bradleys BBC interview at the Valencia race

You can view them HERE 

Steve

Bradley had a busy but enjoyable time meeting many fans at the NEC Bike show

One of his other tasks was to draw the winner of the 'Riders for Health' prize draw with Steve Parish.

The lucky winner collects a brand new Honda CBR600RR !!!

There is an album of photos, kindly sent in by Nick Fountain, in the photos section, or click HERE

Apart from a busy week this week with the start of the NEC bike show, Bradley is also doing some TV/Radio interviews this week

Bradley will be on the Chris Evans Show on Radio Two this evening at 18.45 which will be hosted by Mat Williams.

On Wednesday he will be live on the Allan Titchmarsh Show on ITV 1 at 15.00

Steve

Hi Everyone

Are you going to the NEC Bike Show ?

Britain’s most successful grand prix racer Bradley Smith heads the talented trio of British 125 cc stars attending the Carole Nash International Motorcycle and Scooter Show at the NEC Birmingham at the end of the week.

Bradley, who finished runner-up in this year’s 125 World Championship, will be joined by last year’s British Grand Prix winner Scott Redding and Kent-based Danny Webb.

The trio will be at Press Day on Thursday and will be available for interviews and photographs.

Bradley Smith will be at the Silverstone stand at 9.00 for the MotoGP launch, the Oxford Products Stand at 10.30 for a photographic session with his FIM runners-up medal and the Carole Nash Stand at 11.20.

Smith will then race in the Superstars Race Off in karts and on minimoto machines before attending the Kiddimoto Stand.

He will be available throughout the day on the 'Young British Riders' stand in Hall 2 for autographs and photographs.

Bradley Smith will also be at the show on Friday and Sunday while Scott Redding will attend on Friday and Saturday morning.

Danny Webb, who had a successful test with his new Jack and Jones 125 cc team last week, will also be at the Silverstone Stand on Thursday morning and will attend the show on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 

Both Bradley and Danny (and probably Scott) will also be at the show for the second weekend too (Dec 5th & 6th)

Steve

 Hi everyone

I thought you might all be interested in an email exchange had today between one of Bradleys supporters and the sports Editor of Motor Cycle News

I bought the paper today as usual and was shocked and disappointed that there was no mention at all of Bradley Smith's 2nd place finish at Valencia on the weekend!

Here are a list of statistics.

Bradley Smith records and milestones

Smith’s second place in the final championship standings in 2009 is the best performance across all solo classes of GP racing since Barry Sheene was second to Kenny Roberts in the 1978 500cc world championship.

 
His second place finish in the 2009 championship is the best performance by a British rider in the 125cc class since Chas Mortimer was second to Kent Andersson in 1973.

 
Bradley Smith has finished on the podium nine times this year..  This is the highest number of podiums by a British rider across all solo classes since Phil Read had eight podium finishes in the 500cc class in 1975.

 
It is also the highest number of podium finishes by a British rider in the 125cc class since Chas Mortimer finished on the podium ten times in 1972.

 
Bradley Smith has scored a total of 223.5 points during the 2009 season.  This is the highest number of Grand Prix points ever achieved by a British rider in a single season.

 
At the Spanish GP this year Bradley Smith became the second youngest British rider to win a Grand Prix, after Scott Redding who won at Donington in 2008.

 
His win in Spain was the first ever win at Jerez in any of the solo classes by a British rider.

 
It was also the first win in the 125cc class in Spain by a British rider since Chas Mortimer (Yamaha) won at Jarama in 1973 which was also the last overseas win in the 125cc class by a British rider.

 
His win at Mugello made him the first British rider to have two or more wins in a season across all the solo classes of Grand Prix racing since Barry Sheene in the 500cc class in 1979.

 
The Mugello win made him the first British rider to have two or more 125cc GP wins in a single season since Barry Sheene in 1971.

 
At the French GP in 2007 he became the youngest ever British rider to finish on the podium at that time.

This was also the first podium in the 125cc class for a British rider since Robin Milton finished second at the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island in 1989.

 
It was the first podium by a British rider in all classes of racing for over six years - since Jeremy McWilliams was 3rd in the 250cc race at the Pacific GP of 2001 at Motegi.

 
In 2007 Bradley Smith was the first British rider since Clive Horton in 1978 to finish in the top ten in the 125cc world championship classification.

 
Bradley Smith’s pole in Qatar in 2008 was the first in the 125cc class for a British rider since Chas Mortimer at the Belgium Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps in 1972.

 
This pole in Qatar also made Smith the youngest British rider to start a Grand Prix from pole position.

I think as a British Motorcycle Newspaper you should be ashamed of yourselves. How on earth can this lad receive no coverage at all, yet Danny Webb and Scott Redding receive valuable colomn inches!

regards

Ryan Fairweather

The Sports Editor, Gary Pinchin replied to Ryan with the email below

Yes, It was disappointing we didn't have the space this week to carry a new item on Bradley's race.

Our issue sizes are small at this time of the year and it's a pretty tough call what to carry in Sport. It was my call to go big on Spies' debut and Stoner's crash - the two biggest talking points of the weekend for the  majority of MotoGP fans who read MCN.

And I also made the call to cut the 125 coverage to two news stories - Danny's 2010 deal, and Scott's lack of one - rather than run a third successive story of how Bradley lost on the final lap!

The two other sport stories this week were big BSB news - and exclusive to MCN - Hodgson signing for McElnea and Hill signing for Worx. We've known about these two stories for some time and even started hints and rumours on the web but it was only last week the deals were boxed off.

You said: 'How on earth can these British kids expect to raise the crucial sponsorship required when a 'news' paper who's sole task is covering the Bike industry cannot even find an inch to promote what has been a remarkable achievement this year?

He is the 1st Brit in 31 years to pick up a World GP Championship medal and has only lost the last 3 races by a total of 1.5 seconds!'

I take your points but Bradley had already clinched second the championship and has a deal in place for next year - all stuff we covered in previous issues. And we've covered all of your quoted stats, one way or another in our coverage too.

In fact, we've been 100% behind Bradley (and Scott and Danny) all year and given them all plenty of coverage - more than we've ever given the 125 class in previous years.

Thanks for your interest in MCN.

GAryP

I feel this is quite a poor reply from MCN, who it would seem have little interest in Bradley and our other British riders Danny and Scott. 

They also clearly believe the British public who buy MCN has little interest too.

If you think they are wrong, why not let Gary Pinchin know what you really think buy sending him an email by clicking HERE

Steve.

It was 32 long years ago that the late Barry Sheene was the last solo motor cycle rider to win a World Championship for Britain. An Oxfordshire teenager with the same initials came close to matching the sporting legend’s record this season and next year is striving to join Sheene as a British World Champion.

Eighteen year old Bradley Smith has re-signed with the Spanish based Aspar team to spearhead their efforts to retain the World 125 cc Championship. This year Smith came so close to matching Barry Sheene but eventually finished runner-up in the Championship to his Aspar team-mate Julian Simon. He secured his sixth consecutive podium finish, a second place at the final round of the Championship in Valencia on Sunday. Smith won two grands prix this season and has re-written grand prix history that have been almost totally devoid of British success for three decades.

Smith will be joined in the Valencia-based Aspar team by Spaniard Nico Terol who finished third in the Championship. Emulating Sheene and going one better than this year is Smith’s ultimate goal.

“Obviously my goal from that very first grand prix will be to go one better and win that World Championship,” explained Smith, after finishing second in Valencia. ”It will not be easy because you don’t chase it but earn a World title by winning grands prix and the 125 cc class always produces the unexpected. Somebody like Pol Espargaro or Marc Martinez will emerge from the pack and become a title contender but after this fantastic end to the season for me I’ll start the year with real confidence. I’m really happy to be staying with such a brilliant team as Aspar which can only get better for me. Nico Terol may be my new team-mate but he will push me really hard as he did this year.”

The start of a crucial season not only for Smith but British Motorcycle racing starts under the Qatar floodlights on April 11. It’s been a long tortuous route since the retirement of Barry Sheene but at last the door appears to have been opened by an Oxfordshire teenager with the same skill and ruthlessness that is the hallmark of a World Champion.

Bradley Smith records and milestones

Smith’s second place in the final championship standings in 2009 is the best performance across all solo classes of GP racing since Barry Sheene was second to Kenny Roberts in the 1978 500cc world championship.

His second place finish in the 2009 championship is the best performance by a British rider in the 125cc class since Chas Mortimer was second to Kent Andersson in 1973.

Bradley Smith has finished on the podium nine times this year..  This is the highest number of podiums by a British rider across all solo classes since Phil Read had eight podium finishes in the 500cc class in 1975.

It is also the highest number of podium finishes by a British rider in the 125cc class since Chas Mortimer finished on the podium ten times in 1972.

Bradley Smith has scored a total of 223.5 points during the 2009 season.  This is the highest number of Grand Prix points ever achieved by a British rider in a single season.

At the Spanish GP this year Bradley Smith became the second youngest British rider to win a Grand Prix, after Scott Redding who won at Donington in 2008.

His win in Spain was the first ever win at Jerez in any of the solo classes by a British rider.

It was also the first win in the 125cc class in Spain by a British rider since Chas Mortimer (Yamaha) won at Jarama in 1973 which was also the last overseas win in the 125cc class by a British rider.

His win at Mugello made him the first British rider to have two or more wins in a season across all the solo classes of Grand Prix racing since Barry Sheene in the 500cc class in 1979.

The Mugello win made him the first British rider to have two or more 125cc GP wins in a single season since Barry Sheene in 1971.

At the French GP in 2007 he became the youngest ever British rider to finish on the podium at that time.

This was also the first podium in the 125cc class for a British rider since Robin Milton finished second at the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island in 1989.

It was the first podium by a British rider in all classes of racing for over six years - since Jeremy McWilliams was 3rd in the 250cc race at the Pacific GP of 2001 at Motegi.

In 2007 Bradley Smith was the first British rider since Clive Horton in 1978 to finish in the top ten in the 125cc world championship classification.

Bradley Smith’s pole in Qatar in 2008 was the first in the 125cc class for a British rider since Chas Mortimer at the Belgium Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps in 1972.

This pole in Qatar also made Smith the youngest British rider to start a Grand Prix from pole position.

The Gran Premio de la Comunidad Valenciana showed that last was most definitely not least in the 125cc class, as the category rounded off the year with an entertaining race in front of a packed grandstand. The final meeting of the year, the 11am start saw all riders out to close 2009 o a high, and it was Bradley Smith who was quickest out of the blocks. Spanish stars attempted to make their mark on the race, but the best of these was undoubtedly Julián Simón. The Bancaja man followed on from his wins over Smith in Australia and Malaysia to do the triple, ousting his teammate on the final lap. Once again, the duo gave their team a one-two to end the year.

The finale to a perfect year could not have ended any other way. Bancaja riders Simón and Smith gave the home team a one-two as a just reward for their efforts in 2009, and for the third race in a row they had to fight for the win amongst themselves. Out in front on their own, Smith had taken the early advantage when the lights went out, but by lap six the World Champion was hot on his heels. A wind-induced mistake from Smith with four laps to go opened the door for his teammate, but the Oxfordshire teenager came back once more to set up a thrilling final lap. After various passing attempts he regained the lead, but a nifty braking move from Simón secured the win for the home rider. A 1'41.650 lap gave Simón the clean sweep of pole, fastest lap and race victory, and ended his stay in 125cc in the best possible fashion.

Smith continued his run of six consecutive podiums, marking him out as the man to beat in 2010.

Sergio Gadea had less fortune at his home race, starting fourteenth on the grid and experiencing mechanical problems after a promising start in which he made up five places on the opening lap. He ended the race in sixteenth.

2nd Bradley Smith: "The fact that myself and Julián did the one-two today is a positive for the team. It has been a fantastic year in which I have enjoyed every moment, especially these last three races with the incredible battles. Fighting with Julián has gifted me a lot of experience. Now I understand much better how the bike behaves, and how I ride during the races. I can take away many positives from the year, and I have learnt so much in terms of tactics. Second place is the fastest loser, so we have to think about how to take a step forward next season, but today we at least had a great race. It was difficult to concentrate with the strong wind today, and with four laps to go I was nearly blown from my bike. I tried to get back behind Julián and we had a thrilling final lap duel."

For the second straight day the wind proved to be the biggest rival to the 125 riders at Valencia, with several crashes and lap times some two seconds off record pace. Once again it was Spanish Championship graduates who set the pace, with plenty of local favourites amongst them and looking for home glory tomorrow. The top four were the only riders to break the 1'42 barrier but the lap times were close throughout the field and it looks certain to be a group battle tomorrow.

Bancaja rider Julián Simón has book-ended the season with pole positions, repeating his grid position from the opening race at Qatar in today's final qualifying practice of the season. The Spaniard was fastest in free practice yesterday and maintained his dominance through to this afternoon, securing his seventh pole of the season - his third on Spanish soil - on his eleventh lap. His team-mate Bradley Smith is determined to prevent the newly-crowned World Champion from ending the season with his seventh victory after finishing second to him following head-to-head battles in the last two races. Bradley improved dramatically today to qualifying third fastest although for Sergio Gadea it was a repeat of yesterday as the Spanish rider crashed out and qualified fourteenth.

3rd Bradley Smith 1.41.830 (21 laps): "It was really good that we managed to find a setting for tomorrow and set a decent lap time too. It wasn't easy and we had to work hard for it, basically because the wind affects me in particular because of my riding style. I think we can consider third place, four tenths off pole after lapping on my own for the majority of the session, a good result. Hopefully the wind dies down tomorrow so that I can be more comfortable but if not it will be a tough race and we'll need to be careful."

The 125cc World Championship made its official return to European shores at 12.40 this afternoon as the minor category kicked off proceedings at the Gran Premio de la Comunidad Valenciana amidst strong wins at Cheste. The home riders were on form, as expected, but the surprise of the day was wildcard rider Marcel Schrotter, who gatecrashed a Spanish battle for supremacy between Julián Simón, Sergio Gadea and Nico Terol. Bancaja rider Simón led the way on several occasions before two fast laps set in the closing stages of the session left him on top of the pile overnight.

Gadea was also on the pace throughout, clocking his best lap on his penultimate effort, although a late crash in the Doohan corner (turn two), when he lost the front end of his Aprilia, cost him the opportunity to improve further. The third of the Bancaja riders Bradley Smith suffered differing fortunes to his team-mates today, struggling to get to grips with the windy conditions but making gradual progress throughout the session to finish with the thirteenth fastest lap of the day.

13th Bradley Smith 1.43.792 (25 laps): "Honestly, the wind really set us back today and for some reason I didn't feel comfortable at any point. I'm almost a second off the fastest time but that isn't much because everybody was very close today, although I'm not happy with the result. Hopefully the wind eases off tomorrow because it was virtually impossible to get comfortable today. We have a lot of data for this circuit from the winter tests but the conditions are significantly different so we couldn't use it. Hopefully we can find the right way forward tomorrow."

Once again a full season of motorcycle racing has flashed by in a glimpse as the Gran Premio de la Comunidad Valenciana brings the curtain down on the 2009 season this weekend. After back-to-back races on the other side of the planet the MotoGP paddock returns to Europe and, as it has done every season since 2002, to the Cheste circuit for the grand finale. With the title and the runner-up spot already guaranteed in the 125cc class, the attention will turn to an all-Spanish battle for third and fourth place overall.

Whilst Sergio Gadea is involved in that battle, for the other two Bancaja Aspar Team riders this weekend is purely about racing for the joy of winning and also celebrating their fantastic one-two in the championship. Newly-crowned World Champion Julián Simón and Bradley Smith have also been one-two on the podium in the last two rounds and they will bring their good-natured personal duel to Valencia with Simon looking to stay on top and celebrate a victory on home soil after two thwarted attempts already this year. Smith has been on the podium at every race since Indianapolis and the Brit is desperate to gain revenge after defeat to his team-mate on the final lap at both Phillip Island and Sepang.

Bradley Smith: "It is really nice to have wrapped up second place in the championship because now I don't have anything on my mind in Valencia - I just have to focus on going out there and doing my best. We have put two great races together in Australia and Malaysia, although finishing second in both of them was a disappointment for me so we are going to try and win the last one any way we can. I know the circuit well from my time in the CEV so it will be important to try and use that to our advantage. I'm very keen to score a good result for all the local sponsors and for my family and friends who will be coming down. It will be a tough weekend because the Spanish riders are always fast at their home circuits, but I won't be backing down. I'm very confident in myself because the feeling with the bike is fabulous at the moment and we're putting on a very strong finish to the season."

Bradley got back from his Australia and Malaysia trip last night

To his surprise there was a reception commitee waiting for him

Click Here to see more photos

Steve

Bradley Smith was the victor at the Sepang karting track on Thursday as riders from all three classes took part in a pre-event race.

British rider Bradley Smith beat off competition from a host of MotoGP luminaries, as well as fellow 125cc riders, to win a karting event ahead of this weekend’s Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

Managing to see off the challenge of Bancaja Aspar team-mate Julián Simón, who last weekend secured the 125cc World Championship title ahead of Smith in Australia, as well as his Team Aspar sporting director Gino Borsoi, Smith clocked the fastest time to finish ahead of Sandro Cortese, Raffaele de Rosa and Efren Vazquez.

Other participants included former 500cc World Champion Àlex Crivillé, Espargaró brothers Pol and Aleix – the latter of whom will race for Pramac in the premier class this weekend – and MotoGP riders Dani Pedrosa, Alex de Angelis, Mika Kallio and Marco Melandri.

It was Smith who came out on top though, and with second place in the 125cc World Championship still to secure he is focused ahead of this weekend.

“Losing the championship last week was tough, but to win this one means a lot!” said Smith. “It was good fun, and I got lucky with a couple of good karts. It was a great event to take part in; it’s competitive, and you can see all the riders were enjoying it as well.”

“If we can keep this going all through the weekend then we’ll have a successful one. Now the fun stops and the serious time begins. I’ve got second place in the championship to really focus on, and whatever happens I have to make sure I have a good race come Sunday.”

The 125cc Malaysian Grand Prix followed the script of the previous week's Australian race almost to the letter, both in its main players and the development of the plot. A group of a dozen riders pushed hard from the outset, with two of those amongst their number -Nico Terol and Bradley Smith- in with a chance of taking the runner-up spot in the World Championship. Although Smith was once again in a fight with teammate and new titlist Julián Simón, this time the Briton nearly made an escape to victory. On lap three Simón pulled away, but Smith reacted and made two speedy laps to try and create space between them. In the end the duel saw the Spaniard victorious, following up on his title triumph.

Simón and Smith were riding almost side-by-side by the tie lap nine came around, having started from the front row and shown their respective hands early. The fastest lap of the race went to Smith, with a 2'14.068 that he used to catch back up to the 2009 champ. Simón made clear that he was not taking things easy with the pressure of the title off his shoulders, whilst his teammate's result took him to second in the championship with an unassailable advantage. It is Smiths best finish in his Grand Prix career, and also confirms a 2009 1-2 for the Bancaja Aspar team.

The third member of the outfit, Sergio Gadea, started from eighteenth and made a fantastic recovery for fourth place. The Spaniard rode at his mercurial best and finally benefitted from some good fortune when at full throttle, taking no small amount of risks and coming very close to a podium finish in Sepang. The next and final round takes place in Valencia, at his home track.

2nd Bradley Smith: "I think that I had the best pace of the weekend in the race. I had a moment where I passed Julián and was trying to break free, but I made a mistake that cost me a few metres. I am happy because myself and Julián both had a good battle, just like in Australia. Last week I ost because he rode perfectly, but this time it was a bit more my fault as I made an error on the last turn. Luckily my foot injury didn't affect things too much, although yesterday the crash made the break that I picked up in Estoril bigger. I took painkillers that helped me take the discomfort for more or less the entire time, and I hope that I can have another fight with my teammate next time out in the final race of the year -this time with me winning! We took the runner-up spot today, and it is a great achievement for the team to take first and second in the championship."

Hot temperatures in this afternoon's single qualifying session for the 125cc Malaysian Grand Prix made life difficult for the engines in the smaller class, with lap times slower than they had been in the cooler morning conditions, but played into the hands of Spanish riders, who took six of the first seven positions on the grid. Marc Márquez took pole position, with Bancaja's newly-crowned World Champion Julián Simón the only other rider capable of breaking the 2'14 barrier and missing out on snatching pole from his compatriot by just 0.055 seconds.

Simon set the pace in the morning with the fastest lap of the day (2'13.459), which was seven tenths quicker than his nearest rival. In the afternoon he was consistently amongst the frontrunners again, setting fast laps in pairs and making a late improvement to secure second place on the grid. It was a bittersweet afternoon for his team-mate Bradley Smith, who crashed in the final corner with three minutes remaining of the session. However, despite a small fracture in his foot the Brit will line-up on the front row tomorrow as he looks to wrap up second ion the championship from third on the grid. There was no positive flip side to the coin for Sergio Gadea, however, the third Bancaja rider having shown great form in free practice but suffering a mechanical problem in the final moments of qualifying that restricted him to 18th on the grid.

3rd Bradley Smith 2.14.209 (12 laps): "The crash was totally unexpected. I was riding hard because I knew I had a chance of setting pole and just before the end of the session the bike threw me out of my seat coming out of the final corner. It was a shame because it meant we couldn't improve any further although third place on the grid isn't a bad start. The doctors say I have a small fracture of the fifth metatarsal on my right foot but that won't stop me from racing tomorrow. I'll strap it up for warm-up and see how it feels but if it's too painful I'll have an injection and I'll be fine. Our pace is good enough to fight for the win so I hope a little incident like this doesn't prove to be a handicap."

The penultimate round of the 125cc season got underway at Sepang this afternoon in typically hot conditions, with a dirty track surface providing more than the odd scare for the minor category riders, who were first onto the track. Bancaja pair Bradley Smith and Julián Simón were predictably on the pace and are amongst the favourites for victory on Sunday, with the British rider bouncing back from the disappointment of defeat to his team-mate at Phillip Island five days ago to set the pace on day one here.

Bradley topped the time sheets at regular intervals throughout the session before clocking a 2'14.895 at the chequered flag. Far from resting on his laurels, newly-crowned World Champion Simón put in a hard shift in the searing heat, interrupted only by a gear sensor problem late in the session that his mechanics quickly fixed in time for him to set two fast laps - the second of which was good enough for third place on the overall time sheets. The third Bancaja rider Sergio Gadea struggled more than his team-mates to set up his Aprilia, struggling with carburetion problems as he lapped 15th fastest.

1st Bradley Smith 2.14.895 (20 laps): "I'm really happy with the result of this first session. We've worked hard and we're leaving no stone unturned because we want to go out and win on Sunday. I would have liked to have had a couple more laps at the end because I was just starting to enjoy myself. There wasn't much grip out there today and that showed in the lap times but I'm sure it will improve tomorrow. All in all we've made a good start and we don't have any major problems to fix, just a few small things that we'll work to try and iron out tomorrow. We also want to try and do something like a race simulation to see how the tyres respond."

The MotoGP World Championship paddock leaves behind the fresh spring temperatures of Australia this week and heads for the heat of Malaysia, host to the fourth and final back-to-back race of the season. The Sepang circuit this weekend plays host to the penultimate round of the season and, as usual, the intense heat and long 5.548km track will push the 125cc machines to their absolute limit. The smallest category in the Grand Prix series has been the first to crown its World Champion this season, with Bancaja rider Julián Simón having extended his points advantage beyond the reach of his rivals in the last race at Phillip Island, where he finally clinched what many believed to be a well-deserved title for some time already. Now, the chase is on to see who can finish runner-up to Simón before the season is out.

Following the well-earned celebrations and break, Simón has set his sights on another victory to add to his collection at Sepang. The ideal scenario would be another pulsating head-to-head with his Bancaja team-mate Bradley Smith, who scored his fourth consecutive podium at Phillip Island as he pushed the Spaniard all the way to the finish line. It is a long time since his most recent win at Mugello and Bradley is eager to climb on to that top step again, not least in order to wrap up the runner-up spot in the championship. Sergio Gadea, fully recovered from a warm-up crash that effectively spoiled his race in Australia, is also targeting a return to the podium as he aims to head to his home race at Valencia two weeks later in top form.

Bradley Smith: "It is fantastic to be going somewhere nice and warm because at Phillip Island it was really cold. We had an incredible weekend in Australia and I cant wait to get back on track at Sepang. I think we're more or less decided on what we'll do in terms of the set-up of my Aprillia. On Sunday I had victory within my grasp but I let it slip in the last couple of corners so this weekend I'll fight even harder for it. I did well at Sepang last year so it should be good for us again this time around and we need to take advantage of that. Myself and my bike have been performing well for a few races now so we need to work hard to maintain that and hang on to second place in the championship. I'm sure it will be a tough weekend because of the heat but I guess this is where all the physical training you do throughout the rest of the year really comes in."

With Australia nine hours ahead and the 125cc race atypically kicking off at 1pm local time, Spain awoke to a new 125cc World Champion on Sunday morning. Julián Simón clinched the accolade in a race that strongly resembled the previous run-out in Portugal, with all the close group fighting and lightning fast lap times seen in Estoril continuing at Phillip Island. The two quickest riders in practice, Espargaró and Smith tried to set the early pace, but in the end it came down to the Bancaja Aspar riders. Simón overtook Smith to accomplish his goal of becoming the 125cc titlist with a race victory.

A fifth victory of the year gave Bancaja rider Julián Simón the 2009 125cc World Title. He was quickest in the warmup session and continued the speedy pace come race time, but with a less risky strategy than that used in Portugal two weeks ago. After a spell stalking the lead group, Simón made a move with ten laps to go and got in amongst the leaders, before breaking away with teammate Bradley Smith. Three corners from the end of the final lap, a pass on the inside took him up to first place, and he blocked the slipstreaming attempts to take back the spot. He now has an unassailable 55.5 point advantage over Smith in the overall standings, guaranteeing him the 2009 crown.

Smith is currently second in the table with two races to go. He had one of his best races of the season to challenge Simón, making up two places off the line and trying to push the pace early on. Despite being unable to hold off the new titlist, Smith now has an important extra 20 points on the board and a fourth consecutive podium to his name as his attention turns to the runner-up spot in the series.

A crash in the warmup shook Sergio Gadea, who started the race with a heavy contusion on his leg and a headache that did nothing to make his Sunday easy. The Spaniard did what he could to keep with the trailing pack, but in the end had to settle for a creditable tenth on the occasion of his 100th Grand Prix.

2nd Bradley Smith: "My plan was to beat Julián. I knew from the beginning that I had to be as far ahead as possible if I was to break free, and both he and myself had fantastic pace. He was faster in T2 and I was quicker in T1, and in the middle we were more or less equal. It was a good battle, although in the end I am a bit disappointed that the title has been decided. The mathematical chance spurs you on. The race was a lot of fun, and even though we have been fighting for the title the team have been great the entire weekend in their support of me. All that is left to do now is congratulate Julián."

A morning rain shower at Phillip Island today did nothing to help the teams and riders prepare for tomorrow's race but thankfully the notoriously changeable conditions worked in their favour this afternoon as qualifying practice took place in the dry. An exciting session built to a dramatic finale in the final three minutes, with Pol Espargaró clinching pole ahead of compatriots Nico Terol and Julian Simón, who launches his second bid to secure the 125cc World Championship title from the front row, as Bradley Smith crashed.

Simón wisely opted to skip the wet part of the morning session in order to avoid an unnecessary crash but he was on the pace in the afternoon, building to a best lap of 1'38.067 that was good enough for third place on tomorrow's grid. His team-mates Smith and Sergio Gadea both struggled to match the Spaniard's pace in the final section of the track although the Briton was at least on great form from T1 to T3. However, pushing to make a challenge for pole position on his penultimate lap, Bradley crash in turn four. Things did not go any better for Gadea, who was unable to significantly make up the time he was losing in T4 around the rest of the circuit and could only qualify sixteenth.

5th Bradley Smith 1.38.155 (18 laps): "I'm a bit annoyed with myself about the crash because I knew turn four was a dangerous one, where you have to take it at around 80%, but I got excited and pushed too hard. It is always a tricky one for the right hand side of the tyre and it let go on me straight away. Anyway, other than that I am happy because the bike is stable and I think we have the pace to run at the front tomorrow. I wanted to push for pole position over the final few laps but it is always difficult here if you can't get a slipstream. I'm starting from the second row but if I can get off the line well then I have the pace to run with the front group and even break them up if possible. The fewer there are of us in the fight the better."

The pessimists amongst the weather forecasters were defied this afternoon as the rain showers steered clear of Phillip Island and, despite the strong winds that made riding conditions difficult, the 125cc riders were able to make the most of a dry track surface. Lap times were some two seconds off the record pace set here in 2006 but that didn't mean the session wasn't interesting as some nine riders battled for top spot and lapped within a second of each other.

It was a good start for Bancaja pair Bradley Smith and Julián Simón, who lapped second and fourth fastest respectively. Bradley spent much of the session trying a variety of set-up solutions designed to combat the wind, chasing faster lap times in the final ten minutes. Taking advantage of the slipstream offered by a group of riders, the Brit set a final lap of 1'38.690 to finish the session in second place behind Pol Espargaró. Simón was amongst the pacesetters throughout the session, focusing his work on tyre choice. His best lap saw him clock the fastest split times through T2 and T3 but he conceded crucial tenths in the first and final sections of this fast and flowing track. The third of the Bancaja riders Sergio Gadea made a good start but an early engine problem with his Aprilia cost him the chance to be amongst the frontrunners at the end.

2nd Bradley Smith 1.38.690 (26 laps): "Today went quite well. It is really important to make the most of the slipstream here, as my last lap proved, otherwise the wind can cost you a lot of time. I got into a group on that last lap and knocked almost a second off the times I had been setting on my own. My feeling with the Aprilia was quite good and the bike was pretty stable even with the wind. I usually struggle to cope with wind but the set-up we had for today worked well and I'm really pleased with it. The grip improved on every lap and we were able to get the weekend off to a good start. Hopefully the weather stays stable tomorrow so that we can continue to improve."

The MotoGP World Championship heads into its most difficult phase this week as the paddock leaves behind its European base and heads for the other side of the planet, where the stunning Phillip Island circuit awaits to host the antepenultimate race of the season. The 4.448km Australian track is a favourite for the riders in all three categories thanks to its entertaining mixture of fast and slow corners, as well as some dramatic elevation changes and stunning scenery. Its fast and flowing nature requires the 125cc riders to attack it at virtually full throttle and that is the challenge this weekend as Julián Simón looks to maintain a 50.5 point lead at the top of the championship and, as a result, secure the World Championship title with two rounds remaining.

The Bancaja rider dropped his first 'match point' in Portugal just over a week ago when he crashed out of the lead but this week the numbers are even more in his favour. The Spaniard just needs to finish ahead of his team-mate Bradley Smith and compatriot Nico Terol to put the seal on a sensational season. Smith navigated his way to the podium at Estoril as his main rivals at the top of the championship crashed around him, lifting him to second place overall. The Briton knows the odds are heavily stacked against him in the title chase but he is refusing to throw in the towel just yet. Meanwhile Sergio Gadea, who has his own designs on denying Smith second place in the championship, joins the hundred club at Phillip Island as he racks up a century of Grand Prix appearances.

Bradley Smith: "Three podiums from the last three races shows that both myself and the bike are in good form and I'm looking forward to the next race in Australia because Phillip Island is one of my favourite circuits. The long haul races are always tricky because of the travelling but I have tried to get some rest and make sure I'm 100 per cent ready for this one. Like I say I love the track, in particular turn one, which is one of the most impressive corners on the circuit. The only downside is the wind and you're always dependent on it because it can really affect your riding. My objective is to keep the championship alive at least until Malaysia and to do that I need to finish ahead of Julito. If possible I'd like to score another podium and collect as many points as possible to help secure second in the championship."

Hi everyone,

In this weekends Sunday Times (11th October) there was a great article about Bradley and his mum, Dawn. 

It was one of the regular 'Relative Value' features

If you havnt seen it, ask around to see if anyone you know has a copy, well worth a read.

I have scanned the article, but the quality is not great, see below.

All the best

Steve

Relative Values

Bradley and Mum Dawn will be featured in the popular 'Relative Values' feature that will appear in the Sunday Times Magazine this Sunday.

Find out who is the real boss in the Smith household by getting a copy.

The time of the race was different to normal -2.30pm local time- but the action in the 125cc Portuguese Grand Prix was as exciting as ever on Sunday afternoon. The tight field always gives plenty of overtaking, ut there was particular pride at stake for the Spanish riders in what is effectively a 'home race.' Simón, Márquez and Terol were all involved after a front row start, but the win went to Pol Espargaró as he edged out Sandro Cortese and Bradley Smith.

Smith's podium finish was unexpected after a tough start to his weekend. He fell on Friday in practice and faced a race against time to find a setting for the Estoril round. He found it on Saturday, and seemed to be at home with the Aprilia throughout the Sunday race. His worked nearly seemed to be for nothing when he came close to crashing as part of Terol's fall, but Smith kept a cool head in the lap six incident. He was in the running for the victory, but a decisive last lap left him settling for third place and another podium for his 2009 tally. He moves up to second in the standings.

Sergio Gadea also surprised after a difficult qualifying session, starting from eleventh on the grid and dropping even further back when the lights went out. He then made one of the season's best comebacks and benefitted from some crashes ahead of him to work back up to sixth place -an improvement on results from his last three races.

With one hand on the 125cc title, Julián Simón was desperate to win in front of his legion of fans. The Spaniard eventually let his will get the better of him, however, tipping his bike too far into the corner with seven laps to go. Then the leader of the race, Simón had to start all over again, working his way back to twelfth and needing to wait until Australia for his next shot at clinching the crown.

3rd Bradley Smith: "It can is obvious that victory would have been an option had I been able to slipstream Pol, but it wasn't to be. My plan was to stick behind him and pull out on the line, but on the last lap Sandro got in between us and closed up. I am satisfied with the result, especially on a day in which so many other guys fell. I was lucky not to go down when Terol crashed. I had a good pace, even though we had lost a lot of time on day one with the crash in practice, so I owe a lot to the team for their work this weekend. They were speedy in preparing the bike to perfection for m despite the time constraints. We were able to finish off the weekend with a podium, which is good when you consider that Portugal is not one of my best tracks. We are a little too far from the title, but we are in a good spot to finish high up in the standings and I know that I can go well in Australia. We have taken a step forward this weekend, so I hope that this continues at Phillip Island."

Fine weather prevailed once again at Estoril this afternoon as the 125 riders battled for grid positions, with Bancaja rider Julián Simón once again conducting the orchestra to a Spanish beat. The World Championship leader, who gets his first chance to clinch the title tomorrow, is joined on the front row by fellow Spaniards Espargaró and Márquez, as well as his team-mate Bradley Smith - one of the riders looking to spoil his celebrations tomorrow in front of a raucous fan club, who have made the short trip over the Portuguese border.

Simón backed up his pacesetting form in free practice to put his Aprilia RSA on pole for the sixth time this season with a best time of 1'45.199 on his thirteenth lap of the grid shootout. Smith battled valiantly this afternoon after a heavy crash yesterday, gritting his teeth despite a fractured metatarsal to move up from fourteenth to seventh on his penultimate lap before a last gasp effort sealed third. Sergio Gadea also struggled today and a late improvement was not enough to lift him higher than eleventh.

3rd Bradley Smith 1.45.775 (18 laps): "I put in a great last lap but to be honest I still don't know how I did it. The bike is obviously working well but I guess this is the kind of circuit where you need to take your brain out a bit and attack each corner as if it was the last. The set-up is good, my pace not so much but I think I can stick it out in the lead group. I'm happy because we've improved the stability under braking and I want to thank the team for the way they have gone about coming up with solutions to a variety of different problems. This is the fastest time I've ever done here and we have a good position for the race tomorrow. The foot is uncomfortable but it isn't too much of a problem on the bike so that's the important thing!"

The Estoril circuit defied its reputation for high winds and cool temperatures today as the MotoGP World Championship returned to action in bright, warm sunshine on the western coast of the European mainland. After a month-long break the 125cc riders were the first back on track and whilst several riders battled to take control of the session in the early stages it was Julian Simón who once again exerted his iron grip over the category. At one point he was two seconds per lap faster than the rest of the field, who eventually closed the gap to littler more than a second.

With a 57.5 point advantage at the top of the standings the Bancaja rider could be forgiven for resting on his laurels but today's recital provided a stark warning to his rivals. His fastest time came on the penultimate lap of 23, a 1'45.880 making him the only rider to break the 1'46 and leaving closest chaser Andrea Iannone trailing in his wake. Sergio Gadea was unable to keep pace with his team-mate but he made constant progress throughout the session to set a 1'47.048 on his final lap and finish third fastest in the opening session. The third Bancaja rider Bradley Smith was getting gradually more comfortable with the circuit, working particularly to improve his performance under braking, when he crashed in turn four on his 17th lap. A heavy blow to his right ankle will not stop Bradley from returning to the fray tomorrow.

18th Bradley Smith 1.48.423 (16 laps): "To be honest the crash was completely unexpected. We started out taking things step by step and as the laps went by I was feeling more and more comfortable. For a first practice it was going perfectly to plan because I was managing to improve in a few of the braking areas, which is where I struggle for feeling here. It was just then that I crashed. The bike spat me into the air and the next thing I knew I was lying in the gravel. Luckily it was just a big scare and a heavy blow to my right ankle. The Clinica Mobile doctors are taking care of it and making sure I'll be fit for tomorrow."

After an untimely four-week break the MotoGP World Championship returns at a frenetic pace this weekend with the first of four races that will see the campaign reach its conclusion in Valencia at the start of November. The Grand Prix of Portugal takes place this Sunday at a later stage in the season than usual, with the Estoril circuit potentially the venue for the crowning of a new World Champion in the shape of 125cc star Julito Simón. Whilst the chase for the MotoGP and 250cc titles remain very much open, the smaller category has been dominated by one man since he took residence at the top of the standings following the Grand Prix of Catalunya and now he gets his first 'championship point.'

It is a privileged situation for the Bancaja Aspar team because not only do they have Simón on the verge of the 125cc title but they also have Bradley Smith in great form and still with a mathematical chance of denying the Spaniard, and Sergio Gadea also battling for that runner-up spot in the championship. Smith is a realist and knows that his title hopes are slim at best but with a fourth, second and a third in the last three races the Brit is now five points off second place in the championship and will keep fighting to catch his team-mate at the top until it is mathematically impossible. Sergio Gadea has lost touch with them slightly after a rotten run of luck that he is hoping will turn around this weekend, having used the time off to return to full fitness following his crash in the last round at Misano.

Bradley Smith: "After three weeks off it's exciting to be getting back on the bike again. I'm really looking forward to getting to Estoril, even though it's a circuit I don't particularly like and I know we're in for a weekend of hard work, but we have a lot of data from the winter test that will give us an advantage. The last three races have gone pretty well for me so it is important to keep that going over the four that are left. We just have to keep scoring more points than Julián and keep the title fight going for as long ass possible. I suppose it's a matter of time and whether it's at Estoril or Philip Island but all we can do is keep fighting to make it as difficult as possible for him. I've been training hard over the last couple of weeks - I competed in a biathlon, a one-mile swim and also went to Switzerland to watch the cycling time trials."

Hi everyone

Bradley recently appeared on Spanish TV, on a dedicated MotoGP program for rtve.

You can see it here on his video page.    Click here

All the best

Steve

Hi everyone

Just thought i would share the picture of Bradley recieving his latest 'Pole Position Watch' from Tissot, as Misano

Taking a breather is not on Bradley Smith’s hectic schedule. There may be over another two weeks before the next round of the 125 cc World Championship but the 18 year old Bancaja Aspar Team Aprilia rider never sits still and is back on the road.

Last weekend he competed in the London Duathlon in Richmond Park with both his Mum and cousin just seven days after finishing third in the Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera at Misano. Despite a puncture on the 20 km cycle ride he still finished over four minutes faster than his previous best time.

On Thursday Smith, who is third in the 125 cc World Championship, flies to Spain where he will be the guest of the Astana Cycling team who are competing in the Vuelta 09 event. On Friday Bradley will accompany Sean Yates, Team Sporting Director and former World class cyclist, in the Astana team car on the 19th stage of the race. It’s a 180 km stage between Avila and La Granja Real Fabrica de Cristales.

“I love cycling and seeing these World class riders perform at such close quarters will be awesome,” said Smith. “Also watching and learning from Sean Yates will be a great experience.”

It’s then onto the Albacete race circuit in Spain for the weekend where Smith will be supporting Dakota Mamola in the Championato del Mediterranean motor cycle races. Dakota is the son of former grand prix star Randy Mamola and competes in the very competitive Pre-GP 125 class.

As you can see in the article above, Bradley will be going to watch Dakota next week.

Just thought you would like to see an action picture of Dakota from earier in the season

Click on the picture

The 125cc race at Misano was the opposite to that of Indianapolis one week ago, beginning with a tight group and a close fight at the head of the field. It was a strange race under good conditions, with a surprise ending that left the 2009 World Champion one step closer to being crowned. Julián Simón took advantage of a last lap crash between Andrea Iannone and Pol Espargaró to clinch the win.

Bancaja rider Julián Simón took victory number four of the 2009 season to all-but-certainly secure his first world title. The Spaniard showed no caution in the race, however, as he got off to his best start of the year and rolled up his sleeves for a fight with Andrea Iannone for the lead. Riding at the limit, he backed off in order to conserve points and avoid any unwelcome altercations. It was a strategy that paid off in the end, as Iannone and Pol Espargaró came together on the final lap and showed just how dangerous the battle for the win could be. The elimination of the two riders ahead of him allowed Simón to cross the line first and extend his advantage to 57.5 points in the overall standings.

Chasing the podium with grit and determination was Simon´s teammate Bradley Smith. The Brtiton was plagued by problems after taking off from pole, lacking trust in his machinery over the opening handful of laps. One comeback later and he was in the fight for the rostrum, but when in sixth place the difficulties returned in the form of a gearbox issue. Rather than giving up, Smith fought to maintain positions, and worked his way up to fifth once more. The crash at the front rewarded him for his efforts with third place.

Sergio Gadea's result was the only downer for the Bancaja team at Misano, with a mechanical issue causing him to fall on the very first lap. The Spaniard had a good start but was flung from his Aprilia on the second corner onto the asphalt. Despite the spectacular nature of the crash, Gadea suffered only bruises in the incident and will be back in action at the next round of the World Championship in Estoril.

3rd Bradley Smith: "I can say that I am happy with the podium, but it is a shame that we couldn't have fought for an even better result. The start of the race was difficult for me -braking didn't feel comfortable- but I felt better and better as the race progressed and I started to overtake other riders. I had fun riding and coming back through the field, and I knew that little by little I could get up to the podium places, but with ten laps to go I had a problem with the gearbox on the slow corners. That dropped me down again, and I thought that the rostrum had escaped my grasp. The last lap incident between Espargaró and Iannone gifted me third place, and I think that this was the perfect result. Fourth, second and third in the last three races are good results, and I'm feeling a lot more comfortable. I will have to continue like this and attack hard in the last four races to get the runner-up spot."

As the 125cc season reaches its climax we should probably get used to the kind of nail-biting qualifying session that we saw here at Misano today, or last week at Indianapolis for that matter, with the high temperatures and strong winds making life difficult and unpredictable for the smaller bikes in San Marino. There were a few surprises at the top of the time sheets in the early stages of the session but the cream soon rose to the top, with Bancaja's British rider Bradley Smith increasing his pace to smash the 2008 pole record and complete a clean sweep of every practice session so far this weekend - each time leaving it to the final few seconds before establishing himself at the top.    

Smith has followed up on his podium from Indianapolis with an impressive showing, this being his third pole of the season so far and his second on Italian soil, having gone from the front of the grid to take victory at Mugello earlier in the season. Simón has arguably the best race pace out of anybody and was only denied pole by traffic on track, which left him trailing his team-mate by just 0.016 seconds, after improving his pace in T4 and the stability of the bike under braking. Sergio Gadea is within striking distance of his two colleagues from fifth on the grid, the Spaniard only losing out on a front row start in the final three minutes despite getting a late tow from Smith.

1st Bradley Smith 1.43.727 (19 laps): "Obviously it's great to be on pole again but when you look at the time sheets it's really close. We still have to improve our rhythm and try to make up some more time under braking. At the moment I don't have the feeling I'd like in some of the braking zones, especially with a full fuel tank. In any case I'm happy with the job we've done and I think we have the pace to be at the front. It will be a long race and with the heat and the wind I'll have to stay really focused throughout to avoid making mistakes. Unless somebody manages to set consistent 43s and escape, I guess it will be a close race and a group battle much like the one at Indianapolis last weekend."

There were no signs of jetlag or fatigue as the 125cc riders took to the track for the first free practice session of the San Marino Grand Prix this afternoon, despite the fact that it is barely five days since they were last on track at the Indianapolis circuit in the USA. Understandably it was home rider Andrea Iannone who came out with all guns blazing but Bancaja pair Julian Simón and Bradley Smith were quick to react. Despite favourable conditions the pace was still some way off the 2008 lap record of 1'43.839 but there was plenty suggest that the heat will rise both literally and figuratively before Sunday's showdown.

Smith ran up front throughout this afternoons session even as he experimented with different settings on his Aprilia, before two fast laps in the final few minutes - the last a 1'45.297 - left him as the overnight pacesetter with the highest top speed of 203.4km/h to boot. A final effort looked set to be even faster but the British youngster ran wide and off track, avoiding the crash. Simón had sat atop the time sheets for much of the session, at one point improving on his best effort on four consecutive laps, before bring usurped by Smith whilst the third Bancaja rider Sergio Gadea struggled with engine problems at the start of the session and despite only hitting full speed in the final twenty minutes he managed the sixth fastest time.

1st Bradley Smith 1.45.297 (25 laps): "I'm pretty happy today because my Aprilia worked really well even though the wind and heat made it difficult. We have to make a few alterations to deal with the wind that perhaps won't be the best thing for the lap time but should make the bike easier to ride. The engine was perfect, which you can see by the fact that we set the highest top speed, and that is really positive. Even though this is just the first day that track was in good shape and improved throughout the session. Hopefully the wind drops a little tomorrow so that we can work on our race set-up. It's great that we've been able to start out here at the same level as Indianapolis and the fact we're up there shows we're working in the right direction."

The MotoGP Word Championship returns from its North American jaunt this weekend as the series jets back to Europe for the second race in just seven days. The third set of back-to-back races this season take place on opposite sides of the Atlantic, leaving the riders little time for rest and recovery, although a three-week break before the next race in Portugal should give them ample time to recharge their batteries. The cancellation of the Hungarian round will provide a welcome breather before the gruelling trip to Australia and Malaysia. With the current 125cc series leader now looking like a safe bet for the title, the attention turns to the next five riders in the championship, who are covered by just 28 points.

Julián Simón's championship march rolls on relentlessly, the Spaniard struggling to stick the pace with the lead group at Indianapolis but still coming away with an optimum eleven-point haul for fifth place. The Bancaja rider predicted that he would struggled in the past two round but is confident that he will once again be the man to beat back in Europe. His team-mate Bradley Smith was one of the pacesetters at Indy and was unfortunate to be beaten to the top step of the podium by Nico Terol, although second place was enough to bring back the confidence that he can win races again. Meanwhile, Sergio Gadea is aiming to end a run of three races without a podium as he looks to improve on fourth place in the championship.

Bradley Smith: "I'm really excited about Misano and I'm sure we can have another top race. Indianapolis gave me a little self-confidence back because I was on the pace all weekend and could have easily won the race. In the end second place wasn't a bad result but I feel it is time for me to start winning again. Last Sunday I finished ahead of my main rivals in the championship but I can't back off now - I have to go out there and fight for wins. I love Misano as a circuit - it is my mechanics' home race and I'll be giving everything I have to score a good result for them. The podium the other day has to be the start of a run of good results from now to the end of the season if we want to stay up there."

The 125cc class marked their annual visit to Indianapolis with a thrilling race that ranks amongst the best of the year so far on Sunday, with two packs of riders challenging for the upper positions. Nico Trol repeated his early leadership from the Czech Republic for near enough the entirety of the race, but was shocked late on by Pol Espargaró, who overtook him with two laps remaining for his first Grand Prix victory. The breakaway group was full of talent, reducing from ten to six to five as the process of elimination was decided by the speedy pace. Espargaró, Smith, Corsi, Terol and Simón all put in exciting overtaking as the final places were arranged.

Zero points from Germany and Great Britain and fourth in the Czech Republic meant that Bradley Smith had spent three races away from the podium -a big hit to his title challenge. He returned to form Stateside with a great race, and could have won had he not made a small mistake on the entry to the home straight. The Bancaja rider recorded a mercurial 1'49.039 circuit record on his final lap, to take second place and make a rostrum comeback.

Teammate Simón started from pole, but did not have a great takeoff when the lights went out. As in Brno he made his comeback quickly, working his way back into contention with a fast pace. He was unable to keep up with the frontrunners, however, and in the end decided to think of the championship picture and take fifth place, maintaining his lead in the title chase with a 52.5 point advantage.

Sergio Gadea had the worst race of the Bancaja trio in Indianapolis. Starting from seventh on the grid, he lost places on the opening lap and had to pick things up. He fought with Bradl and Márquez when looking to move up the field, but suffered a chain problem that left him only able to earn fifteenth place.

2nd Bradley Smith: "I think that today's result was very positive, because I finished ahead of every rider that was above me in the championship standings. It's been a while since I was last on the podium, and I think that I really needed this. I hope that we can keep up this form at Misano next weekend. At one point in the race I doubted whether I could take a podium, because we were truly at the limit all the time. It was tough to keep up the pace, let alone overtake. Nico was very combative during the race, so passing him on the last lap with a circuit record was a big achievement for me. A little mistake on the entry to the home straight stopped me from fighting with Espargaró. Unfortunately I wasn't able to take the victory, but I hope to be in shape to try again next Sunday. Second place has helped to motivate me, and it will keep me focused for the upcoming races."

After a tentative start to the weekend yesterday, when the 125cc riders boxed clever in the search for feeling at the notoriously difficult Indianapolis circuit, the gloves came off today in a combative battle for pole position. Any one of eleven riders could have taken top spot, separated as they were by just six tenths of a second, but in the end it was Bancaja rider Julián Simón who took the honours after making the most of a timely slipstream from fellow Spaniard Esteve Rabat.

It is Simón's fifth pole position of the season and it was a welcome upturn in fortunes for the Spaniard, who suffered rear end problems with his Aprilia yesterday but worked to solve them in this morning's free practice, when he was fourth fastest. Having scored victory from his last pole at Germany earlier in the season, the series leader is hoping for a repeat result tomorrow. Bradley Smith was in fine form through the first three sections of the IMS and would surely have set pole himself if it weren't for a few problems in T4. However, the Oxford teenager is another candidate for victory from fifth on the grid, with the third Bancaja rider Sergio Gadea also looking to chase the leaders from seventh.

5th Bradley Smith 1.49.585 (20 laps): "Even though I'm a little disappointed to have qualified fifth this has still been a fantastic day for us. The most positive thing has been my pace and consistency with the Aprilia so tomorrow the goal is to maintain that and run with the front group. We don't have much to change on the bike but we will need to keep an eye on the wind because my feeling with the front end this afternoon wasn't as good as it was this morning. It is not a big problem at the end of the straight but out the back it is blowing quite hard. If we can speed things up in T4 during the warm-up we can have a good race."

Heavy rain on the first day of practice for the Indianapolis Grand Prix saw the 125cc riders confined to their garages for the final five minutes of the hour-long opening session, which hinted at the promise of a close weekend's racing as the top eleven riders lapped within a second of each other. The bumpy track surface made life extra difficult for the riders as they tried to get their bearings around the legendary circuit, with last year's winner Nico Terol setting the fastest lap on the dry track before the rain came.

The three Bancaja riders made a tentative start to the weekend, with Bradley Smith the fastest of them as he lapped third quickest, just two tenths of a second behind Terol. The Briton started out with the same set-up he used here in 2008 and made gradual tweaks and improvements before clocking a best time of 1'50.878 on his penultimate lap. Sergio Gadea was one of several riders to top the time sheets during a combative session, setting a firm and consistent pace in the 1'51s. Current series leader Julián Simón made an uncharacteristically cautious start to the Grand Prix as he lapped ninth fastest.

3rd Bradley Smith 1.50.878 (22 laps): "So far my Aprilia is working really well out there despite all the bumps - you could say I knew what to expect! I'm happy with how things have gone on this opening day and I think we can be satisfied with the job done. Unfortunately we had to stop early because of the weather but I was able to enjoy myself when we were out on track. I gradually improved my feeling with the bike and set my best lap near the end, making a slight modification to last year's setting on the rear. We still have a lot to do but we're starting from a good base and I'm more than happy with this as a first outing."

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway will this weekend hold the 125cc class' only American visit of the year, starting from this Friday at the historic Brickyard. It is the start of a tough two weeks for the riders, who head to Misano following the race for the second in a double-header of Grand Prix rounds. The second ever Indianapolis Grand Prix is set to be an exciting one, with the 2009 season one of the most hotly-contested in memory. 150 points remain on the table, and all riders have a chance to improve their position. Whilst they have that opportunity in their own hands, they won't have control over the weather; last year the track was hit by rain and left the competitors with little data for this weekend's action.

Julián Simón continued picking up points last time out in the Czech Republic, increasing his World Championship lead to 54 points over nearest rival Nico Terol. The Bancaja rider has ridden at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway before, but has yet to race at the track after last year's 250cc contest was cancelled. Julián is nonetheless confident that his team's hard work will bring him up to speed quickly and effectively, thanks to his sterling form over recent races. He will be aiming for nothing less than victory on hi Indianapolis debut.

Teammate Bradley Smith will also be going all-out for victory Stateside. A big fan of the track and the atmosphere at the Brickyard, the Briton has his own 'American Dream' for this Sunday. After picking up good points in Brno with fourth place, the teenager lies third in the World Championship and is keen to regain ground to Terol and Simón.

Below Smith in the standings but having an inverse run of form to his colleague, Sergio Gadea is ready to push forward at Indianapolis. The Spaniard had a tough time in the Czech Republic, but is confident that the difficulties encountered were just a minor blip as he aims to return to the podium once more.

Bradley Smith: "Indianapolis is a fantastic circuit, both in terms of layout and history. The people there are incredible, and you can tell that they live and breath motor racing. For the atmosphere alone the Indianapolis Grand Prix ranks amongst the best of the year for me. I really love the United States as well. We didn't get on the podium at the last round, but the fourth place was a good enough result to start regaining form and I hope that we carry on doing well this weekend. The track is new for everyone, as we only rode there last year. That means that nobody knows it too well nor has all the data necessary to ride fast straight away. It is a strange place to ride, because there are lots of bumps and changes in asphalt, and it's also a very technical circuit. We will see what happens over the weekend, but I hope for another successful race and more points for the title fight."

 One of Bradleys key supporters are 'Zip Vit' who help with Bradleys nutritional needs.

Below is an interview Bradley recently did with 'Zip Vit'

Historically people involved in motorsport were not always seen as particularly ‘sporty’ sportspeople (although they were obviously fit), however most riders and drivers now involved in motorsport are seen as athletes. What has changed in your view?

I think it’s the new generation of athletes, motorsport drivers/racers seem to be getting younger and younger and the fitness aspect is now a key part of their preparation. The Bikes&Tyres  are so close in performance now that riders are now looking to themselves as areas to improve.

You are particularly keen on cycling as part of your training regime, how did that come about?

It was introduced to me in 2005. I was riding in a Spanish Motorcycle Academy at the time, and it was a great way for the 6 of us to train together, work together, and also learn the importance of slipstream, just like riding a motorcycle.

Do you do any specific training on the bicycle that particularly helps your motorbike riding?

I actually race with a HR monitor, so I can use that info for specific training away from the track. I do time trial efforts on a weekend off to simulate a race, keeping my heart rate over 90%.

As a world-class Moto GP rider how important is nutrition in the build-up to a race, during the race itself and after a race?

Keeping hydrated is key for a Motogp Rider, racing in heats of 30+ degrees, with leathers, boots, helmet and gloves is physically draining. When you have no room for error and concentration levels have to be spot on, this is where your nutritional plan really makes the difference.

And how does nutrition figure in your training routine?

Nutrition is a main priority of mine, as Motgp 125cc class has a weight limit of 136kg bike and rider combined. I do not want to give away a weight advantage to other riders, so I eat to stay light but also to have power for training and racing. This has not been the easiest balance, but my post session food goes in without fail.

Your nutritional sponsor ZipVit came on-board in 2009, they are a relatively new brand on the market, but have made big in-roads into the market in a short space of time. What are your thoughts on the brand and the product itself?

It is great for me to be associated with a Brand that has really shown great passion and drive to produce the best. As an athlete you really appreciate that all the products show incredible attention to detail.

Which products in particular benefit your racing and training?

During a race weekend I will use ZV1 for my hydration, before and during each session. ZV3 is then used after the final session of each day to recover as soon as possible. Finally ZV7 Gels and ZV8 Bars, when necessary to keep energy levels topped up.

2009 has been a great year for you to date, what do you put this success down to and what are your hopes for the future?

I really have a great group of people/sponsors around me. They have the desire to win, and always do things to the best of the ability. This gives me a huge springboard to give 100% as perform to me true potential. For now my plan is to continue on the road to the Motogp Class, the next step is Moto 2 is 2010 and only time will tell what lies ahead.

Bradley

A forward thinking successful global company has entered the most demanding and exciting of all World Championship sporting arenas with their sponsorship of a teenager who is already emulating the exploits of a sporting legend.

Oxfordshire based Oxford Products have signed a deal with grand prix winner Bradley Smith for the next one and a half years to extend a special relationship that started four years ago. Their already impressive sporting heritage has been greatly enhanced by forging a relationship with a potential World Champion in a truly global Championship that last year attracted an average crowd of 134,233 fans to each grand prix weekend and was televised live to 337 million homes by cable/satellite television networks.

Oxford Products is a global two-wheel accessory brand that exports to over 60 countries and is the UK market leader in motorcycle security and touring products. They have a successful history in motorcycle racing dating back to the mid seventies by supporting many riders including Champions Phil Read, Jeremy McWilliams, Steve Hislop and Trevor Nation. They supplied Bradley Smith with free HJC helmets back in 2005 and have followed his progress with enormous interest ever since.

“I have watched Bradley’s progress in wonder since we first met up in 2004 when he was competing in a club race at Silverstone and I’m delighted to have cemented our relationship in this way,” explained Oxford Products Managing Director Andrew Hammond. “Bradley will make an excellent ambassador for our brands as he is for the whole of British sport. Bradley actually passed his bike test in the car park of our Witney premises last year which was the perfect coming together of two of our biggest aspirations by supporting grass roots biking as much as grass roots racing.”

Eighteen Year old Bradley Smith has re-written the history books this season in the highly competitive 125 cc World Championship which makes such compelling viewing. After winning the Italian Grand Prix in May he became the first British rider to lead a grand prix World Championship since the legendary Barry Sheene thirty long years ago. Earlier that month Smith won his first ever grand prix riding the Aspar Aprilia at Jerez in Spain. The Oxford-based teenager is in his fourth season of grand prix racing and has made impressive progress each year culminating in those two grands prix wins.

It’s a long way from that club race at Silverstone and Smith is delighted to rekindle the relationship especially with a local company.

 “It’s brilliant to be involved with such a progressive local company that helped me right from the start of my road racing days,” he said, before jetting off to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to compete in the American Indianapolis Grand Prix.” Oxford Products have a fantastic heritage in motor cycle racing and I’m delighted they have chosen me for this to continue.”

The new sponsorship deal between Oxford Products and Bradley Smith will run for the remainder of this season and throughout 2010.

The breakaways in the 125cc class continued in Brno, scene of the Czech Republic Grand Prix. Nico Terol, Julián Simón and Andrea Iannone took off early on Sunday, engaging in a three-way fight for the win. Riding between half a second to a full second quicker than the trailing pack, the three would decide the positions amongst themselves. Terol eventually held off Simón for the victory, contending with a pass attempt on the final lap from his fellow Spaniard.

If Sachsenring and Donington showed a more fighting Simón, Brno was treated to a thinking one. The Bancaja rider was solid from the start and became the first man to go round in under 2'09, looking for the leadership of the race. On lap three he joined two rivals in the fight, and studied Terol for a number of laps. Battling with Iannone he clocked the fastest lap of the race with a 2'08.640 on lap nine, although he lost out to Terol on the final lap and had to settle for second and twenty points.

A first-lap scare for Bradley Smith allowed the leaders to get away from the Briton, leaving him riding more or less on his own in fourth place. Not wanting to risk a crash, Smith rode steadily and picked up his first points in three races. Thirteen points maintain his third position in the overall standings.

Sergio Gadea's tough weekend concluded with ninth place, as the Spaniard realized that it wasn't going to be his day. Gadea had a good start, but a lack of comfort on his Aprilia proved too big an obstacle to overcome.

4th Bradley Smith: "It was a pity that I had that scare on the opening lap. I think I might have hit the clutch lever at just the wrong moment, shutting off the engine and nearly going down. I was just about to hunt down Iannone and lost concentration. I think that without this I could have beenup there with the top three. In any case, after the disasters at Sachsenring and Donington I got back in the points, and that was my goal. Fourth isn't bad, but I will take more from fact that it comes after troubles yesterday and the in the warmup. I leave Brno a little disappointed, because Iannone and Nico are both rivals who finished ahead of me. I already have my sights set on a podium at Indianapolis."

Hot temperatures remained at Brno on Saturday, with the hope being that conditions stay the same for Sunday. The free practice session saw Pol Espargaró record the quickest time, with Bancaja riders Simón and Smith close behind. Then came qualifying, in which slipstreaming and tailing came into play. A waiting game to catch onto the back wheel of the faster riders developed in a session that eventually saw Andrea Iannone take pole after emerging from Nico Terol's draft. Terol will himself start alongside Iannone on Sunday. Such slipstreaming shenanigans will inevitably take place tomorrow in a race that looks set to feature a battle between the top riders, amongst them the Bancaja Aspar team members.

Despite it not being his favourite track, Julián Simón is proving to be one of the big players in Brno. The Bancaja rider has not been out of the top four in any session, and starts from the front row and at the head of the world championship standings. He was third in the free practice session and was just three tenths off the pole time in the afternoon. The Spaniard already has a clear idea of his race setup and tyres, and wants to escape at the front early on with his 2'08 and 2'09 pace.

Bradley Smith also has a set idea of what he needs for the Sunday race. The Briton was fastest on Friday and third in the morning session, but had problems in the afternoon run with the rear end of his Aprilia. In the final ten minutes he was back on form, with the fifth quickest lap time of the day.

Sergio Gadea joins him on the second row, after fighting for the entire day with chattering problems. He needs the Sunday warmup time in order to resolve the rear end feeling of his Aprilia, having salvaged seventh place after following Smith.

5th Bradley Smith 2.08.957 (14 laps): "The qualifying session was the only less than perfect session that we have had so far. In the free practices we were able to improve a lot, but this afternoon we went in the wrong direction. We fought to find the best setup for the Aprilia, and it looks as if we nailed it in the end. Fifth isn't a fantastic place, but it is hardly a disaster either, and I have the poleman in front of me as a reference at the start. Our biggest problem has been the rear suspension, which was too hard and means that we don't have al the feedback that we would like. It is important here to have a balanced bike, with al the ups and downs and fast corners. I think that we have everything more or less sorted, and we will adjust the rear in the warmup. It's going to be a slipstreaming race, so we will have to be aware."

After two weekends off, the 125cc riders were back in the saddle at midday in Brno. With 22 degrees in the air and 37 degrees on track, conditions were almost ideal for the return to action. The asphalt itself, however, was less than ideal, and times were down some two seconds on previous years. The top six riders -Smith, Márquez, Simón, Terol, Gadea and Cortese, were the early standouts, with Smith coming out on top on Friday.

The time off had served the Bancaja Aspar riders well, as they returned in stellar form following the British Grand Prix. With the most to prove after a heartbreaking home race, Bradley Smith decided to lead from the front in the afternoon run. He clocked two fastest laps in a row whilst leading the way, the latter of which the 2'09.211 that put him above his rivals.

Julián Simón also came out swinging in the session, making only small changes on his Aprilia and continuing a furious pace carried over from Donington Park. He was just two-tenths of a second off Smith's time, third on the timesheet.

Sergio Gadea completed the Bancaja Aspar representation with the fifth best time, and had set the early pace by being the first rider to break into the 2'09's. The Spaniard was at the head of the timesheet for the majority of the second half-hour, but took a tumble with ten minutes to go and was unable to resume his pacewhen he reappeared five minutes later.

1st Bradley Smith 2.09.211 (21 laps): "I think that this was the ideal way to return to action. After two weeks off I needed to get back on the Aprilia, and what better way to do so than with the best time of the day? An hour without rain was fantastic to have, because it is much easier to move forward. We were coming along great during the run, and even the asphalt was getting better; at the start the bike was sliding, but it gradually got more grippy. The wind gave some problems -as it does at Brno- and you need to get a slipstream to keep from losing time. We were all practically even today, so we have to keep concentrated to be the best this weekend."

The Bancaja riders continue to hold the top three positions in the standings and hope to continue their dominance in the second half of the year

With the holidays over for the MotoGP contingent, this weekend will see the return to action with the Czech Republic Grand Prix. After a two-week break, the 125cc riders are ready to mount their machines once more this coming Friday at the Brno circuit. With the shorter and twistier Sachsenring and Donington circuits now behind, the Czech track offers up the longest challenge of the European venues, with only Sepang longer on the championship calendar. At 5.403km long it is fast, wide and demanding of the riders, who will have to work hard to fight for honours in Sunday's race, the first of a long run in to the title decider.

Thanks to a superb opening half of the year, the Bancaja Aspar riders were able to fully enjoy their summer break. With one eye still on their training over the holidays, they arrive at Brno fully prepared to revive their title assault which sees them in the top three spots in the championship standings. Both Sergio Gadea and Bradley Smith are particularly motivated to do well at the Czech race, have suffered crashes in the wet at Donington and scoring no points. The duo are keen to get their excellent seasons back on track and continue fighting for the title. The Bancaja riders have already won races this season, and adding another 25 points to their tally would be the best way to get over the recent disappointment. Julián Simón meanwhile is sure that his championship aspirations are well on course, After picking up two wins the last two races, the rider from La Mancha has extended his standings lead considerably, with a huge 50 points separating him from the rest. Brno is another chance for him to continue his push towards glory.

Bradley Smith: "I'm hoping for a positive race in Brno, I'm extremely determined to make it a good result after the crashes at Sachsenring and Donington. Brno is a technical and wide track, with ample opportunities for overtaking. In the 125s it will be difficult to escape because it's another long circuit where slipstreaming is key. It's a bit like Mugello, in terms of length and the combination of esses and elevation changes. That means it will be crucial to get the set-up right at Brno, and to be strong at the end of the race. I hope that after the last two wet races, we can enjoy another sunny weekend and good conditions for racing."

With Formula 1 on its mid-season break, Jenson Button should by rights be taking a well-earned rest.

Instead, he slapped on his jogging gear, cycle helmet and a wetsuit (not all at once) with a promise to give it his all at the London Triathlon.

Taking on thousands of Londoners - and a cheeky challenge by 18-year-old Moto GP racer Bradley Smith - he aimed high, hoping to complete the 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run in two hours and 15 minutes.

He made a personal best time of two hours and seven minutes.

However, Jenson missed quite a sight by taking on the challenge.

While he panted his way through London,  his girlfriend Jessica Michibata was sunning herself on a beach near Tokyo, modelling Samantha Thavasa handbags and Honey Bunch bikinis.

The kind-hearted Formula 1 star is not seeking a career-change, just hoping to raise money for the Make A Wish Foundation.

But he was also rising to a challenge, after cheeky Moto GP star Bradley Smith asked him to prove his worth.

In preparation, Button sought some professional help, heading to a wind-tunnel to test out his time-trial bike.

But when he was asked by the Telegraph if he was getting an unfair advantage, he replied with a grin: 'No way. People should use everything they can, with the new bike, new helmet and position I'll shave off one and half minutes.'

'I think I'm going to collapse now,' Button said, after crossing the line.

''I was massively quicker than I expected on the bike, one hour and three minutes, and then I took the first lap of the run relatively easy before giving it the beans on the second lap to finish in 35.02 mins.'

It is good for Jenson to have a challenge, with seven-time F1 champion Schumacher rejoining the Grand Prix in three weeks time.

Still the aim, along with the other 13,000 contenders, is to raise money in London's biggest sporting event (if you exclude last week's world dominoes championship) until the Olympics 2012.

But - assuming Jenson doesn't find himself entered into those - he can spend his time concentrating on his F1 glories.

This is a new feature that we will put on the website occasionaly, designed to give a little background to some of the kind sponsors who support me.

I have known George at Ripe Digital for a few years now and he has always supported my racing activites. 

If you or your company use the type of services that Ripe Digital offer, all i can say is they come highly recommended.

Bradley

If you were one of the thousands of spectators who experienced the thrilling racing at this years British GP at Donington Park, you may also have been lucky enough to get your hands on an Official Limited Edition Bradley Smith 2009 Poster or Postcard.

These promotional items were produced by long-term sponsor Ripe Digital Ltd based in Corsham, Wiltshire.

Ripe have produced all of Bradley's printed matter since his road race career started in the Aprillia Superteens Series in 2004.The introduction to the business was made by one of Ripe's employees whose relationship with the Smiths goes back to the early days of motocross when Bradley rode for his part-time ecommerce venture motox-collect.com. Since then Ripe have been keen to maintain their support with being the official print sponsor and supplying Bradley with promotional posters, postcards, xmas cards and sponsor packs all printed from their state of the art facility.

The company utilises the very latest technology using a HP Indigo 3050 Digital Printing Press which means there is now a real alternative to traditional Litho printing with no compromise on quality. This modern printing system is far cheaper to set-up meaning smaller print jobs are now much more affordable giving you the increased flexibility to print the quantity you require with no minimum run at a competitive price. An additional advantage of printing digitally is the ability to easily print a proof prior to production. This is something that Bradley really likes! This proof is printed on the same material and equipment as the final job giving the customer peace of mind regarding the quality of the final print run with the added advantage of a quick turnaround for those time sensitive jobs.

In addition to the posters and postcards that the company assist Bradley with they also undertake a huge array of other printed matter including company reports, books, brochures, flyers and stationery to more bespoke work like printed langyards, cd/dvd sleeves and swing tags.

For more information check out www.ripedigital.co.uk or contact george@ripedigital.co.uk

During the mid-season break I took part in the Mazda London Triathlon. It may not sound like the most relaxing way to spend the summer but a triathlon is a kind of escape for me.  It's a wonderful sport, full of optimism, where everybody enjoys themselves and where you can be competitive at any level.

I finished seventh in my age category and I was very pleased with my time, finishing in 2hrs 13mins and 36secs. What pleases me most though, is that I have been able to raise money for Riders for Health. The official charity of MotoGP, Riders is an organisation that does incredible, life-saving work in Africa.

You can still help support this amazing organisation by visiting my JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/bradleysmith. The triathlon may be over, but we can still help to make a huge difference to people in Africa and, best of all, we’re doing it through the use of motorcycles.

Before the race even started we had raised £1,135. This is enough to train a health worker in Kenya to ride a motorcycle safely so she can reach isolated communities with the kind of regular health care we all take for granted. It would also make sure she has a complete set of protective clothing and a tool kit so she can carry out the daily maintenance on her motorcycle so that it never breaks down. A reliable motorcycle means that her communities are never left without help.

There are 1.3 million people living with HIV in Kenya, and one-in-every-ten of these is under-14. Kenya also has over a million children who have been orphaned through AIDS.

This is why Riders’ work with community organisations in Kenya is so important. A health worker with a motorcycle can provide care and support to five times as many families than a health worker or nurse who has to walk.

The support of everyone in MotoGP means Riders can reach over 10 million people across Africa.  You can find out more about all the work Riders is doing by visiting their website at www.riders.org.

Thanks again to everyone that has supported me and this wonderful charity and, remember, it is not too late to sponsor me and make a difference. 

Bradley

MotoGP 125cc championship contender, Bradley Smith, will be raising money for the official charity of MotoGP when he takes on British Formula One star Jenson Button in a motorsport showdown at the Mazda London Triathlon on 2 August 2009.

As well as attempting to make sure motorcycling comes out on top in the race, Smith will be raising money for the work of Riders for Health (www.riders.org).

Riders for Health mobilises health care workers in rural Africa with reliable motorcycles and four-wheeled vehicles so predictable health care reaches even the most isolated communities.  To support Bradley and the lifesaving work of Riders for Health you can donate through his JustGiving page www.justgiving.com/bradleysmith.

Bradley also joined the other stars of MotoGP to support the work of Riders for Health at the annual Day of Champions event on Thursday 23rd July. The event helped to raise an incredible £177,000 and Bradley boosted the total when the racing leathers he was wearing for the race on Sunday sold for £1,600 in the MotoGP auction.

Smith challenged Button after they met at Silverstone during the British F1 Grand Prix where Smith, in recognition of his achievement of being the first British rider in three decades to lead any Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship, was attending as a guest of Bernie Ecclestone.

Despite his young age, Smith is no newcomer to triathlons - the swimming, cycling and running events are a major focus of his training regime and his personal trainer is an ironman regular who has been passing on all his experience to Smith.

This is the 13th year of the Mazda London Triathlon and Bradley will be among the 13,000 competitors taking part in the world’s largest triathlon raising a combined total in excess of £3 million for charity.

For more information about the work of Riders for Health, visit www.riders.org   

For more information about the Mazda London Triathlon, visit www.thelondontriathlon.co.uk 

With MotoGP fast becoming one of the most popular sports in the UK, Swiss watchmaker Tissot is proud to announce their partnership with British MotoGP 125cc racer, Bradley Smith. Tissot are always keen to support up-and-coming British talent, and this is reinforced by this local partnership with Bradley as a friend of the brand for the 2009 season. Tissot has a long standing alliance with MotoGP as the official timekeeper and has supported Ducati rider Nicky Hayden since 2006, the year in which he went on to win the championship.

Bradley Smith has been Grand Prix racing since 2006 and at only 18, already has a list of accolades to his name. After successful seasons with both Repsol Honda and Polaris World, Bradley signed with Bancaja Aspar Aprilia for the 2009 season. In May this year he won his first ever Grand Prix with a dominant performance at Jerez. His first Pole Position of the season came at Mugello in which he scored his second Grand Prix victory.

Philip Poole, Tissot UK Brand Director comments ‘Tissot is thrilled to be announcing this local partnership with MotoGP’s rising star Bradley Smith. We are always keen to support talented sportsmen, which also shows in Tissot’s long standing relationship with superstar Michael Owen whom we have been supporting for 11 years now. This dedicated involvement with sports talent now also applies to our support of Bradley in these early stages of his career. Tissot has a long standing association with MotoGP, which reflects our brand values of precision, performance and prestige, whilst always looking to push the boundaries further in pursuit of excellence.”

Bradley went on to qualify on pole for the Donington race and was awarded his 'Pole Position Watch' by Fraser McDonald, Editor of Stuff Magazine. The picture above is of the watch presentation.

The 125cc race was a tough one to predict in Great Britain, as much for the talent on display as for the tricky weather conditions that typically hit Donington Park on race day. The race was declared dry despite spots of rain falling, but heavier rainfall just two laps shy of the required two thirds meant that the riders would have to start from zero in a five lap sprint to the line. The five Spanish top finishers from Sachsenring were in with a chance of repeating their feat, but the first of the quintet to fall by the wayside was Sergio Gadea. He was unable to start the second race, whilst Julián Simón brought victory number 100 to team manager Jorge Martínez "Aspar" with an assured final lap.

His third win of the year gives Simón a fifty point advantage as the series leader, as the Spaniard played a conservative strategy at Donington Park. Studying his rivals, he was thrust into the lead when two crashed out, and reaped the benefits of his patience. He overtook Simone Corsi on the final lap to take the chequered flag first. He now heads into the summer break more relaxed and closer to a first 125cc title.

Not so fortunate were Bradley Smith y Sergio Gadea, his teammates in the Bancaja squad. Home rider Smith started from pole, but was swallowed up by the pack before digging his heels in and moving back into the top five. On the restart Smith took the lead, but crashed out in front of his fans and ended his victory challenge. He completed the race in twentiefth place.

Fighting for glory in the first race, Gadea's fall just a pair of laps before the red flag came out meant that he was left with a DNF by his name and little to show for a positive weekend, although his valiant effort in catching leader Pol Espargaró was highly praiseworthy.

20th Bradley Smith: "I think that the problem was basically the bad track conditions. I handled the situation well, but the asphalt was what took me down. I don't think that there was anything really wrong, it was just that I went at full gas. Everyone knows that this track sometimes has grip and sometimes doesn't, and the same thing happened to Márquez. The result isn't the best for a home race, but we were best in qualifying and were up to fourth in the first race. I think that we were competitive all weekend, but unfortunately we don't have any points to show for it."

Bradley Smith made history today by taking the final pole position for a 125cc Grand Prix at Donington Park with a stunning performance in this afternoon's qualifying session. Whilst his Bancaja team-mates Julián Simón and Sergio Gadea dominated this morning's free practice, it was Smith who moved to the fore in the afternoon to take pole position, his second of the season, at his home circuit ahead of the Spanish Armada of Espargaró Simón, Olivé, Gadea and Márquez. With the top six riders qualifying inside half a second, it promises to be a close battle for victory tomorrow.

Smith struggled for front grip this morning and could lap no better than twelfth fastest but the British teenager turned it around in the afternoon thanks to a great job by his mechanics. Having hovered in second place for much of the grid shootout, the Oxfordshire star produced two stunning laps at the very end to delight the home crowd. Simón crashed early in the session but also produced a late charge to gatecrash the front row in third place whilst a gearbox problem for Gadea left him with work to do at the end, the Spaniard progressing up the order but held up by traffic when making his own late challenge for pole.

1st Bradley Smith 1.37.442 (21 laps): "That was a fantastic qualifying session for me - I felt like I had it under control all the way through and the bike was working perfectly. My confidence picked up as the laps went by and I was able to go faster and faster. I don't think we could ask for much more at the moment - just for the weekend to end successfully tomorrow! Whatever happens I have to stay focused because the points don't get dished out until tomorrow and that is when you've got to really produce the goods. The bike is more or less ready and we don't need to change anything before the race. Hopefully the weather is on our side and we have a dry race. It is important for us to get a good result tomorrow to keep our championship chances intact."

Despite his precocious age, you only need to look into the blue eyes of Bradley Smith for proof of the maturity and alertness that defines his character. Through his mannerisms, rhetoric and serenity you get an instant grasp of the methodical approach of the Bancaja youngster, who prefers to leave nothing to chance. It is not unusual to see him on an exercise bike before or even after a practice session or race and the way he studies a circuit on a Thursday is scrupulous in its detail. To the youngster from Oxford, what may seem to some as an impetuous attitude is just a way of understanding his life and his profession, with victory always on his radar.

With preseason and the season itself we're talking about ten months of intense activity. Do you have a long-term training plan?

In preseason I do basic training, in other words long but intense continuous sessions with a low but progressive heart rate. Normally when we start competing in April or March I'm still not at 100%. It is a long season and you have to find a level that won't leave you too tired over the final races, which are demanding because of the travelling and the conditions. So basically I step up the intensity through the season up to August. Then I have a rest to make sure I look after myself and make it to the end of the season in the best shape possible. June, July and August are the months where I hit my peak and I maintain that to the end of the season.

Do you do any kind of specific training during a Grand Prix weekend?      

To be honest no, although I usually train the same for the first three days of a Grand Prix week as I do in a normal week. For example on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I do swimming, cycling and running and then when I get to a circuit on a Thursday I do a few laps of the track either on my pushbike or on foot. Obviously the intensity is much lower because you're trying to save energy for the weekend but I don't stop training altogether. Once the Grand Prix gets started, I spend fifteen minutes maximum warming up on a stationary bike before each practice and the race. I also do ten minutes as a warm down after the race to loosen and stretch the muscles. I also eat recovery food and hydrate a lot. It is very important to recover quickly, especially when you have back-to-back races, and to keep your immune system strong to avoid any kind of illness or infection that could affect performance.

Do you need a special diet to go along with your training programme?

My personal trainer takes charge of everything to do with training, nutrition and of course rest. I also have a sponsor that provides me with all the supplements I need for my programme. At home I have quite a strange diet because on one hand I need enough energy to train but at the same time I have to be careful not to get too heavy for a 125. I don't eat any junk food and not much red meat - it's mainly white meat, fish and salads as well as carbohydrates like pasta. I rarely take in more than 2500 calories a day.

How and when did you meet your personal trainer?

We met at the end of 2007. It was the end of my time with the Repsol team and a friend recommended that I go and see Mark and after talking to him for five minutes I knew he had to train me. He has the experience and knowledge to turn me into a true athlete. He competes in a lot of triathlons and Ironman contests, which is a long-distance triathlon. It was a little bit tricky at the start for him to understand the dynamics of a motorcycle racer. Basically his training method is based around the prevention of illness and injury. If you train too hard you can tire yourself out and you have to stop, which hinders your development. If you train constantly at 80% your physical fitness will constantly increase. Personally I think every rider should have a personal trainer to organise their training, nutrition, etc. As a rider this is my job and I have to work constantly on achieving the maximum I can - it is my responsibility to my sponsors and to myself.

It sounds like the triathlon forms the basis of your training.

Yes, I love all three disciplines and it's also a good way to completely disconnect from MotoGP. Between January and November I spend a lot of time riding motorcycles and even though we're not racing every weekend it is a long season. Triathlon is kind of an escape route for me and it came into my life thanks to Mark. It's wonderful sport, full of optimism, where everybody enjoys themselves a lot in the races and where you can be competitive at any level. To race in 125s the only training I do other than cycling, running and swimming is core training and stretching. When you're on the bike you need a strong core and arms to put up with the stress and the weight transfer. I spend an hour, two or three times a week, using a basic gym ball. Working with Mark we try to replicate the positions I get into on the bike. Occasionally I ride motocross or supermoto but during the season I do enough riding at the GPs.

I suppose the British weather has an effect on your training

This year was the first time I spent a long time out of England to train and I think it worked out really well. At the beginning of winter I spent six weeks in Barcelona and in all that time it rained three or four times, whilst in England if you're lucky you get three or four days of sunshine! We get wind, snow and even hail and it is difficult to train, as well as being dangerous, whilst in Barcelona I was able to make the most of those six weeks and train in safety. Next winter I'll be back in Spain for my preseason training but I'd also like to try cross-country skiing - we just have to work out where.

Do you ever take time out for a break?

Yeah of course - usually once a week or every fortnight I take a day out to completely relax, recover and recharge my batteries. But I don't like to be doing nothing - I like to be busy all the time.

What about holidays?

Not during the season. If I go on holiday it's at the end of the year with the family, in November or December. I take a week off over Christmas doing absolutely nothing and allowing myself some of the 'sins' I miss out on the rest of the year. But I still spend 50 or 51 weeks of the year concentrating on my training and absolutely dedicated to racing motorcycles.

Do you think so much preparation is necessary or is it just part of your winning character?

I always want to be at the maximum level that my body and mind will allow, I am a very competitive person. As far as racing is concerned, I don't want my body to ever get in the way of me winning. I don't ever want to feel like I could have done better in a race if only I was a bit fitter. In 125 perhaps so much training isn't necessary but my attitude is to do everything I can to win. Suffering through training is fundamental for me and I think you need to suffer to maintain your hunger and a winning mentality.

How do you deal with the jetlag in Australia, the heat in Malaysia and racing at night in Qatar?

For Qatar I started incorporating training sessions at 8pm for a couple of weeks before the race, so I am used to being active at a time that is normally reserved for rest. For Malaysia I train inside a cabin that has heat and humidity control. It is a bit like a sauna but not as hot and you can regulate the temperature. As far as jetlag is concerned there's not much you can do about it - if you start to feel it I think the best option is not to worry about it and just sit up in bed reading or watching television. If I get tired during the day I try and have a little nap if I can. Jetlag is something you can't predict so I suppose the only way to fight it is to stay awake and get tired!

A frenetic week of MotoGP activity sees the World Championship caravan head directly across northern Europe from Germany to the UK for the final round before the summer break. Donington Park plays host to the ninth round of the 2009 season but this will be the last to take place at the legendary circuit, which will make way for Silverstone on next year's calendar. It is an opportunity for the 125cc riders to write their own little piece of history in Leicestershire and sign off in style before a well-earned break, as they do battle at another small and tight circuit.  

Julián Simón, Sergio Gadea and Bradley Smith currently occupy the top three places in the championship following another dominant weekend for the Bancaja team in Germany, where they celebrated yet another one-two finish. Now they cannot wait for the next Grand Prix, where they will fight for a victory that would be the 100th in the career of Team Manager Jorge Martínez "Aspar". Simón returns to the scene of his debut victory, which came in torrentially wet conditions in 2005, with a 25-point lead at the top of the standings thanks to his latest success at Sachsenring. In terms of podium finishes Gadea is the most consistent of the Aspar trio and he has stood on the box at each of the last three rounds, with third place in Barcelona and second at Sachsenring sandwiching a memorable victory at Assen. After a disappointing DNF in Germany, Oxfordshire teenager Smith cannot wait for the opportunity to make up lost ground in the championship chase at his home race.

Bradley Smith: "I can't wait to get to my home race at Donington. The problems in Germany are behind us now and I'm only concentrating on recovering as many points as I can and putting on a good performance for the British fans. The crash at Sachsenring was disappointing but now we go to a circuit I love and where I know I can go fast from the start of the Grand Prix on Friday. Donington Park is a really fun circuit -my favourite section is probably the first few corners, with the downhill drop through Craner Curves. I am particularly fired up for this one and I want to score a good result for my fans so that I can head into the holidays on a high."

Hi All

Sorry its a bit late notice but he is on Radio 5 Live tonight between 9pm and 10pm

Try and catch it if you can

Steve

Hi everyone,

On page 57 of todays Times (Mon 20th July) there is a very nice feature article on Bradley.

If you havnt seen it, ask around to see if anyone you know has a copy, well worth a read.

I have scanned the article, see below.

All the best

Steve

Times Article

Julián Simón took a convincing victory in Germany to head a Spanish podium that also included Sergio Gadea and Joan Olivé. The entire top five hailed from Spain, in a great day for the country in motorcycle racing. As a bonus, rain that had plagued the Sachsenring circuit held off for the 125cc race, although there were still falls and mechanical problems aplenty with a total of eleven retirees. Simón's victory from pole broke the Spanish hoodoo of not having a single rider win from the head of the grid in any class.

Bancaja rider Simón had led the way for the entire weekend, save for the morning warmup, and had his fourth pole position of the year on Saturday. He laid down three fast laps from the start of the race, with only Nico Terol able to contain him in the early going. After breaking away further, Simón had a comfortable lead of over nine seconds when he crossed the line.

The 25 points taken for Simón's win is exactly the number that separates him and Sergio Gadea in the World Championship. Gadea moved up to second in the standings following a fantastic comeback through the field , having started from fourteenth on the grid. The Spaniard looked far more comfortable in the dry, and was already up to third by the end of lap one. He clocked the fastest lap of the race -1'28.337- and gave the Bancaja team another one-two on the rostrum. It was his third consecutive podium finish.

The only sour note for the team was Bradley Smith's first DNF of the year, a situation previewed with a fall in warmup. The Briton crashed twice in the race, first on lap one and then on the third time around the track, to end his day and releagate him from second in the classification.

Bradley Smith (DNF): "It seems like I shouldn't have got out of bed this morning. It is disappointing that I had such a good weekend end like this, but I think that the warmup crash affected us. I don't think that the front tyre had got up to temperature. That's why I got the feeling that I was running off track at every corner. The first crash was a blow to morale, and the second was a hit from behind that I couldn't do anything about. We just have to move on and concentrate on the next race in Donington, making sure that we are ready to regain points."

The 125cc riders have had every opportunity to prepare for any eventuality with the weather tomorrow after a second day that saw a dry free practice session and completely wet qualifying, following on from yesterday's damp conditions. The soaking afternoon session saw some surprise contenders at the top in the early stages, including the like of Japanese youngster Nakagami and local rider Schrotter, but from the halfway stage to the end normal service was resumed as Bancaja man Julián Simón imposed his pace and sealed pole position ahead of his team-mate Bradley Smith.

Simón and Smith were separated by third team member Sergio Gadea at the top of the time sheets this morning but the latter was unable to repeat his form in the wet, qualifying down in fourteenth place. Simón's main challenge for pole came from Smith and Nico Terol but two fast laps from the Bancaja man on laps 17 and 19, both of which featured a stunning T4. Smith made up positions after changing to a softer rear set-up on his Aprilia, the Oxford teenager clocking his best time of 1'39.686 on the last of 19 laps - enough for second place on the grid but still a second off the pace of the Spaniard.

2nd Bradley Smith 1.39.686 (16 laps): "The conditions made it tough today but I've been happy with the performance of the bike since yesterday. I'm not really bothered about the conditions because we're ready for anything. There was a lot of water on the track for qualifying and the bike was really unstable in certain points, so I think second place is a good result. I think it's our best position in the wet so far this season so we have to be happy with that. If it is a dry race then everybody will be close and it could be a good race. 27 laps is a long way and it will be hard to maintain concentration for the full distance and not make any mistakes. Despite the fact Sergio struggled a little in the wet I think all the Aspar riders are on the pace in the dry so there's no reason why we can't go for another podium treble!"

The 125cc World Championship returned to action this afternoon at the German Grand Prix following a two-week break, with a free practice that started out in bright sunshine before the onset of wind and rain for the final fifteen minutes. Once the storm had subsided the riders returned to the track to work on their wet settings and with the exception of turns 10 and 13, where small streams had formed, the track quickly dried - although not enough to return to slick tyres. However, the session was a good opportunity for the riders to blow the cobwebs off their bikes after two weeks in storage and it was Bancaja rider Julián Simón who adapted quickest, setting the fastest time of the session.

Despite the fact the session was not as fruitful as it might have been in more consistent conditions, the Bancaja riders tried to make the most of the available track time - working on their dry set-up in the first half hour and establishing themselves amongst the top positions on the time sheets. Julián Simón, who clocked the fastest lap with a time of 1'28.594 on the dry track, preferred not to take any risks in the wet and completed just two laps at full pace in the hope of either a fully dry or fully wet session throughout tomorrow. Bradley Smith used the session to experiment with some engine settings ahead of Sunday's race and so far, so good, with the British teenager setting the fastest top speed of the day at 206.7km/h and the third fastest time at 1.29.423. Sergio Gadea was the bravest rider of the afternoon as the first to return to the wet track whilst it was still raining, the Spaniard solving carburetion problems with his Aprilia, to set the fifth fastest time in the dry before clocking some impressive lap times in the wet.

3rd Bradley Smith 1.29.423 (19 laps): "It was amazing how the conditions changed in just a matter of minutes. The good thing is that even though we didn't have much time we were able to test things in the wet and in the dry. It is also good to have a basic idea about which direction to go in tomorrow, when we'll be working a little more on the setting of the engine. It is a slow process so we have to work hard on making sure everything is right, without taking any risks because if not the race will be upon us before we know it. I'm happy because I know the team will be working hard on the bike tonight so that we only have small things to work on tomorrow."

Hi Everyone,

Take a look at the poster image on the left (click on it to enlarge it)

This poster is now deing displayed around the country at a number of sites care of one of Bradleys big fans (Thanks Richard of Primesite).

All you have to do is spot one of the posters, take a picture of it (preferably with you in the picture) and send it to me at (steve.burgess@clearsightpartners.com).

The first 10 pictures received by me will receive one of the new orange T-Shirts, signed to you by Bradley !!

So get looking and snaping !!

Good Luck, Steve.

The second back-to-back sequence of races gets underway this weekend as the 2009 MotoGP World Championship heads to Germany before moving straight to England within seven days, just as the series did from Japan to Spain earlier in the campaign. The smaller Grand Prix categories return to action having not travelled to Laguna Seca, taking the opportunity for a well-earned break following a hectic start to the season. The German Grand Prix gets underway on Friday, marking the halfway point of the MotoGP season and the business end of the chase for 125cc honours. Sachsenring is a notoriously tight and twisty circuit where the lap times are close and the slightest advantage can make all the difference. Chassis set-up is crucial for the minor category machines as they look to get the better of this tricky circuit.

The three members of the Bancaja Aspar Team line-up head to Germany in top form, with their triple podium in the last round at Assen still fresh in the memory. Second place for Julián Simón was enough to consolidate his position at the top of the 125cc World Championship standings. The Spaniard knows that Sachsenring suits his riding style and is keen to take the opportunity to extend his series lead. Julián's last victory in the French GP was a dominant one but four races have gone by since then and he knows it is time to recapture that winning feeling. Bradley Smith was handed the final podium position in Holland thanks to a decision by Race Direction and he remains within striking distance of his team-mate at the top of the championship, with just 5.5 points between them. Meanwhile, victory in the Dutch TT for Sergio Gadea lifted him to fourth in the standings and the Spaniard is desperate to move up another position and close the gap on his team-mates this weekend.

Bradley Smith: "I scored a good result at Sachsenring last year and it's kind of weird that I'll be racing in the Aspar Team colours this year because I spent the whole race last year fighting for the podium with Talmácsi. In the end I finished fourth so I hope it can be different this time. I tend to go fast straight away at Sachsenring and I've qualified on the front row for the past two seasons so I'm optimistic and I think we can aim to be on the podium on Sunday afternoon. It is a fairly straightforward circuit - tight and twisty - and the lap times tend to be close, so we have to be really focused on finding those last few tenths. The majority of corners are left-handers so the wear and tear on the left hand side of your tyres and your body is higher than at other tracks. Other than that, I just want to get a good result and generate even more motivation, if that's possible, to take to my home race at Donington."

Cloudy skies at the Cathedral of Motorcycle Racing thankfully failed to open on Saturday morning, providing a dry race for the Dutch TT. Unlike last year's 125cc race, this time around an uninterrupted race could take place, with an entertaining battle for the win.

Sergio Gadea made the most of the race to take his first win of 2009, also taking advantage of a coming together between Julián Simón and Nico Terol. The latter was later penalised for the move, putting Bradley Smith onto the podium. Smith had crossed the line fourth after a tough battle with Andrea Iannone. Despite its late nature, the rostrum was an all-Bancaja Aspar affair, the first time that it has happened since Valencia 2007.

The trio thus celebrated the Aspar team's 200th podium with by 'going Dutch', sharing the spoils amongst themselves. Gadea had the honour of crossing the line first, but Simón and Smith have all placed their part in a successful start to 2009. Simón rode the fastest lap of the race with a 1'45.537 just three laps in, and could have pushed Gadea more had it not been for the last lap incident.

3rd Bradley Smith: "It has been a difficult race, as at the start I couldn't get up to the front to try and break away. My plan was to wait five or six laps behindd the group, watching how the race developed. Gadea passed Iannone and oponed a gap, but when I tried to pass we started our fight. I had a great feeling with the Aprilia at all times, although I would have liked to have been fighting amongst the top three in the race. It is a pity, but when the races turn out like that there's not much more that you can do. I'm still feeling good about the podium, and that we are still up at the top of the standings. In summary, it has been a successful weekend, so I'm happy with the result."

Yesterday's sunshine was conspicuous by its absence on the second day of action at the Dutch TT but at least the rain stayed away for the 125cc qualifying session. The blustery conditions from day one continued but the lower temperatures allowed for better engine performance from the smaller category bikes. With bunches of riders taking advantage of each other's slipstreams around the fast and flowing circuit it looked more like a race than a qualifying practice and a virtual lottery for pole position was won by Sandro Cortese, much to the German's surprise.

The Bancaja team saw its riders on the pace throughout the day, with Sergio Gadea setting the fastest time in this morning's final free practice. Julián Simón showed his pace in the final ten minutes of the afternoon session after solving a problem with his gearbox and was only denied pole position by Cortese, who was following just inches behind him. Bradley Smith suffered similar fortunes and despite leading the timesheets on several occasions he was relegated to the second row by a freight train of riders circulating together on the final lap. The British rider is still targeting victory from fifth place on the grid whilst Gadea, who also lost positions at the end of the session, is confident he can run with the front group from ninth.

5th Bradley Smith 1.45.712 (19 laps): "It is typical at Assen to have riders hanging around looking for a tow but when you only have one qualifying session you have no option but to push as hard as you can for a good time even if somebody tags along. Anyway, I'm happy with the job we have done, my pace is good and I was able to push as hard as I wanted to. My Aprilia is working really well and I've felt comfortable all day. I'm fifth on the grid and we'll have to wait and see what the weather does because the forecast is for rain. My pace in the dry is good, even on a used tyre, so I'm calm. If it is a dry race I'm sure we'll see a group of seven or eight riders fighting for the win, so it is going to be a tough race. The most important thing will be to stay in the group and we'll see what happens as the race progresses."

It was an unusual Thursday in the MotoGP paddock today, with the Grand Prix schedule brought forward a day to accommodate the traditions of the Dutch TT, which always takes place on the final Saturday in June. As such, at 12.40 today the 125cc riders took to the track for the first free practice session of the weekend. The current incarnation of the legendary Assen circuit features a slow first section followed by three sections of fast and flowing corners that the youngsters in the minor category can charge around virtually flat out. Once again it looks like the event will be dominated by the trio of Bancaja riders, challenged by a resurgent Nico Terol and Andrea Iannone.

As happened on the opening day of action in the last round at Montmeló, Bancaja pair Julián Simón and Sergio Gadea topped the tables today, the Spanish pair being the only two riders to lap inside 1'47. Simón dominated from the beginning, setting pairs of fast laps at the end. With twenty minutes remaining of free practice his team-mate Sergio, the current lap record holder in the 125 class, took control until a hot final lap from Simón secured top spot by two tenths of a second. The third of the Bancaja riders, Bradley Smith, also set a consistently quick pace throughout the opening session - unlike Montmeló, where he struggled to get on the pace. Today he briefly led the standings at the halfway stage and set a best time of 1'47.113 with three laps to go, clocking the fourth fastest time.

4th Bradley Smith 1.47.113 (25 laps): "It is nice to be competitive from the opening day, especially considering how hard we found it to get on the pace at Montmeló. We needed to make sure that everything was still working okay and today was a good start. I found it difficult to go any faster because it was quite windy out there today but on the other hand the track temperature was high and that helped us do our job. In general the lap times aren't that fast, probably because of the wind, but I expect we'll all pick the pace up tomorrow. It was a shame that I ran into a lot of traffic over the last three laps and it prevented me from getting a fast lap in but I'm happy with the job we've done. We'll work on finding a better feeling tomorrow with the front suspension and stiffen it up a little because today I couldn't brake as hard as I'd like."

The final weekend in June is fast approaching and for any motorcycle racing fan that can only mean one thing - the Dutch TT. The arrival of summer to Assen also signifies the arrival of the MotoGP World Championship for the seventh round of the 2009 season and the only race to take place on a Saturday. The last round in Barcelona saw the chase for the 125cc title blown wide open once again, with victory for Andrea Iannone, although barring mistakes or disaster it looks set to be a four-way tussle to the end. It is time for the title contenders to make their statement and head into the first of the two short summer holidays on a high, with only MotoGP going to Laguna Seca meaning a break in action for the smaller classes until mid-July.

  The Bancaja Aspar takes its spectacular run of form this season to Holland with every hope of continuing its success. Bancaja riders have been a constant presence on the podium so far this season, with four for Simón, three for Gadea and two for Smith. Simón recovered the championship lead at Montmeló despite a bizarre final lap that he can't wait to put behind him. Bradley, who conceded the leadership to his team-mate by only 1.5 points, struggled to find a setting for his Aprilia at Montmeló and will look to be back amongst the frontrunners from the first practice session. Gadea is determined to stay hot on the heels of his Bancaja team-mate in the championship and a team test at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia last week has all three confident of a strong challenge this weekend. 

Bradley Smith: "After finishing eighth at Montmeló I'm looking forward to getting to Assen and fighting for a top finish. It wasn't a bad result and I'm still only a point and a half behind Julito but I was left with a bittersweet taste after that race. We have to think positive and keep working in the same way we have up to now. The Dutch TT last year was a strange race because of the red flag but I think I finished fifth, which isn't a bad result. I really enjoy riding at Assen - a lot of people I speak to say the old circuit was even more fun but I never had the chance to ride it. The first section is a bit slow and personally I prefer the second half of the lap because it's really quick. I think the work we did at the Valencia test should pay off because we improved engine performance."

An exciting race at Montmeló opened the Catalonia Grand Prix Sunday, as the 125cc riders engaged in a thrilling fight for dominance in northeast Spain. The eventual winner of the race was Andrea Iannone, but he benefitted from a lot of luck in the fight for the victory.

Julián Simón had led for the majority of the race, battling with his Italian rival after starting on pole. After establishing an advantage, the Spaniard looked to have achieved a home win in front of the Barcelona fans, but a nightmare scenario saw the poleman begin his celebrations prematurely. He had miscalculated the laps remaining, and still had one more to perform as he crossed the line. Iannone escaped, with Simón left trying to salvage something from the race.

After regathering his thoughts, Simón needed to fight with teammate Sergio Gadea for the final podium spot. The second Bancaja rider had made his way up to the chasing group, and overtook a string of riders as the rostrum came into sight. He needed a video finish to confirm his podium though, as Simón nearly took third on the line.

Bradley Smith concluded a difficult weekend by taking valuable championship points, not risking a fall when he saw the leader move out of his reach. He fought with Stefan Bradl for a valuable eight points and, although he lost the leadership of the series to Simón, is still well placed in the standings.

8th Bradley Smith: "We basically knew that it would be a hard race since Friday. We have worked a lot over the weekend and improved with every session in terms of times and feeling, but we didn't have the pace to run with the front group. In the middle of the race I made a mistake and lost the chasing group, which were after the podium. The team have done an incredible job, and looked for the best setting without ever throwing in the towel. We have a good package, and I'm happy with this result because we have taken points. Now I can look forward to Assen, where we have another chance to fight for the win."

The second day of the Catalunya GP took place today with yesterday's hot weather continuing although improved track conditions allowed the 125 riders to better their lap times, despite the fact that they could not challenge the existing pole record of 1'50.012. The focus today was finding a set-up and tyre that would last all 22 laps in what are expected to be similar conditions tomorrow. With a glut of Spanish riders once again battling for honours today, the signs are that it will be a group race tomorrow although Bancaja rider Julián Simón has the credentials and the pace to attempt an escape.

Simón has dominated every practice of the Grand Prix so far, moving to the top of the table at the midway stage of this afternoon's qualifying session and clocking a 1'51.448 to secure pole position after being fastest this morning and yesterday afternoon. The Spaniard's race pace is also a step ahead of his rivals, with a string of four laps in the 1'51s today. Sergio Gadea, second fastest yesterday, ran into some problems with the setting of his Aprilia today and could only lap eleventh fastest this morning. In the afternoon he lost some time at the start of the session due to a clutch problem but quickly moved up the time sheets on his return to the track and was on course for a front row start until a crazy final lap saw him relegated to fifth. Bancaja's British rider Bradley Smith will also line-up on the second row after spending a second day focusing on finding the right tyre for the race.

7th Bradley Smith 1.52.209 (17 laps): "It was really hot today and it wasn't easy to ride out there. We've taken a big step forward and I'm happy with the improvement, although we could have done with another twenty minutes today. At least we're clear now about which tyre we'll use in the race tomorrow and in the warm-up we'll make a few decisions about the exact setting, hopefully improving it a bit too. My main problem is in the fast corners, where I'm not fully confident. We have two possible configurations but with one of them I'm struggling with the front and on the other the rear gets a bit loose - if we could find a compromise between the two then we'd be fine. It's going to be tough to keep going for forty minutes in this heat but even though I'm starting seventh I'll do everything I can to stay with the front group and be fighting for the win at the end."

Summer finally arrived for the MotoGP paddock in Barcelona today, with warm sunshine creating 30º ambient temperatures and 50ºC registering on the track for the opening 125cc free practice session this afternoon. As expected it was the Spanish riders who led the charge at their home circuit, although lap times were somewhat off the pace due to the hot and dirty track surface. With its prevalence of fast corners and long straight the Catalunya circuit works the 125 machines to the limit and the key for the riders here is to find a stable and reliable set-up that won't give them any unwanted problems on Sunday. Bancaja rider Julián Simón got off to the best possible start, clocking the fastest lap time of the day ahead of his team-mate Sergio Gadea, with Spanish riders taking the top four positions on the time sheets.

Simón took his place at the top of the classification midway through the session and held it until the end, the Bancaja rider setting a consistent rhythm in the low 1'53s and clocking three laps in the 1'52s. Just when it seemed he had finished for the day the Spaniard shaved a stunning six tenths off his pace through T4 to distance himself from the equally consistent Gadea by half a second. The third Bancaja rider Bradley Smith set about things in his usual methodical manner, working throughout the session towards Sunday's race with a series of tyre tests. Not interested in setting a solitary flying lap, the Oxford teenager was happy with his pace and confident of making improvements tomorrow.

11th Bradley Smith 1.53.824 (21 laps): "Today has been quite tough and we've done a lot of work towards the race - basically trying to work out if we can keep our pace up in this heat. We have a decent base but our setting doesn't seem to work as well on the bigger tyre so I'm struggling to get on the pace. The lap times are not coming at the moment and the bike isn't perfect but luckily we think we've worked out the problem and I'm happy that we know which way we're going with it tomorrow. We know we need to use the smaller tyre and we're pretty confident. We still have some more compounds we want to try so it will be another busy day tomorrow. The position isn't too bad and I'm sure we can improve it a lot on day two." 

With the 2009 season ready to reach one third distance, the MotoGP series makes its second stop on the Iberian Peninsular this weekend as Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona plays host to the sixth round. It is another long (4.727km) and fast circuit, not unlike Mugello, with some highly technical corners and a long main straight. The 125cc Spanish Armada will no doubt be extra keen to celebrate victory with the Montmeló faithful but it will be no easy task, not least because of that long straight, which makes for excellent slipstreaming opportunities.

With five rounds gone the gaps in the traditionally tight 125cc class are starting to show, with Bancaja pair Bradley Smith and Julián Simón edging clear of the field and looking like the stand-out favourites to battle for victory this weekend, as they did on their last visit to Spanish soil. Leadership of the championship has swung between the team-mates over the past two rounds, with Bradley currently the man on top and chasing his third win of the season. Julián, meanwhile, would like nothing better than to regain control and gain revenge over the Briton after missing out on victory to him in his last home race at Jerez. Sergio Gadea will not be too far behind the pair as he hangs onto their coattails in the championship, the Spaniard looking to make up for a disappointing race in Italy last time out.

Bradley Smith: "Being leader of the championship is an incredible feeling. I think we've had five fantastic races and things are going really well for us. The Aprilia is working perfectly and that makes my feeling with the bike better every time I ride it. Next weekend in Barcelona we'll have another opportunity to do well and I'm looking forward to getting to Montmeló and continuing to work hard. I suppose if we do that then there's no reason to think that we can't stay on top of the championship. Montmeló is the first circuit I rode at outside of England and it holds special memories for me. I've done a lot of laps there and I know it well, although unfortunately I had a nasty crash, so hopefully this time can be different. I love T4 in particular because it's a part of the track where you can really make up a lot of time."

Bradley will be featuring on the Chris Evans show tomorrow evening.

6.30pm Tuesday 9th on Radio 2

Tune in to hear Bradley and Chris have a chat

MARGHERITA GRANBASSI FENCING CHAMPION AND TISSOT NEW BRAND AMBASSADOR GIVES THE POLE POSITION AWARD

Bradley received his latest TISSOT Pole Position award at the weekend from Margheritta Granbassi.

‘Paris Match’ featured Margherita in an article entitled "The Goddesses of Olympus" on the eleven most beautiful female athletes who participated in the Athens Olympics. 

No wonder Bradley looks so happy

It was a typical 125cc race at Mugello, as expected, with eleven riders bunched together at the front making use of the slipstream to fight for lead positions down the longest straight in the championship. The lead constantly changed hands until with fourteen laps remaining Iannone broke down, giving Bradley Smith breathing space at the front and an opportunity to stretch out the field. Like at Jerez one month ago it was his team-mate Julián Simón who gave chase, with Nico Terol for company, the trio going head to head for victory. In the end it was Smith who held off the Spanish challenge, with Terol and Simón third.  

With pole position, the quickest practice pace and a dominant display in warm-up it was a far from coincidental victory for the Bancaja team, who have dominated here with an iron fist. For Smith it was enough to move him to the top of the championship, 3.5 points ahead of Simón, with a gap of a further 24.5 points back to the man in third. The British teenager was chased hard by his team-mate, who set the fastest lap of the race - a 1'58.744 - on the eighth lap top spark an exciting three-way tussle for glory. Unfortunately Simón could not carry the fight to the end of his 100th Grand Prix as he suffered engine problems over the final two laps. Sergio Gadea also suffered engine problems with his Aprilia from the start and despite qualifying fourth it was a damage limitation exercise for the Spaniard, who had to fight all the way to the line to pick up valuable points in 11th.

1st Bradley Smith: "This has been a great day for me. At the start I was riding really carefully because the tyres were cold and it wasn't worth risking it in those conditions. As the laps went by I grew in confidence and when I took the lead I felt comfortable but then I made a couple of mistakes. I had to drop the pace as a result, calm myself down and rethink my strategy. The team have been fantastic again because the bike has been really fast since Friday and we've had no problems. When a weekend goes this well it is no coincidence that you have a chance of winning in the race. Mugello is an awesome circuit and my mechanics are Italian so to win here means more to us than just 25 points. We've got two wins now, we're leading the championship and that is all the motivation we need to keep working hard and hopefully score another good result for the team in Barcelona."

Two British teenagers re-wrote the grand prix history books after grabbing first and second place in 125 cc qualifying for the Alice Grand Prix of Italy at Mugello this afternoon.

It is the first time for 30 years that two British riders will start a grand prix solo race in any class from first and second place on the grid as Bradley Smith and Scott Redding rocketed to the front round the magnificent Mugello circuit in bright sunshine.

Eighteen year old Bradley Smith took his first pole position of the season riding the Aspar Aprilia and also became the fastest ever 125 cc rider to lap the 3.259 miles circuit high in the Tuscan hills above the City of Florence.

“It was a very special lap and I got a good tow from a couple of riders in the early part and then really got my head down on the bike which has been perfect all weekend,” said Smith, who has already won the Spanish Grand Prix and who lies second in the 125 cc World Championship.” Despite my quick lap the race tomorrow will be the usual dog fight to the line unless somebody manages to get away at the front.”

Gloucester-based Redding was equally impressive on only his second appearance at Mugello. The 16 year old who won the British Grand Prix last year fought off the challenge of Championship leader Julian Simon to take his second successive front row start riding the Blusens Aprilia.

In a great day for British teenagers Danny Webb qualified in tenth place and will start from the third row of the grid.

In the MotoGP qualifying session it was not such good news. Yorkshireman James Toseland who was sixth at Mugello last year qualified in 14th place riding the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha.

The last two British riders to qualify first and second were Barry Sheene and Tom Herron in the 500 cc 1979 Venezuelan Grand Prix.

Bradley Smith takes his first pole of the season with stunning lap record of 1'58.134

A second day of searing sunshine allowed the 125cc riders to step up the pace at Mugello, five of them dipping inside the 1'58 mark in a high quality battle for pole position. The minor category riders spent the day adjusting their set-up to cope with the extensive slipstreaming opportunities at this circuit and a race that looks certain to be a group affair, in which the Bancaja Team's trio of riders look sure to be involved.

Julian Simon, Bradley Smith and Sergio Gadea took the top three positions in this morning's final free practice session in a sign of what was to come during the afternoon's grid shootout. Smith and Simón took turns at the top of the time sheets until the Brit, on his fourteenth lap, set a sensational pace, half a second inside pole time through his first two splits and dropping just two tenths by the end of the lap to set an unbeatable benchmark that was a tenth quicker than the 2008 pole time. It was too much for Julián Simón to handle, the Spaniard having to give best after leading in both free practice sessions here and eventually qualifying third fastest. Sergio Gadea secured his first front row of the season in fourth place.

1st Bradley Smith 1.58.134 (17 laps): "It has been a great day for me, setting pole position and a new lap record with it. My race pace is also really good. I was extremely focused today and everything worked out. I've been on pole before and I know that it doesn't necessarily meaning everything is perfect for tomorrow. It is always difficult to escape when there's a straight as long as this one and I think we're going to see about eight or even ten riders fighting in the front group. So far it's been a fantastic weekend and now I'm just hoping for a good start tomorrow. We made a few adjustments to improve the front end feel today and to be honest I don't think we can make it much better now. The Aprilia engine is working perfectly and that will be crucial to make sure we don't lose even the slightest bit of time on the straight tomorrow. There are obviously a few riders ahead of the game but like I said before I think it will be a group race and even the slightest mistake will be paid for dearly."

The early summer Tuscan sun shone on the Mugello circuit today, where track temperatures reached 53ºC, with ambient temperatures of 28º making for perfect conditions. The bumpy Mugello track with its long straight provided its usual challenge to the 125cc class, boosted in number this weekend by a host of local wildcards. The Bancaja Aspar team continued its recent dominance of the class, with its three riders in fine form and regularly holding the top three spots on the time sheets.

Julián Simón was the fastest of the three, only budged from top spot by Sergio Gadea when making a late stop before returning to set back-to-back fastest laps that he could have made three in a row if it wasn't for traffic. However, his next and final circulation was even faster. Gadea proved that back-to-back podiums in the past two rounds were no coincidence, lapping just three tenths short of his pacesetting compatriot. Bradley Smith also briefly held top spot in the middle part of the session before gradually dropping back to fourth, with Andrea Iannone breaking the Bancaja hegemony in the final stages.

4th Bradley Smith 1.59.862 (21 laps): "I think it was a good session and with an hour you can test a lot of things. I'm happy with the rear end setting of my Aprilia - at the beginning it was too soft and I was struggling to get on the throttle coming out of the corners but we improved it a lot as the session went on. I imagine the heat affects me more than the locals because I'm English and I'm not used to it! Provisional fourth place, four tenths off and with room for improvement, isn't a bad start. We'll work more with the front end tomorrow because having confidence in it through the fast corners here is crucial. Basically the idea will be to make the bike more rigid to try and gain a little stability."

The MotoGP World Championship makes its annual stop-off in the hills of Tuscany this weekend for the fifth round of the season, the Italian Grand Prix. The fast and technical Mugello circuit, characterised by dramatic changes in elevation, is one of the longest in the world, measuring 5.245 kilometres. It is a fresh and different challenge for the 125 field, who will be hoping for better conditions after a crash-strewn wet race at Le Mans. The Italian contingent are sure to fight tooth and nail for a home victory but with victory in each of the past two rounds the Bancaja line-up will be just as keen to maintain their form.

Julián Simón dominated proceedings in France, leading from start to finish and taking control of the championship as a result. The Spaniard is confirming his reputation as the man to beat in the minor category as he prepares for his 100th Grand Prix appearance. Just five points behind him lies team-mate Bradley Smith, who was reminded just how hard he will have to work for every podium this season at Le Mans. The British teenager led this race for several laps in 2008 before finishing fourth place and he will look to go at least one better this Sunday as he tries to put the brakes on Simón. Sergio Gadea is the third Bancaja rider with designs on the podium this weekend, the Spaniard in fine form after scoring podiums in the last two races. Sergio finished second here in 2007 and is determined to fight for his first victory of 2009 on Sunday.

Bradley Smith: "Mugello is a fantastic circuit, I love it. To compete in the Italian Grand Prix every year is a pleasure. I think you just get a special atmosphere there - the hillsides, the fast corners and the way it is tucked away just give it a magical feeling. I led the race over the final few laps last year but lost a few positions on the straight because of a problem with my bike and ended up missing out on the podium, even though it was still an incredible race for me. The temperature is usually good around this time of year in Italy so hopefully we can have good weather all weekend and a dry race on Sunday. My mechanics are Italian so this is their home race and they'll all be highly motivated, so I want to give my best to score a podium for them. As far as the track itself is concerned, I really like the Casanova and Savelli section because it is really fast and you have to have a good line to be quick through it."

Grey skies greeted the riders for the Grand Prix de France, with the 125cc event the first up in a packed World Championship schedule. Scattered showers had been in place all of Sunday morning, with the Le Mans circuit becoming a slippery surface for those looking for success. The race itself was heavy on crashes, and only fifteen riders were able to finish the race. 

Julián Simón finally got his first win of the year in the race, giving scant regard to the conditions. He took a huge lead to bounce back from his Jerez crash, to place on a Bancaja Aspar-heavy podium that also featured Sergio Gadea. Simón took advantage of a crash for early leader Terol after two laps, and took off to establish a thirty second lead over second-placed Jonas Folger. Simón's next race will be his 100th.

Sergio Gadea took off from twelfth in Le Mans, but knew that he Could do something good base don his previous form at the track. A patient ride saw him move up to fourth, befote eventually overtaking teammate Bradley Smith for third with his fastest lap of the race.

Bradley Smith followed up his Jerez victory with more valuable points, although not even the fastest lap of the race -a 1'56.188- could take him back past Gadea. He finished fourth.

4th Bradley Smith: "It was an incredible race, and although I would have liked to take the podium after the win at Jerez, the conditions made things hard. The left side of the rear tyre was giving me problems, and I had trouble with the left handers. The back was sliding out a lot. With this in mind, the race seemed to last forever and I think that fourth is a good result. These thirteen points help us to arrive at Mugello confident and happy, looking for another great result."

It was a relatively fruitless day of hard work for the 125 riders at Le Mans today, with both this morning's free practice session and the afternoon qualifying starting out on a damp track that dried at the session progressed. With the riders not switching to slicks until the closing stages, when track conditions were still not ideal, there were a host of crashes and some surprises on the time sheets too, with young Marc Márquez taking pole position.

The trio of Bancaja riders held the top three positions this morning but their performances were affected by the poor track conditions in the afternoon, with Bradley Smith amongst the crashers. The Oxford teenager went down in turn 10, known locally as the "esses bleus", although the quick work of his mechanics allowed him to return to the track for the final 20 minutes of the session. Fitting slicks slightly later than his rivals, Bradley improved but not enough for the front row and his best effort of 1'48.115 means he will start from sixth on the grid. His team-mate Julián Simón contested pole throughout the session and was the fastest rider on the track in wet conditions, although he too ran out of time for a pole attack when switching to slicks. The third Bancaja rider Sergio Gadea decided not to take the risk and stuck with wet tyres until the final five minutes, when he switched to an intermediate rear. He pushed it to the limit on his final lap and qualified on the outside of the third row in twelfth place.

6th Bradley Smith 1.48.115 (15 laps): "The positive side of today was that I was really quick this morning and I quickly built up my confidence. I think the most important thing in those conditions is to stay upright. Unfortunately I crashed this afternoon but thankfully it wasn't a big one and I was able to get back out on track. Hopefully we get a dry race tomorrow but this is Le Mans and the weather always plays a part in the race. It's going to be a tough race because after a weekend like this I don't think anybody is going into it with everything under control. It is hard to make any predictions but I guess whatever the conditions are we'll have the same guys running up front as usual."

It was a damp first practice session at Le Mans for the 125cc riders, who were nevertheless able to take to the track on slick tyres. The battle for top spot was once again an entertaining one between Andrea Iannone and Julián Simón, with the Italian clocking the fastest lap of the session in the closing stages as the Spniard ran into traffic. The pair were two of only three riders able to break the 1'46 mark, the other being Simón's team-mate Sergio Gadea.

It was slightly trickier session for the third Bancaja rider Bradley Smith, who made four pit-stops as he looked to adapt the setting of his Aprilia to the changeable track conditions. The Oxford teenager made some geometry and engine changes and is confident the team have found the right way to work tomorrow. Simón also tried a variety of set-up options and after finishing just two tenths of a second off top spot he worked on improving his starts - a weak point in recent races.

5th Bradley Smith 1.46.087 (21 laps): "We spent a lot of time testing things today - nothing new, just making sure that the settings we had before Jerez are still working. I could have done with a few more laps because I was only able to push for two laps and I'm sure I could have improved more. Anyway, it's only the first day and I'm close to the top guys so I'm satisfied and convinced that we've made a good start. We have some work to do tomorrow but we're optimistic and confident we'll be ready for Sunday."

The MotoGP World Championship circus continues its European road trip this weekend as it travels north to Le Mans. The Bugatti circuit, home to the legendary 24 Hour race, is a fairly straightforward mixture of short straights, hard braking zones and slow corners, presenting the minor category riders with another fresh challenge. The excitement of Jerez lived up to the hopes of every motorcycle racing fan, who are no doubt counting down to the next chapter. Andrea Iannone remains on top of the championship standings but the difference between the riders around him is minimal and a host of rivals have their eye on top spot.

Amongst the men looking to leave Le Mans with the series lead are all three of the Bancaja Aspar Team riders. The outfit led by Jorge Martínez "Aspar" are rubbing their hands at the prospect of this weekend's race, with Bradley Smith returning to the scene of his debut podium in 2007, having followed up third place that season with second place last year. The British teenager hopes the improving trend can continue this Sunday as he looks to repeat his maiden victory in the last round at Jerez. Julián Simón just missed out on the podium here in 2008, with the Le Mans layout well suited to his hard-braking style. A moment of impetuosity got the better of him Jerez but the Spaniard heads to France feeling confident of picking up his first win this season. Sergio Gadea also scored the first podium of his career at Le Mans, as well as his first win in 2007 and pole position last year. Second place at his home race last week means the Spaniard arrives at this event feeling confident of his chances of also challenging for victory.

Bradley Smith: "I've really enjoyed the past week reflecting on the win and I think it's going to give us a huge boost for the rest of the season. I've always had good results at Le Mans in the past - I finished third here in 2007, which was my first podium, and in 2008 I was second. I'm sure that it won't be easy but I'll be trying to repeat the result from Jerez. We need to prepare perfectly from the moment practice starts on Friday to make sure that everything is in place for us to go into battle on Sunday. Le Mans is a fairly straightforward circuit but it's always difficult to squeeze those last couple of tenths out of the bike, which is what makes the difference. But personally I like it because the level of performance between the bikes is very similar and it is up to the rider to make the difference."

It was only during the flight home on Sunday evening that it really started to sink in that I had finally won my first grand prix. I'd been bubbling with excitement and adrenalin up to then, but once on the way home I was able to calm down and think about the amazing weekend.

It was on the very last corner that I let myself believe I'd finally done it and on the way up to the chequered flag I took my hands off the handlebars and held my head. Hearing the national anthem on the podium was so very special and it was then it properly sunk in I'd finally won a grand prix and on my 50th appearance.

Obviously you would like to win your first grand prix at home, but if not you would choose Jerez. Over 120,000 packed the track on Sunday, with around 260,000 over the weekend, and the atmosphere was something to believe.

It may have looked like an easy race with such a big lead, but I can assure you it had its moments, especially the last eight laps when the engine started misfiring in fifth gear. I was riding round the problem but just five laps from the finish I had a big moment at turn four. The bike went sideways and started to slide and but I managed to hang onto it. Those last five laps were nerve wracking but I knew it was down to me and nobody else. This was no big scrap to the line and I did have a comfortable gap, so I was able to concentrate.

As my Mum told me on Saturday evening, I had to make a good start and clear off. I've been making decent starts this season but I've messed up the first corner by braking too late or too early. In the Sunday morning warm-up I used a full fuel load and practiced going into turn one and sorted out my braking points and it really paid off. I was just under the lap record on my first lap and just got my head down for the first eight laps in what turned out to be a freaky race,

I did not know that both my team-mate Julian Simon and Championship leader Andrea Iannone had crashed out although I realised something must have happened. My pit board just told me I was building up a big lead and even when I eased the pace the gap was getting bigger.

The whole weekend had gone really well and, to be honest, both me and the team were not surprised at the win. It was more a case of being relieved because of the big effort we have all put in together. As I said last week, we knew one day that little bit of luck would change and thank goodness It has because we will put all our effort and focus into that next race at Le Mans in France.

It was great that my Mum and Dad were at Jerez to see the win. My Mum was very calm and watched the race on the television on the start and finish straight and just checked on me every time I went past. My Dad was not so calm and was all over the place. Both Dad and my Uncle saw the big moment at turn four and he actually shouted out me to not make any silly mistakes. I explained to him later there was no chance of hearing him but I'm sure it did his nerves a great bit of good.

I had a quiet day on Monday and enjoyed looking at the pictures of such a special day for all of us but on Tuesday it was back to normal with Le Mans the big focus. I'm just 1.5 points behind Championship leader Iannone and at a track I like and have a good record. Two years ago I secured my first ever grand prix podium there in third place and last year finished second behind World Champion Mike Di Meglio. There is only one way to go this year but that first win is now just a happy memory and it's in France where it now really matters.

Everything is back to normal at home apart from a certain very special winner's trophy on the kitchen table.

Bradley

Following on from his fantastic first win in Jerez, Bradley is going to be on the Radio and TV in the next few days.

He is also going to be at 'Bikers Ltd', Aprilia dealership in Southampton next weekend.

 Here are the details

           Tuesday, 5th May, 8.30 a.m.  ........... Radio Oxford

           Tuesday, 5th May, 6.30 p.m.  ........... BBC Oxford - Local TV

           Saturday, 9th May, 10.00 - 15.00 ...... Bikers Ltd, Southampton

Tune in or visit him at the dealership on Saturday

A 125cc thriller at the Circuito de Jerez delighted fans at 11am on Sunday morning, with exciting battles and a first-time race winner. A gusty wind and hot temperaturas greeted the riders at the always-special race made things interesting, and it was Bradley Smith who took the win at his 50th Grand Prix. The Briton had a storming start and was able to break away after crashes for rivals Julián Simón and Andrea Iannone. He came home nearly twenty seconds ahead of any other rider. A small gearing problema gave him a late shock, but the Oxfordshire rider was able to take his first win.

Sergio Gadea placed second after a tumultuous battle for the position, beating out Marc Marquez to become the highest placing Spaniard. He passed him on the slipstream to pick up his 2009 form, following two bad races in Qatar and Japan.

Julián Simón had home disappointment after his second start from pole position, crashing out shortly after recording a new circuit record of 1'47.057. He now focuses on glory at Le Mans in two weeks time.

1st Bradley Smith: "The bike went awesome today, and I can't thank my team enough. I was able to get away and had an extremely fast pace for the whole race. In the last seven laps I had a fifth gear problem that cut the advantage, but I knew how to bring the bike home for the win. Iannone, Simón and I had the best pace over the weekend, and I knew that if nothing strange happened I would out in front alone. I want to thank the entire team for their work since I joined, and it is so satisfying to see that our hard winter work has paid off. "

The action continued for the 125cc class at Jerez today, where the hot conditions were added to by a strong wind that made life difficult for the smallest category in the World Championship. It looked like the local riders would be the men battling for pole but in the end it was Bancaja pair Julián Simón and Bradley Smith who stepped up the pace in the final ten minutes, producing an entertaining head to head for top spot on the grid.

In the end it was Simón who took pole for his home race, lapping just two tenths of a second quicker than his British team-mate, who will start his 50th Grand Prix from second position. Both riders have been on the pace all weekend and look certain to do battle again tomorrow, this time for the race victory. A minor clutch problem with his Aprilia robbed Sergio Gadea of valuable time at the start of the session although luckily the third Bancaja rider was able to make up positions late in the session and with his penultimate lap set a time that was good enough for a second row start in fifth place, simultaneously recording the highest top speed of the session at 217.7km/h.

2nd Bradley Smith 1.48.434 (19 laps): "It was a difficult session because of the wind but it was a great battle for pole between Julito and I. I worked a lot on my position on the bike to try and adapt to the wind. Obviously I would have liked to set pole but it wasn't to be and the important thing is I'm up near the front. If the conditions are consistent tomorrow I think we can expect a similar situation, and it will be a case of making as few mistakes as possible. It's hard to say what will happen because when it is so windy riders can take advantage of the slipstream much more but in theory if you look at the lap times there are three riders - Julio, Iannone and myself - who should be out in front. This is 125cc racing though and there are bound to be more contenders for the podium."

The sun finally shone on the MotoGP paddock today as the third round of the season got underway beneath blue Spanish skies at Jerez de la Frontera. The circuit, which hosted much of the preseason testing for the smaller category teams, is sacred territory for the home riders but today it was subjected to a British invasion as Bradley Smith set the quickest time in free practice.

Smith was forced to work hard for top spot by his team-mate Julián Simón, one of several riders who will push the Oxfordshire teenager hard for pole position tomorrow. The pair engaged in an entertaining battle for superiority today but a stunning final lap from Smith, making his 50th Grand Prix appearance this weekend, was two tenths inside the pole record as he made his clearest indication yet that he is ready to take his first victory. Sergio Gadea struggled to match the pace of his team-mates throughout the session although a late push lifted him up to fifth on the time sheets as the second fastest home rider on track.

1stBradley Smith 1.47.385 (15 laps): "I went out with my mind set on setting a fast pace from the start. We've struggled to run at the front in the first two rounds and it has been frustrating so it is important that we were able to go so quick today with such relative ease. My feeling with the Aprilia and the circuit was fantastic and I felt really confident. I could notice every slight improvement with the set-up and that helped me get faster as the session went on. We couldn't have made a better start but the points don't get dished out today, nor does pole position, so we have to stay focused on keeping this up for the rest of the weekend. We have a few small changes to make for tomorrow but in general I'm really happy."

The MotoGP World Championship is in full flow and after a whirlwind trip to the north Pacific for the Grand Prix of Japan it returns to Mediterranean shores this weekend for the first Grand Prix of the season on Spanish soil. Jerez de la Frontera welcomes home a Spanish armada of riders fresh from conquering Japan in two of the three classes. The only podium at Motegi that did not feature the 'La Marcha Real' ('The Royal March') national anthem was in the 125cc category, in which Bancaja rider Julian Simon was narrowly beaten, but the victory quest continues this Sunday with a host of local riders looking to set the record straight after two opening rounds in which their performances have undeniably been restricted by adverse weather conditions.

Bancaja rider Julián Simón arrives at his home race on the back of consecutive second-place finishes, lying second in the championship and desperate to score his first victory of the season in front of the Spanish fans. His British team-mate Bradley Smith, whose chances have been affected as much as anybody's by a bizarre start to the season, returns to action on Friday with his gaze fixed on the podium having completed an excellent preseason test at this circuit. Sergio Gadea is equally keen to return to battle as he aims to follow up two weekends of productive hard work with the result he and his crew deserve

Bradley Smith: "I know the Spanish guys won't be making it easy for us but Jerez is a circuit where we know we can go fast and we are not going to let the opportunity of a good result slip through our grasp. We have a lot of information from preseason testing that I'm sure will help us to get off to a good start and be on the pace from Friday. We haven't had much luck with the weather over the opening two rounds so now is the time to follow up all the hard work we've been doing with a top result."

We have produced a free Bradley calendar for 2009

As promised we now have some more photos and have updated the calender which shows when Bradley will be on track in 2009

We hope you enjoy it

You can print it from the Fan Club page  click here

After Bradleys fine 'save' during the race yesterday, both Bradleys dad Allan and me here at the site had many enquiries as to how Bradley was.

Firstly, Bradley is fine, he sustained a couple of cuts from the screen of his bike as he wrestled to regain control. 

After the race he visited the medical centre at the track for treatment to a cut on his neck and another to his chin. He has 3 small 'Butterfly' stiches to the cut on his neck.

Although the cuts are a little uncomfortable Bradley is fine and will be back on track at Jerez next weekend

Both Bradley, his family and I would like to express our thanks for all the goodwill messages we received after the race in Japan.

The weather forecast for the 125cc race in Japan proved to be mistaken, as some surprise rainfall in Japan during MotoGP Warmup left the 125cc riders with a damp track for their second race of the year. The race was declared wet, but the track continued to dry quickly as the Sunday showdown became a question of tyre choice. Those using slicks rose to the top, with Bancaja rider Julián Simón taking a podium finish for the second consecutive race.

Simón used intermediate tyres for the race, taking a gamble on the track drying out. The Spaniard had an atrocious start, but was able to fight for the victory with eventual racewinner Andrea Iannone. Tyre use and an engine issue stopped him from catching the Italian, but he took another runner-up spot ahead of his home race at Jerez.

Teammate Bradley Smith also had problems at the start of the race, and suffered further difficulty when his bike bucked with three laps remaining. Smith finished tenth in the race, gaining valuable points for his season tally.

Sergio Gadea paid the price for choosing wet tyres, showing his fight in the early stages but dropping down the order when the track dried out. He eventually finished nineteenth. The team have their next race in a week's time, at the Circuito de Jerez in southern Spain.

10th Bradley Smith: "The start of the race was pretty difficult, because I was using slicks and had no grip. I was just thinking about not crashing with the knowledge that the track was drying out rapidly, because my plan was too push on in the last part of the race. I had some problems with the engine on the corner exit, and it was more aggressive and harder to control. I don't know why this happened. With three laps to go I nearly crashed after the bike bucked, but I was thankfully able to complete the race. Tenth isn't what I expected, but at least there's a few more points on the board, so next weekend in Jerez I am convinced that we can be more successful."

The second and final day of practice for the Grand Prix of Japan was hit by rain today, as a weather-hit start to the season continued for MotoGP. With temperatures having dropped to 10ºC, the heavens opened before this morning's free practice session and for the 125cc riders it was a case of trying to dodge the puddles and stay upright. However, there were crashes galore and with even more standing water on the track in the afternoon the qualifying session was postponed, before being definitively cancelled as the rain refused to relent. The grid positions were therefore decided by the combined free practice times, meaning Bancaja rider Julián Simón will start from the front row, with team-mates Bradley Smith and Sergio Gadea behind him on the second and third rows respectively. Both Bradley and Sergio came unstuck this morning at turn 11, the British teenager running straight into the gravel and the Spaniard crashing. Fortunately both riders escaped unhurt.

7th Bradley Smith 2.01.608: "We're on the second row, which will be important tomorrow in order to make a good start. We'll have to wait and see what the weather does but personally I'd prefer dry conditions. This morning I had a problem with my exhaust and the bike wouldn't rev, even though the feeling with the Aprilia was good. It's disappointing that we didn't get chance to compete this afternoon but I just hope we can get a full race in tomorrow, unlike Qatar. The front folded on me under braking at the end of the straight this morning and I ran off track but luckily it was just a scare."

The MotoGP World Championship resumed business today with the first free practice session for the 125cc class kicking off the action in the Grand Prix of Japan this afternoon. The event has been brought forward from its traditional autumn slot this year and after working the nightshift in Qatar the teams and riders were glad to be back into a regular routine at Motegi, despite cooler temperatures than they had anticipated. The lap times were consequently some way off circuit record standard but the pacesetters remained constant, with Andrea Iannone and Julián Simón - first and second in Qatar - taking the top two spots today.  

Bancaja rider Julián Simón suffered an unusual problem, a tight set of new leathers restricting his movements on the bike somewhat but thankfully not affecting his pace on the track by too much - the Spaniard clocking a best lap of 2'00.864 on his twelfth effort to fall just two tenths shy of the Italian. Bradley Smith was a further eight tenths behind his team-mate in seventh place today, the British rider having stopped twice to modify his front fork setting in an attempt to improve his feeling. His best effort of 2'01.608 came on his final lap, moving him five places up the order. The third of the Bancaja men, Sergio Gadea, also suffered front-end problems under braking and in mid-corner, which he hopes to fix for tomorrow.

7th Bradley Smith 2.01.608 (14 laps):"There is not much grip out there so the lap times are quite slow and it's difficult to get a good feeling. We usually come here when it's much warmer and in this heat everything changes - the setting, the feeling, everything. I think we have a good base setting for the dry but it looks like it might rain for tomorrow so it will be difficult to get prepared for the race, which in theory should be dry. Anyway, we have to stay focused and whatever the weather brings we have to try and work hard to improve and be as well-prepared for the race as we can be. We made a few changes to the front fork to improve the feeling of the bike today and they did work, but we still have to make more improvements."

Following a week-long break after the opening round of the season in Qatar, the MotoGP World Championship paddock heads to Japan next for the second chapter of 2009. Unlike previous seasons, this year's race in the Land of the Rising Sun takes place in early spring, making it back-to-back flyaway races for the 125 youngsters. The twisty Motegi circuit, which is known for its hard braking sections, provides an opportunity for the riders to satisfy their hunger for racing after their appetite was whetted by a rain-interrupted four-lap race in Qatar.    

 With half points distributed in that bizarre Grand Prix, the difference between the 125 riders in the championship is minimal, giving the Bancaja riders every chance to challenge for the top positions, as they did in an excellent showing two weeks ago. Both Julián Simón and Bradley Smith hold Motegi amongst their favourite circuits, with the hard-braking pair looking to put their talents to good use as they aim to continue their excellent recent form. Sergio Gadea is keen to continue his own personal revival and improve on his modest ninth-placed finish at this circuit last year.

Bradley Smith: "I really like Motegi and I know I can be fast there. I had the best result of my rookie season there and was the highest-placed Honda. I've had a bit of bad luck there over the past couple of seasons but with the way this year is going I'm sure we can do well. My intention is to pick up as many points as possible and make the most of racing at a circuit I love. The first race was far too short so we're all fired up for this one. I'm sure we'll be running at the front so let's see if we can finish on the podium in the second race."

This is the first article in a series that Bradley will be preparing for you to give a little more insight into his personel world of racing.

WHY I WEAR WHAT I DO !

Shoei Helmet, A great aerodynamic helmet, with a small chin piece which is perfect for getting behind the fairing screen.

AXO leathers and Gloves, Light pair of leathers means no extra weight on the bike. Very soft and supple, again good for aerodynamics. Great fit, just like a 2nd skin. Its very important when you spend 40 minutes on the bike that there is no extra leather bunching up, causing chaffing or rubbing.

Alpinestars Back Protector, I am quite a small build so i struggle to find a back protector that is not too big, but the alpinestars one is small and thin which does not take up to much room.

W2 Boots, Light weight! Heavy boots can cause big problems in case of a crash, a heavy weight at the end of your body can propel you a lot further. Carbon inner boots, to support the ankles as much as possible.

Adidas Tech Fit (Power Web) Base tops and shorts – To help reduce fatigue in the muscles during exercise. Also to take the sweat away from the body.

As you can see every attention to detail is taken with my racing. I am a bit fussy but, if i can find a 1% improvement, that's another advantage i have over my opposition.

More "Inside My Racing" articles to come. 

BRADLEY

The 2009 125cc World Championship got underway in Qatar today but the first round lasted just four laps after heavy rain brought a halt to proceedings in the desert. The race started in dry conditions but the first spots of water hit the riders' visors after just two laps and after a further two, with the track soaked, the red flag emerged and the classification was decided, with half points awarded.

The curtailment represented differing fortunes for the Bancaja trio of riders, with Julián Simón - in the process of chasing early escapee Andrea Iannone - awarded second place just moments before crashing on the wet track. Bradley Smith got a bad start but was charging through the pack and he'd made it up to fifth when the race was stopped, whilst Sergio Gadea was down in twelfth and robbed of the opportunity to fight back after running off track on the first lap.

5th Bradley Smith: "I'm quite disappointed - on the one hand because I didn't get a good start and but above all because of this weird situation. I think it's better to cancel a race than dish half points out after four laps. It's all a bit strange but the decision's been made and there's nothing we can do about it now. We have to look on the bright side, which is that I'm only seven and a half points behind the leader! Now we can look forward to Japan and hopefully do well in a race that goes all the way to the end!"

The grid positions for the opening Grand Prix of the 2009 season were decided in an exciting qualifying session under the 5.4 millions watts of light at Losail this evening, with the 125cc class actually gaining from the new practice restrictions in 250 and MotoGP by having their session extended to 40 minutes. After free practice took place earlier this evening, a light shower moments before qualifying practice put its completion in danger but thankfully it abated and the quickly track dried.

The trio of Bancaja riders on track took turns at the top of the time sheets, with Iannone the only man able to join a battle for pole that turned into a two-way scrap between Julián Simón and Bradley Smith in the final third of the session. The Brit attacked first with a series of three hot laps, his fastest time of 2'07.107 coming on his 15th of 17 in total, but Simón - the pacesetter in free practice - responded with an effort that was two tenths quicker and enough for the first pole position of his career. The team's third rider, Sergio Gadea, was on the pace throughout the session, only dropping slightly down the order towards the end as he struggled to improve on a best lap of 2'08.147 - enough for a second row start in sixth place.

2nd Bradley Smith 2.07.107 (17 laps): "I was pleasantly surpised with how we were able to pick the pace up from free practice to qualifying. We've taken a big step with the lap times, I don't know why exactly but the grip has been improving gradually and so has my feeling with the bike. I think the conditions were better tonight than they have been all weekend. I set a lot of laps in the low 2'07s, which is really important for the race. I think it's going to be a close race between Julián and myself, and I'm sure Iannone will go with us, but there are other guys that will be able to make the most of the slipstream down this long straight and pick their pace up. We've done our homework, now we need to have a good rest tonight and get ready for the first race of the season."

The 125cc riders official kicked off proceedings for the 2009 Grand Prix season this evening, taking to the track at around half past eight local time to contest the first free practice session in Qatar.

Yesterday's rare rain here made for a slippery track surface but that didn't deter Bancaja rider Julián Simón from continuing his dominance of the 125cc class after an assertive preseason. His team-mate Bradley Smith was the closest rider to challenging Simón at the top of the time sheets today, the Spaniard being the only rider capable of breaking the 2'08 mark to leave the Englishman trailing by over a second.

 The third Bancaja rider, Sergio Gadea, was also a consistent frontrunner throughout the opening session of the season as he backed up his strong record at this track. Last year's winner was only prevented from making it an all-Bancaja top three when a wrong turn with the set-up of his Aprilia slowed him down and limited him to an otherwise impressive fifth place.

2nd Bradley Smith 2.08.823 (17 laps): "Unfortunately after the bad weather here recently the track was slippery so we spent the whole session trying to find a good feeling. I actually spent half an hour of the session out there without stopping, just getting laps in and trying to prepare for the race. The conditions here in the desert are really variable and we don't know what we'll get in the race so to spend so much time out there setting a good consistent pace is important. Julito's time is very quick but our objective is to be up there and try and get close on the second day. It looks like we're a step ahead of everybody else at the moment and I think it's better that way - let's keep it all inside the Bancaja box! My experience tells me that we can be up front in a lot of races this year and that's what we'll be fighting for. We got 95% of the set-up work done at the test so we just have small changes to make depending on the track conditions."

The preparations are over, and on Sunday the 2009 World Championship finally gets underway. It will be one of the latest starting seasons ever, and will be memorable for more reason than one due to its exotic beginning. The lights of the Losail International Circuit once again open the year, in the second ever night race. With no more preseason testing, the state of play in the 125cc World Championship will finally become apparent.

Julián Simón has become the man to beat in the 125cc class, after dropping down from 250cc. The Spaniard has led the way in many of the preseason tests, including the most recent one under the Qatari floodlights. This weekend will, however, be his first time in a 125cc race under night-time conditions, despite his previous experience in the category. He debuts in the Bancaja Aspar team this year.  

By Simón's side is another debutante in the team, Briton Bradley Smith. The teenager returns to one of his favourite tracks this weekend, where he took his first ever Grand Prix pole in 2008. Smith has been fast in testing and is keen not to let Simón get away. He is also a big contender for the victory in Losail.  

Last year's racewinner in Losail, Sergio Gadea completes the Bancaja Aspar lineup. The veteran of the team, Gadea has gained maturity and has set out his workload for the year methodically, ready to return to winning ways.

Bradley Smith: "I can only say that I am really happy to be starting this season. Testing is nice, and we've done an exhaustive amount of work over the winter, trying to improve the bike the maximum possible when compared to last year. The end objective has always been the races. The work has been great up until now, and I think that we have taken a big step forward from my first test in Valencia back in November. We have to keep fighting up at the front, and the tests have given us an idea of this. Races are different though, and the season is long, so the goal for Sunday is to get as many points as possible and start things off well. Once we get past Japan and Jerez then we will see where we are."

Today has completed the second and final official test of the season at the Losail circuit. The wind off the desert has made its presence felt in the morning just littering the track, and the riders have continued to experience grip problems at the Qatari track.

Although the wind subsided as the evening evolved, unlike the first day it was blowing against the riders on the eternaly long straight at Qatar. Thus, the times of yesterday have not been bettered.

At midnight, the blackout of Losail has ended the 2009 testing season, the next time that the riders appear at the Arabic circuit will be for the first grand prix of the season.

Julian put an end to this particular preseason with clear ideas for the start of the championship on Friday. The Bancaja rider prudently waited in his pit until seven p.m. for the wind to abate. Then jumped on to the track to continue to seek solutions to the chattering of his Aprilia front wheel making small improvements on each visit to the track.

In the sessions free of 125's, Julian continued to work on fine-tuning his chassis and improved his time of yesterday by ending the test with 2.06.808 that time gave him the best time of the test today

Shortly before they finished the second day, Sergio Gadea lost the front of his Aprilia in turn 7 of the Qatari track and finished his test. The rider came out unscathed but preferred not to take any further risks and to keep his energy for Friday.

Few problems have so far limited his teammate Bradley Smith. The Englishman achieved the best time of the first day and has run at the head of the classification on the second. Today his efforts have been directed to try some new engine settings as his bike set up was clear from yesterday. Adjusting the engine of his Aprilia at both full speed and low speed, the Bancaja rider set a consitent pace in the low 2.07's and he set his best time of the day 2.06.908 on his last lap.

Less fortunate was the third rider Sergio Gadea, the Valencian has had to overcome the problems of chattering on his Aprilia, and he was stuck somewhat in the last day of this test. Finally, Sergio has had hard choices to make at the end of testing, leaving a track with the setup from last year, and in the last laps of the test he succeeded in gaining confidence to deal with the problem.

2nd Bradley Smith 2.06.908 (50 laps): "We are in a good position, ready for the first race. The conditions are always changing at night time, both the track itself and the atmosphere. We have tried to make small changes and I saw the results. It's difficult to find a good entry point in this circuit, but today we found the right road, the Aprilia has responded well and I felt very comfortable flying. Perhaps the lap time has not been as fast as expected, but the track conditions have not given us much choice, but we were not fixated on top speed, but to carry out several tests. I am very happy with our work. We now have two days to rest and prepare for the grand prix. "

Ten days after saying goodbye to Jerez, the lower catagory riders of the MotoGP World Championship, moved to Qatar, doned their leathers to begin the second and last oficial test of the season at the Losail Circuit.

The session began at seven in the afternoon - local time- and the two lower catagories shared the track until eight pm. After two single sessions of 125cc and 250cc, the lower riders rode together again until midnight. The variable points in the show were the time schedule, the focus and the lower temperatures after sunset in the middle of the desert , as it is usual in Qatar.

The constant, once more, came from the Banjaca Team that is still leading the timesheet, this time with Bradley Smith.

The British Bancaja Rider, last years pole position holder, arrived in the afternoon at Losail with clear enough ideas after the good results of the last day in Jerez.

Bradley has been polishing up the set up of his Aprilia based one from last year and in the last timed sesion he  settled comfortably at the top of the classification.

In his last outing - 8 laps- the new Bancaja rider kept  a consistent pace of 2.07, settling his best time - 2.06.568- on his last lap.

At a little after eleven at night, Bradley finished his test with the best time of the day in his pocket.

1st Bradley Smith 2.06.568 (55 laps):"The most important thing today is that we have improved a lot, and the conditions of the track have been getting better throughout the test. We have worked, principally, on the front suspension, and I think that we have found the right direction to continue with the work tomorrow. At this track it is very important to manage that the bike turns accuratly because the majority of the corners are long and you need to go out very fast. At the moment, we are still far from the best time of last year but we have one day more to go on improving. If we work as today I am sure that we can be at the top of the classification again."

2008 Qatar 125cc poleman Bradley Smith made his presence felt early at the class’ final test at the Losail circuit, recording a time of 2’06.568 to hit form at just the right time.

With the season set to start this weekend, the Bancaja Aspar rider finally beat teammate Julián Simon to the top spot on the timing screen, and did so by over half a second as he became one of only two riders to go round in under 2’07.

Separating the two was Italian rider Andrea Iannone, building on his own strong display from the penultimate preseason run in Jerez with a lap just 0.140 slower than that of Smith.The third and final Aspar man on track, last year’s race winner Sergio Gadea, was fourth fastest.

Bainet Derbi’s Joan Olivé and Iannone’s Ongetta Racing I.S.P.A teammate Jonas Folger also featured in the top six, although more notable was the absence of Simone Corsi from the list of the fastest ten riders. The 2008 World Championship runner-up could only place twelfth with his time from the first session of the night.

125cc testing at Losail continues tonight.

Qatar Test: Monday: Combined Top Ten Times

1. B. Smith -Bancaja Aspar- 2’06.568
2. A. Iannone -Ongetta Team I.S.P.A- 2’06.708
3. J. Simón –Bancaja Aspar- 2’07.042
4. S. Gadea -Bancaja Aspar- 2’07.843
5. J. Olivé –Bainet Derbi- 2’08.062
6. J. Folger Ongetta Team I.S.P.A- 2’08.391
7. S. Bradl –Viessman Kiefer Racing- 2’08.431
8. Sandro Cortese –Ajo Interwetten- 2’08.502
9. P. Espargaro –Bainet Derbi- 2’08.531
10. E. Rabat –Blusens Aprilia- 2’08.546

I'm still wearing the Tissott pole position watch that I won in Qatar last year but it's not the watch I want to return home with this time – it's the winner's trophy.

For the last sixth months I've been waiting for the moment on Friday afternoon in the middle of the Qatar desert when the 2009 125 cc World Championship season finally gets started. We've been through Christmas, snow, wind and rain during in the winter but that's all behind us because all my thoughts are firmly focused on the next eights months.

Last year, I took my very first pole position in Qatar which was very special but I didn't finish the race because of mechanical problems and came home with no points. In many ways that summed up my season, so I don't want it to happen again. This time it's crucial to score points because the next two rounds in Japan and Spain are close together. To start the season with few points will mean playing catch-up for the rest of the year and I just can't afford for that to happen. Obviously I will be flat out to win all three but points scoring is crucial before that long run of European races.

That good start is so important because there are between six or eight riders, the front two rows of the grid, who are capable of winning races this year.

The favourite after pre-season testing must be my new team-mate Julian Simon who was a 125 cc grand prix winner riding for KTM in 2006. He returns from the 250 cc class, which he found hard although he was often up there with the leaders, to the 125's and has been absolutely flying in testing. That's no great surprise to me because he's not arrived from nowhere and has always been a very talented rider. Its great having him as a team-mate because already set me a benchmark and has given me somebody to chase.

My new Aspar team have been fantastic during testing. Both team boss Jorge Martinez and team manager Gino Borsoi are quiet and calm. They've won World titles, so they understand pressure and stress and consequently go about their business with great efficiency, but with no fuss. They are always there to help and advise but let me get on with it. Everybody knows exactly what is expected of them before the start of the season.

You could not imagine a greater contrast between my Oxfordshire village of Forest Hill and the Gulf State of Qatar with it's massive high rise buildings, extravagant hotels, the desert and of course the sea. I always look forward to going there because it's so different to anywhere else I go to - and the same can be said about the Losail circuit.

You don't see Camels at the side of the road when you drive into Donington. It's in the middle of the desert and because of the sand and the wind the track can be very dusty. However, the biggest difference is the races and practices are held at night under floodlights. Last year was the first time a grand prix on two or four wheels had been held at night and it was an amazing spectacle. It was an incredible experience to be involved in history, especially when I took that pole position.

Despite having since the end of last October to get ready for the 2009 season, as always the last week has turned into the usual rush. I was up in London to pick up all my training gear from the Adidas Performance shop thanks to Chris Nurse and Fyshe Race-boots and also had a final check-up with my physio. He gave me a real going over and especially the ankle I damaged in Barcelona last year. He gave me the all clear to get out there and do the business

So, no excuses. My fourth grand prix season and I've got to start winning races. I'm fully fit and have the support of a great team and family. It's down to me and at last the moment has arrived. I'm not nervous but just full of anticipation. Up until now the year has been all about hard work but with no end result.

That all changes this weekend when we get back to racing and I'm ready to go out and start winning grand prix races!

Bradley

British 125GP world championship hopeful Bradley Smith believes the influence of mentor and former MotoGP star Randy Mamola will be crucial ahead of his 2009 campaign.

The Aspar Aprilia rider has spent large spells of his winter holed up at Mamola’s Barcelona home to train ahead of his fourth assault on the 125GP world crown.

And the 18-year-old has told MCN how Mamola has helped him take a more relaxed approach to his racing as he prepares for the first round in Qatar this weekend as one of the big pre-season favourites.

Smith’s early years in road racing were spent under the tutelage of tough task master Alberto Puig, who helped nurture the likes of Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa.

But having worked closely with Mamola to prepare for a season where he hopes to finally break his victory duck, Smith told MCN: “Having Randy around he’s a very mellow person when it comes to the mental side of racing.

"He always gives me his opinion and that is very honest. He’s always got a different way of looking at things.

Also being around his son Dakota and seeing how he goes about racing, he goes to have fun. Sure when he sits on the start line he is 100 per cent focused, but around the paddock he is all chilled out.

"That just shows me that when you put your visor down, within those couple of seconds you’re in race mode. But when you take the helmet off you need to take it off and put everything to one side.

"It has definitely helped a lot just having a different point of view rather just full on attack.

"It has helped me see the bigger picture. So hopefully I’ll be a little bit faster and little bit more chilled out.”

Bradley Smith registered the second fastest time on the second day of test.

After three days of strenuous work, the lower categories of the MotoGP World Championship have finished today their work in the official test in Jerez.  In a little more than a week, the 125cc and 250cc teams will travel to Qatar for the second and last official test of the pre-season, and a few days after, the first GP, the options for starting this season are beginning to running out. In the same way as the first day, clouds and sunny spells were present at the test and the warm temperatures helped the riders to set good times. 

Bradley Smith put the perfect finale to the "Grand Prix Zero" test. During the first and second day, he was making countless changes to his bike that produced a very valuable lap time reduction. The fruits of all that work were rewarded from the very start of the final day because the British Bancaja rider was nearly all the time at the top of the classifications. Bradley left Jerez with a "work well done" feeling, and re-established his position producing top times. With two previous exhausting sessions, the Oxford rider decided to "bolt the door" without taking part in the final session. Rather Bradley chose to spend the time working with his team in the privacy of the garage.

2nd Bradley Smith 1.47.420 (44 laps):  "Today we have set a fast pace ahead and I can say that I have retained my positive feelings. We have been working hard on the set up we discovered yesterday and it is very close to my perfect setting. He decided to finish our test without taking part in the afternoon session because we are clear about what we wanted. We surely could have further improved our time but I think that it was important not to take additional risks and go to Qatar with all the questions answered. Qatar is a track where I know what is to ride fast, so I am looking forward to arriving and checking our capacity. In addition, the settings we found at this track could be very suitable for the Arabian one. All is ready, the bike works perfectly and I am feeling ready for the beginning of the Championship, so I am looking forward to beginning the action."

 For more photos click here

Bradley Smith has improved his time by more than a second and finished the day fourth.

Bright sunshine welcomed the second day of the MotoGP test in Jerez. From the early morning the track was in ideal conditions for riding. The test session began at 10.00 hr and finished a little before the 16.00 hr. Thanks to the good track conditions all 31 125cc riders continued testing their equipment and every rider improved his previous times during the day.

Being conscious of the hard work waiting for him today, Bradley Smith put his leathers on very early, and a little after 10.00 hr he had already been out on the track. His previous days results made them feel that they may have progressed down a wrong track. Going back to some 2008 settings, Bradley did long runs to check the state of his tyres under the high track temperatures. Soon he was back in the leading places as he has been used to this season. The British rider did his best time - 1.47.692- during the morning session and at the half way point of this test he is in forth position.

4º Bradley Smith 1.47.692 (68 laps): "With less wind than yesterday and the sun shining, the track conditions have been much better today. From the 13.00 hrs till the end of the session, the track temperature was really high and my times have been a little faster. Today has been a positive session because we have understood a lot of things that made us loose time yesterday. We have concentrated the work on the chassis, testing a new configuration used last season and I think that it worked. We have still one day to work and take advantage of before leaving Jerez with all the questions clarified. Unlike yesterday, today the balance has been optimum. We have found a new rear tyre that works very well under hot conditions, though lap by lap it began to slide and made us loose time in the fast corners"

Sun and heat were the main features of the first day of the Portuguese test. The Estoril Autodrom this time every year gets everyone used to strong winds and weather conditions, but generally the conditions are unsuitable for the testing of race bikes. Most of the candidates of the 125/250 categories met today at the Portuguese track to start this unofficial pre-season test. The mass attendance of the riders and the imminent MotoGP test in Jerez in just two weeks, help to make this test a good indicator as to what will happen when the real action begins and all the riders appear on the track. The Bancaja Aspar riders have shown well on the timesheet and after the midday break of one hour several riders continued to improve their times.

A little less than a second behind the time of Julián was his teammate Bradley Smith. The British member of the Bancaja Team made a lot of changes to his Aprilia, in both the settings and the engine and ultimately found several solutions that allowed him to close the day satisfied. These solutions must be confirmed tomorrow during the second day of the test and then worked on for further improvement. Ultimately, Bradley has chosen not to risk too much at a circuit at which last season he had to deal with more than a few problems, but according to what we saw during this first session, all has been forgotten.

Bradley Smith 1.46.623 (77 laps): "This is a track that last year gave us problems, so we arrived with the idea of working hard to find solutions as soon as possible. At the start of the day it seemed that it would be complicated, but we have worked carefully and the speed has been improved gradually. Finally, I have managed to get into the 46’s, but the most important thing is that we have been able to understand each improvement we made. I believe that we have found the way forward regarding the suspension system and the engine performance, we have improved a lot our acceleration. The weather conditions were perfect and I'm very happy. It is clear that we are still far from the ideal times and that tomorrow we have to continue improving, but right now I'm satisfied with the progress. "

Bradley Smith may only be 18 years old but he has taken a step back in time to prepare for the 2009 125 cc World Championship season that kicks off under the Qatar floodlights on April 12.

The Oxfordshire teenager went back to his roots to complete three action packed weeks of training on a Moto-Cross bike in Spain before he reverts back to the tarmac with his Bancaja Aspar Aprilia team’s testing at Estoril in Portugal in just over a week’s time.

Bradley was a top schoolboy Moto-Cross Champion before switching to road racing. He showed in his return to the dirt that he’d lost none of his love and skill for Moto-Cross, one of the most physically demanding of all sporting disciplines.

“It was brilliant to be back on a Moto-Cross bike and my fitness levels are spot on for the new season after three weeks in Spain training and riding every day with Randy Mamola and his son Dakota,” explained Bradley, who amazed Moto-Cross onlookers when he took on and conquered an 80 foot triple jump at a test circuit near Barcelona.” It took me back a few years and reminded me just how much I enjoyed Moto- Cross but now I’m totally focused on the Estoril test especially with that first grand prix just over a month away.”

Before the Estoril test Bradley is going to watch the Formula One car test session at the Barcelona circuit on Wednesday. He hopes to catch up with the Australian Formula One driver Mark Webber who came to watch Bradley race last year.

 For more photos click here

Despite the low temperatures, the Banjaca riders have lead the time tables. The second of the two sessions of tests planned at Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Cheste  finished today . In a busy week, with five days of testing, first in Jerez and then in Valencia, the riders of the lower categories have experienced two absolutely different situations. At the Andalusian track, the weather helped just enough to test, but at the Valencian track the Saturday session was marked by the rain and low temperatures for a big part of the day, so some riders decided not to take to the track. Those who did, had new wet weather tyres provided by Dunlop, and found them very suitable for the occasion. In the second session, the low temperatures played a leading role, but the riders could ride on the dry track until 2 o’clock. A little later, the rain returned and the second test of the season was concluded.

Bradley Smith kept his Aprilia in the pit for the first day. With the track covered in water and the temperature under 9 ºC, the new rider in the Bancaja Team preferred to work with his mechanics inside the pits and not to risk to a fall that could cloud his excellent work this pre-season. A little after 11.00 a.m. on the second day, Bradley took to the track to test some engine settings on his Aprilia. The ‘number 38’ had to stop testing when the rain began to fall, but he settled for the third best time of this test: 1.42.20

Bradley Smith 1.42.20 (50 laps): "I believe that the most positive thing of this session was that I did 50 laps. We decided not to ride yesterday because of the cold and rain. We didn’t want to risk a silly fall at this point of the season. On this last day we have tested a couple of innovations for the engine that Aprilia sent us, and they worked very well. The temperature was frankly icy and the track conditions were not the best. That’s why the times were not too fast. A positive point was that the set up we found in Jerez has worked in Valencia without making big changes. I think that this week has been very productive with four busy days of work. It is now good to go back home to rest, training and get ready to go on working at the next test''.

Valencian Racing Team members enjoyed a busy day together with three of their sponsors.

As planned, Jorge Martinez "Aspar", Alvaro Bautista, Sergio Gadea and Bradley Smith visited IFEMA in Madrid yesterday morning, to participate in Fitur. The reason was to support three of their sponsors presenting at the most important national tourist convention. From 10.00 a.m. the Aspar Team members, with their CEO Jorge Matínez, had a tight schedule to go to all their engagements, and to thank their sponsors for the support received.

The group began with the pavilion number 5 of the Fair of Madrid, where the Racing Team members had the pleasure of visiting the Comunidad y Dipuntación Valenciana pavilion. There, they met with other sporting people from other sport disciplines, the tennis players David Ferrer and Juan Carlos Ferrero and the athlete Nuria Montalvo, among others. Alvaro Bautista shared a virtual tennis match with David Ferrer and Sergio Gadea and Bradley Smith had a good time testing the cibernetic golf.

At midday, the Aspar Team riders went to the pavilion number 12 to be received at the Sol Mar renting car stand, where they were talking to the visitors and signing autographs on the posters prepared for this occasion.

Both the Valencian racing team and Jorge Martínez finished their visit around one o’clock. During their visit they could see the big crowds attracted by the event connected with leisure and spare time.

Bradley Smith:" It was very interesting to be at such an event. It is totally new for me to attend something so big. We travel a lot due to our work and see a lot of things, but to see them all together in a fair like this is frankly amazing. It is very interesting to realize that the tourism world attracts a big market and a bigger environment.

 Bradley concludes in Jerez by going even quicker

Strangely despite the rainy weather forecast, today was the best day of the test.With the sun warming the track from the early morning, the riders began riding early in the morning to take advantage of the last day of testing. In the afternoon, the skys became full of clouds putting the rest of the test at risk. Ultimately nothing happened and the riders could improve their times. On this last day of test the great majority of the teams have completed testing settings and tested the results obtained in previous sessions.

Bradley has done well, improving his performance during the test and setting his best time (1.47.807) in the last session. A brilliant session, particularly in the development work. The British rider didn’t take any risks in the early days of the test and thanks to that, today he could show the development of his Aprilia, maintaining his riding pace was\a big part of the session. Once more, Bradley kept himself leading the general classification along with his team mate Simón, and the two of them were the only riders to get into the 47s bracket.

Bradley Smith 1.47.807 (67 laps): " I am very happy because we have improved by one second over our time of yesterday. We got a little stuck from the first to the second day and it was difficult to go on, but during these last two last days we have maintained a great pace that makes me feel very satisfied. We have been able to ride at a good pace with every kind of tyre and this is a sign that we are going in the right direction. I have tested a lot of suspension settings and we have understood the bikes behaviour in every one of them. It seems that we have found the correct baseline for the future.

It´s obvious that our work does not finish here and we have to keep improving but the result of this three days is very positive. I am very happy to be riding again and I hope that the weather forecast will be good in Valencia and allow us to get on with the work."

Testing Times

Bradley substantially improves his time of yesterday at the second day of testing at Jerez

The action began this morning on the second day of the first test of the season. The great majority of the riders have been earlier risers at the half way point of this test, to complete most of the work before the end of the test tomorrow.

At little after 11 a.m. the riders poured out onto the Andalusian track and got on with the test. On the second day, the lower World MotoGP Championship teams have shared day with some of the young promising riders from the 125cc CEV, also with four Motociclism Italian Federation riders. The temperature didn’t change over yesterdays, although the wind did cause a more cloudy sky. The most important thing of the day, as yesterday, was that the leadership imposed by the Bancaja Aspar team riders, Julián Simón and Bradley Smith was maintained.

Bradley took advantage of this half way point in the test by requesting several suspension and engine settings changes. Some of the ones proposed at the beginning of the day had been unsuccessful, but as the session went on Bradley was improving his times, maintaining himself as the second quickest 125 rider on the track. In the British riders’ opinion, there are some solutions found today still to be applied to further improve a good setup on the bike. The new Aspar Team rider, was a little less than a second (1.48.863) from his team mate Julian, and was very satisfied with the times achieved and more so with the progress made. 

Bradley Smith 1.48.862 (58 laps): "The session today has been a little bit more complicated. We have been working with new settings, both suspensions and engine. This is laborious work. You have to make little steps to find the good direction. We are very happy with the settings found on my Aprilia but we need to improve them. I am satisfied with the times because we reduced them with regard to the first day, but we still have to achieve that big step that surely we will find tomorrow. We know which direction to work in. The track conditions have been similar as yesterday ones, but I think that the weather tomorrow will be a little bit better and we still can improve.

BANCAJA RIDERS ARE AT THE TOP OF THE CLASIFICATION OF THE FIRST TEST OF THE YEAR!!

After the testing ban period, 15 125 and 250 riders have had an opportunity at the Jerez Circuit to take part in the first test of the year. This is a test of three days that will finish on Wednesday. It will be a complete week of testing for the Bancaja Team, who, from the Andalusia track, will set of to Cheste (Valencia) to have two additional days of testing on the following Saturday and Sunday. The first day has been characterized by the sunny weather and cold gusts of wind that became stronger after two o'clock in the afternoon. The riders have had a chance to checkout the state of the new asphalt at the Jerez track. The MotoGP riders have already had the opportunity to check it out at the last test at the end of 2008.

Bradley has been with Julián Simón at the top of the times, during the most part of this first day. After such a long break and avoiding any risk, the British rider has ridden constantly to regain the racing sensations. The new Bancaja signing has used this first session to define the workload to be followed in the rest of the test. Principally checking the settings in the setup of his Aprilia. At the end of the day, Bradley was very pleased and is looking forward to improving. His best time - 1.49.31- was made on his last lap of 48, with a difference of only 5 tenths to his team mate Julián Simón.

Bradley Smith - 1.49.31 (48 laps): " It has been fantastic to ride again. The early laps were amazing, although after this long period out of work, at first was a little bit strange. In some ways, you have to readapt your body and your mind to the speed sensation. But it has been a very positive day and we have been improving step by step. The idea was to retake the feeling and define the work line to be followed in the rest of the test, for being sure that these days will be productive. Without the potholes, the track looks better and I suppose that the feedback of the grip will be increased lap by lap. The windy conditions made me be prudent overall in the fast corners. In outline the conditions have been very good in our first session of tests."

Bradley, Jorge Martínez “Aspar” and Álvaro Bautista, from the ASPAR Racing Team, will be signing autographs for everyone who comes to the SOLMAR stand at the FITUR 09 exhibition in Madrid on Thursday 29th January 2009 at 12:00 o’clock. (Hall 12, Stand 12B10A)

SOLMAR rent a car is a leading Spanish car hire company and is one of the Aspar teams sponsors.

So if you are one of Bradleys many Spanish fans in Madrid, or just happen to be there over the weekend, why not drop in and say hello.

We have produced a free Bradley calendar for 2009

Initially it covers January to April and shows when Bradley will be on track in 2009

The rest of the Calendar will be available when we have some new photos.

You can print it from the Fan Club page  click here

Neil o'Keefe and a some of the other riders at the recent Cartagene track day have made a little seasonal video for you all to enjoy

Click here to see it

It features Neil O'Keefe, Phil Price, Bradley, Ian Weston, Scott Jenkins (these are also the lads in the Second picture in the track day gallery)

Merry Christmas everyone

Recently Bradley visited the Cartagena race track in Spain with Allan (Dad)

The track day was organised by Kevin of 'Focused Events' and Bradley rode Allan's 600 Honda.

The Kawasaki 2008 ZX10 pictured (which has more carbon on it than you can shake a stick at) is the bike of Phil Price, who is 60 years old and has completed over 60 track days in 2008 !!, was showing Bradley the lines and the way round the technical Cartagena track !!!

Everyone had a great time.

If you were there and have any photos, please send them to Steve and he will add them to the track day gallery that you can see here.

Bradley has been visiting the NEC motorbike show where he has been signing autographs and having his photo taken with fans

For more photos from the NEC show click here

Monday 1^st December saw the official opening of the new motor vehicle workshops on the Rush Green campus of Barking College.  The return to the main site of this important part of our curriculum offer came about because demand to study these courses is so high the accommodation at CEME just could not cope with the numbers.

The workshops were opened by 17 year old Bradley Smith.  Bradley is a hot tip for World Champion in the 2009 125GP competition.  Last year he made a creditable 6^th position and has now been signed up by the Aspar Aprilia team who took the championship in 2008.

As part of the opening ceremony Bradley donated a signed picture of himself to the Mayor of Barking & Dagenham to sell to raise money for the Mayor’s charity, before signing endless autographs for the assembled students.

Also present were Boston Garage Equipment from Rainham.  Boston have supplied and installed a complete ATL MoT bay free of charge.  Boston MD Ray Calcutt said that he believed successful businesses should play a role in local affairs and also pointed out that the motor vehicle industry is advancing technically and this donation will give students the opportunity to learn using the latest equipment.

For more pictures from this event click here

Last summer Bradley and his mum and dad spent a little time in France and whilst they were there they met a couple of Bradley fans from the USA, Whitney and his wife Leta.

Whitney and Leta had been in Europe and had taken in a few MotoGP's during their trip, it turned out that they had indeed been around bikes for many years and indeed Whitney has raced for a few too.

Everyone had a great time and we thought you might like to see a picture of Whitney 'in action'.

Just goes to show, you can bump into Bradley fans anywhere !!

The young British rider Bradley Smith has been wooed by the Aspar Team for the last two seasons. After being proclaimed "Rookie of the Year" in his debut season, and managing to make remarkably progress during this time, Bradley states that it is his moment to win. The British rider couldn’t have ended up in a better squad, the Bancaja Aspar Team, they will give him the best weapons and all their experience to make his dream, to be World Champion, come true.

1)  How have you faced up to this new challenge with Bancaja Aspar Team?

Well, to be honest, I am working with the same team of mechanics that I had last year and this makes the change easier. The most important thing is that there are many people with a lot of experience. It is an established team and I think that all of us can get a lot out of that.

2) During the last test, you took advantage to test things very difficult to check during the season due to the time shortage. What were the most important ones?

We were testing some of Gabor´s bike settings. We found a very positive improvement in the front of the bike, but not so much in the rear, but in any case we found the right way to work, and this is a very important aspect to finish the year ok.

3) This will be your second year with the Aprilia RSA with a team in which you have a lot of information to cross check data. How can this influence your performance?

The last year was different. We had to ride and ride because we had not have experience with this bike. This season will be different because we can be more focused on technical aspects to improve the bike and my feeling on it. I can understand all the positive and negative aspects to put as the best bike on the track as possible. I am sure that I will be discovering gradually a big improvement.

4) Your times were good, do you think that it was something important to end the year, or are you not thinking about it in the moment?

I love to do this test at the end of the year because you always have things left to do when the season is over that you would have liked to test. During the races you learn a lot of things, but you do not have too much time to innovate. That’s why it is very important to have a free couple of days to practice all you would like to, but you hadn’t enough time to do it.

5) You were Rookie of the Year in your debut season and you made a remarkable progress. What are your aims for this fourth season in the 125 cc World Championship?

I think that for me it’s time to win. With three seasons in my back and a lot of experience, it’s time to collect victories. I don’t know if it will be possible to go for the Championship, but we might be fighting for the victory in nearly all the races, and get onto the podium in most of them.

6) Unlike last year when you were the only rider in your team, this year you will share the pit with two veterans of the category. What are your thoughts on this?

For me it’s perfect. It gives me extra motivation. When you are the only rider, there is a positive aspect because all is focused on me, but this can become negative because if you have some problem you have nobody to talk to about it or to share data, which could help you to understand what is happening. Both Gadea and Simón, are very fast riders, and I am sure that we will have to work together to be all on the podium.

7) How was your first meeting with your new teammates?

I know Julian from my time at Repsol and in my opinion he is a good friend of mine. With Sergio, I think that I will have to learn a little bit of Spanish for me to talk with him. He is a very good rider and seems to be very professional. In any case, I am looking forward to working with both of them and I am sure that we will achieve great results. Let’s say that the influence of one on the others will make us improve constantly.

8) What is the thing about your new team that really impressed you and what have your first impressions been?

The thing that really impressed me was their experience and the quantity of information that they have. I rode a lot last year, but at some moments we realized that we would need more experience, because everything was new for us. But in this team it is just the opposite, beginning with Jorge Martínez who has been working with Aprilia for a long time, and also with Gino Borsoi who was an Official Aprilia tester and finally, of course, with all the mechanics who have a lot of experience. Personally, I think that this wealth of experience is very important. It seems like everybody in the team wants to win. The truth is that the way of working is very relaxed and professional. It is a very important point for me to improve.

9) What was your approach from the end of the season until the first test with the Aspar Team?

Unfortunately, I caught a very bad cold and there was a week that I couldn’t do anything. But after my recovery, I went on with my routine of training to arrive with my best fitness.

10) How do you plan your winter break?

I have several engagements like the Motorshow in Birmingham. Then I will keep training as usual but I will have free moments too. My birthday was a few days ago and I celebrated it with my family and friends. I think that it is too much time without doing anything, but I will take the opportunity to train hard. Before going back into the action of the season, I will go to Spain for a little more than a month to train there, where the weather is always better than in England. Here I nearly can’t go out in the street.

Here is Bradleys text message from the second day of testing at Valencia

Well we have ended the season with a useful test.

We have tested so many things i have lost count. My mechanics and i have settled down nicely in the Aspar family.

We now have a very good stepping stone to the new season. I am looking forward now to the january tests and finding out what the 2009 bike brings.

Bradley

Today Bradley had his first run out with his new team Aspar

Here is his text message report

Today was a great welcome to the Aspar team.

It was a fun day with alot of changes to the bike which have all been positive. I have completed 55laps in dry but windy conditions. I am looking forward to getting more track time tomorrow and have a good final day to finish going into the winter time.

Bradley

More tomorrow

Hi all,

Went to Christchurch University in Canterbury for my end of year fitness testing. The test was carried out by Dan, a real good guy who certainly knows his stuff. The test was a lactate threshold test and a VO2 max test.

They also put me inside the bod-pod to measure body mass and put me in the nice swimming cap!!  There was also a couple of strength tests.  The team worked me hard and the good results are thanks to Ironmate Mark. www.ironmate.co.uk . 

Next stop Valencia.  

Cheers Bradley

Hi Everybody  

Well since the final race in Valencia, its been quite difficult to find something to occupy my mind, instead of counting down the days to the first test with the Aspar team.

Well the day is nearly here, Yeeepeee. I will be getting the chance to have a "shakedown" and to start working with the bike ready for the 2009 racing season including meeting my team mates Julian Simon and Sergio Gadea.

This will be the last ride out for the 2008 so i will be making the most of it, lets hope the weather is good. I will be updating you all during Monday and Tuesday and let you know how everything is going.

ROLL ON MONDAY!!!!!  

Bradley