MOTOGP: Smith vows to build on season's best finish (From Oxford Mail)

MOTOGP: Smith vows to build on season's best finish

8:00am Monday 18th June 2012 in Sport

BRADLEY Smith recorded his best result of the season in yesterday’s British MotoGP at Silverstone – but wants to find more improvement to consistently challenge the top riders.

The Oxfordshire Moto2 ace, who has endured a frustrating season on his Tech 3 bike, qualified fourth, his best position of the campaign.

And a blistering start saw him leading the race for the first lap.

However, Smith, as he expected, did not have the pace to stay with the leading riders, and slipped down the order.

He was sixth going into the last lap, but was passed by Claudio Corti and had to settle for seventh.

That is Smith’s best Grand Prix result of the 2012 season, and he is now hoping to use the race to start challenging for podium finishes on a regular basis.

“I knew I could lead into turn one,” he said.

“I had a couple of opportunities throughout the race and I took every one of them early on, whether I thought they were going to stick or not.

“I was under no illusions about race pace, I knew we didn't have pace to stay right at the front for the entire race, but I just wanted the picture of leading a British Grand Prix in my mind.

“It was a really special moment, to lead your home Grand Prix.”

“Hopefully we can take this momentum into Assen, because it’s the big part of the season now – three back-to-back races.

“I hope we can build on this and continue to move forward.”

After six rounds, Smith finds himself eighth in the standings on 37 points, 65 behind leader Marc Marquez.

But Smith is adamant the only way is up from here on in.

“All your training is geared to this part of the season,” he added.

“You have to be in top condition. You try to keep cold-free and injury-free because one little thing can sideline you for quite a while.

“It’s important now to pick up some points in the championship.

“I’ve dropped to eighth recently so I’m disappointed with that, but if I can keep picking up points, I should be able to make up a few places before long.”

Britain’s Scott Redding finished second in the Moto2 race, while in the main MotoGP, Jorge Lorenzo dominated to claim victory and extend his lead at the top of the drivers’ standings.

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