Japanese GP - 125cc Race Result

Pos | Rider | Bike | Time
1. Andrea Iannone Aprilia 42:23.716
2. Julian Simon Aprilia + 1.346
3. Pol Espargaro Derbi + 5.039
4. Stefan Bradl Aprilia + 6.904
5. Marc Marquez KTM + 13.061
6. Sandro Cortese Derbi + 14.841
7. Joan Olive Derbi + 16.420
8. Jonas Folger Aprilia + 16.483
9. Dominique Aegerter Derbi + 27.500
10. Bradley Smith Aprilia + 30.359
11. Danny Webb Aprilia + 37.547
12. Tomoyoshi Koyama Loncin + 43.856
13. Esteve Rabat Aprilia + 59.889
14. Lorenzo Zanetti Aprilia +1:00.141
15. Simone Corsi Aprilia +1:02.601
16. Cameron Beaubier KTM +1:02.609
17. Nicolas Terol Aprilia +1:09.867
18. Randy Krummenacher Aprilia +1:09.883
19. Sergio Gadea Aprilia +1:15.049
20. Takaaki Nakagami Aprilia +1:19.858
21. Alexis Masbou Loncin +1:43.413
22. Efren Vazquez Derbi +1:52.910
23. Lukas Sembera Aprilia +2:07.124
24. Yuuichi Yanagisawa Honda +2:07.402
25. Luca Marconi Aprilia + 1 lap
26. Luca Vitali Aprilia + 1 lap
27. Hiroomi Iwata Honda + 1 lap
28. Satoru Kamada Honda + 1 lap
29. Yuki Oogane Honda + 2 laps

Retirements:

Rider | Bike | Laps
Yuma Yahagi Honda 11
Johann Zarco Aprilia 10
Scott Redding Aprilia 6
Lorenzo Savadori Aprilia 2
Jasper Iwema Honda 0

Japanese GP - Saturday Quotes

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."

13th Danny Webb 2.02.637
"After the good free practice this morning in the wet, I had a good feeling for the qualification session. Because there was too much water at the track the organisation cancelled the qualification session. I have to start now from the 4th row and I have a good feeling that I can finish the race in the top 10."

16th Scott Redding 2.03.285
"Things did not go too badly. The track was a bit cold, but the conditions are the same for us all. We had some problems with the suspension when turning the bike. Apart from that, the practice did not go too badly, although the position is not as good as it could be. In fact it is a bad one, but as soon as we adjust the suspension I am sure that we will be able to improve tomorrow."

Haojue Withdraws from Japanese 125cc GP

MCN reports:

Matt Hoyle’s Haojue 125GP team has withdrawn from tomorrow’s Japanese GP at the Twin Ring Motegi.
Undisclosed technical issues with new engine parts hand carried to the Far East were cited as the reason for the shock withdrawal of the team spearheaded by British motorsport legend John Surtees.

The problem struck Hoyle's bike in this morning’s wet second free practice session and can’t be rectified, said team boss Garry Taylor in the rain-lashed Twin Ring Motegi paddock.
A solution though will be available in time for the team to compete in next weekend’s Spanish GP at Jerez.

Taylor said: “It is very unfortunate that we ran into a technical problem that we can’t solve here in Japan. We can’t fix it safely here. These are evolutionary bikes with lots of new parts and obviously we got caught out. It was much better for us to take the safe option and return in Jerez.”

Hoyle said: “It is frustrating but beyond my control, so I can’t let it bother me.”
The decision means Bradford rider Hoyle has yet to start a race in 2009. He missed the season’s opening clash in Qatar earlier this month following a spectacular crash in the warm-up session when his Haojue machine seized at high-speed.

Bradley Smith - Friday Quotes, Japanese GP

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."

Japanese GP - 125cc - Results FP1

Pos. Rider Team Laptime Gap

1 Andrea IANNONE Ongetta Team I.S.P.A. 2'00.685
2 Julian SIMON Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc 2'00.864 0.179
3 Stefan BRADL Viessmann Kiefer Racing 2'01.029 0.344
4 Esteve RABAT Blusens Aprilia 2'01.372 0.687
5 Nicolas TEROL Jack & Jones Team 2'01.549 0.864
6 Dominique AEGERTER Ajo Interwetten 2'01.565 0.880
7 Bradley SMITH Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc 2'01.608 0.923
8 Pol ESPARGARO Derbi Racing Team 2'01.781 1.096
9 Sandro CORTESE Ajo Interwetten 2'01.797 1.112
10 Marc MARQUEZ Red Bull KTM Motosport 2'01.868 1.183
11 Joan OLIVE Derbi Racing Team 2'01.947 1.262
12 Sergio GADEA Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc 2'02.333 1.648
13 Danny WEBB Degraaf Grand Prix 2'02.637 1.952
14 Jonas FOLGER Ongetta Team I.S.P.A. 2'02.698 2.013
15 Lorenzo ZANETTI Ongetta Team I.S.P.A. 2'02.721 2.036
16 Scott REDDING Blusens Aprilia 2'03.285 2.600

Out of limit time
66 Matthew HOYLE GBR Haojue Team Haojue

Redding Hails Motegi Circuit

He may not have had the best result at Twin Ring Motegi on his circuit debut, but Scott Redding is full of praise for the Japanese track where he took eighth place in 2008. The Blusens Aprilia rider is relishing the opportunity to get back to the far east, eager to earn not only a higher placing than at last year’s race, but to earn further points after an anticlimactic opener in Qatar.
“The Motegi circuit is one of the most beautiful in the World Championship,” states the Briton in anticipation of this weekend’s 125cc clash. “Last year’s race did not go very well for me, but overall it was not too bad. I think that this year, on the Aprilia RSA, things should be much better.”
The youngest ever Grand Prix winner, Redding is keen for a sequel with his new factory bike, although preseason testing was not entirely satisfactory for him. Qualifying eleventh and dropping down two places in the four-lap Qatar race has, if anything, only made him more motivated.
“We are hoping for better weather and to be able to work comfortably. I can’t wait to race there (in Motegi) because what happened in Qatar was very strange, at the end I was a bit upset and really disappointed.”

Bradley Looks Forward To Japanese GP

"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."

Qatar GP - Post Race Quote From Scott & Danny

9th Danny Webb
"I had a very good start. In the end this was really good for the race because they cancelled it after four laps. I was in the second group and could follow them easy and had the feeling to ride together with Bradl to the front group. Because of the rain they stopped the race and I finished in 9th position. I’m glad with this result considering the set-up problems we had and looking forward to the next race in Motegi."

13th Scott Redding
"I made a bad start, and that was my first problem. Then I made up some ground, overtaking rivals. I was fighting with a few of the other riders and when I got past them I began to make contact with the group that was in front, but then it started to rain. The red flag was shown after five laps, they took the classification of the last time we crossed the finishing line, and there was nothing else we could do. To be sincere I am a little annoyed because they have awarded half the usual number of points but I think they should not have given any. But it`s all decided now and there is nothing we can do."
Scott Audio Statement

Qatar GP - Post Race Quote From Bradley

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!"

Qatar GP - Race Result - 125cc

(*Race stopped after 4 laps)

1 Andrea IANNONE ITA Ongetta Team I.S.P.A. APRILIA 8'37.245
2 Julian SIMON SPA Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc APRILIA 8'37.425 +0.180
3 Sandro CORTESE GER Ajo Interwetten DERBI 8'42.456 +5.211
4 Pol ESPARGARO SPA Derbi Racing Team DERBI 8'43.014 +5.769
5 Bradley SMITH GBR Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc APRILIA 8'43.895 +6.650
6 Jonas FOLGER GER Ongetta Team I.S.P.A. APRILIA 8'43.946 +6.701
7 Nicolas TEROL SPA Jack & Jones Team APRILIA 8'44.016 +6.771
8 Stefan BRADL GER Viessmann Kiefer Racing APRILIA 8'44.837 +7.592
9 Danny WEBB GBR Degraaf Grand Prix APRILIA 8'45.414 +8.169
10 Esteve RABAT SPA Blusens Aprilia APRILIA 8'45.923 +8.678
11 Dominique AEGERTER SWI Ajo Interwetten DERBI 8'49.477 +12.232
12 Sergio GADEA SPA Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc APRILIA 8'49.482 +12.237
13 Scott REDDING GBR Blusens Aprilia APRILIA 8'49.605 +12.360
14 Simone CORSI ITA Jack & Jones Team APRILIA 8'50.999 +13.754
15 Johann ZARCO FRA WTR San Marino Team APRILIA 8'51.028 +13.783
16 Cameron BEAUBIER USA Red Bull KTM Motosport KTM 8'51.138 +13.893
17 Efren VAZQUEZ SPA Derbi Racing Team DERBI 8'51.415 +14.170
18 Joan OLIVE SPA Derbi Racing Team DERBI 8'51.697 +14.452
19 Lorenzo ZANETTI ITA Ongetta Team I.S.P.A. APRILIA 8'52.555 +15.310
20 Takaaki NAKAGAMI JPN Ongetta Team I.S.P.A. APRILIA 8'53.660 +16.415
21 Lorenzo SAVADORI ITA Fontana Racing APRILIA 8'55.847 +18.602
22 Randy KRUMMENACHE SWI Degraaf Grand Prix APRILIA 8'56.600 +19.355
23 Jasper IWEMA NED Racing Team Germany HONDA 9'05.279 +28.034
24 Luca MARCONI ITA CBC Corse APRILIA 9'05.359 +28.114
25 Lukas SEMBERA CZE Matteoni Racing APRILIA 9'05.444 +28.199
26 Alexis MASBOU FRA Loncin Racing LONCIN 9'05.517 +28.272
27 Tomoyoshi KOYAMA JPN Loncin Racing LONCIN 9'05.789 +28.544
28 Luca VITALI ITA CBC Corse APRILIA 9'31.172 +53.927

Qatar GP - 125cc - Results Qualifying

Pos. Rider Team Lap time Gap

1 Julian SIMON Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc 2'06.974
2 Bradley SMITH Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc 2'07.107 0.133
3 Andrea IANNONE Ongetta Team I.S.P.A. 2'07.588 0.614
4 Nicolas TEROL Jack & Jones Team 2'07.781 0.807
5 Sandro CORTESE Ajo Interwetten 2'07.835 0.861
6 Sergio GADEA Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc 2'08.147 1.173
7 Stefan BRADL Viessmann Kiefer Racing 2'08.148 1.174
8 Pol ESPARGARO Derbi Racing Team 2'08.380 1.406
9 Marc MARQUEZ Red Bull KTM Motorsport 2'08.417 1.443
10 Jonas FOLGER Ongetta Team I.S.P.A. 2'08.424 1.450
11 Scott REDDING Blusens Aprilia 2'08.681 1.707
12 Joan OLIVE Derbi Racing Team 2'08.904 1.930
13 Danny WEBB Degraaf Grand Prix 2'08.971 1.997
31 Matthew HOYLE Haojue Team 2'15.586 8.612

Qatar GP - 125cc - Results FP2

Pos. Rider Team Motorcycle Lap time Gap

1 Julian SIMON Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc Aprilia 2'07.578
2 Nicolas TEROL Jack & Jones Team Aprilia 2'08.016 0.438
3 Andrea IANNONE Ongetta Team I.S.P.A. Aprilia 2'08.022 0.444
4 Bradley SMITH Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc Aprilia 2'08.056 0.478
5 Sandro CORTESE Ajo Interwetten Derbi 2'08.360 0.782
6 Sergio GADEA Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc Aprilia 2'08.617 1.039
7 Scott REDDING Blusens Aprilia Aprilia 2'08.923 1.345
8 Simone CORSI Jack & Jones Team Aprilia 2'08.935 1.357
9 Marc MARQUEZ Red Bull KTM Motorsport KTM 2'09.160 1.582
10 Jonas FOLGER Ongetta Team I.S.P.A. Aprilia 2'09.228 1.650
18 Danny WEBB Degraaf Grand Prix Aprilia 2'10.345 2.767
31 Matthew HOYLE Haojue Team Haojue 2'16.210 8.632

125cc Brits Pre-Qatar Promo!!

IRTA Test Qatar - Day 2, Results

1. Bradley SMITH APRILIA 2:06.908
2. Andrea IANNONE APRILIA 2:07.021
3. Sandro CORTESE DERBI 2:07.090
4. Scott REDDING APRILIA 2:07.464
5. Marc MARQUEZ KTM 2:07.751
6. Jonas FOLGER APRILIA 2:07.856
7. Lorenzo ZANETTI APRILIA 2:08.034
8. Takaaki NAKAGAMI APRILIA 2:08.108
9. Sergio GADEA APRILIA 2:08.250
10. Pol ESPARGARO DERBI 2:08.296
11. Danny WEBB APRILIA 2:08.424
...
26. Matthew HOYLE HAOJUE 2:14.758

IRTA Test Qatar - Day 1, Results

125cc

1. Bradley SMITH APRILIA 2:06.568
2. Andrea IANNONE APRILIA 2:06.708
3. Julian SIMON APRILIA 2:07.042
4. Sergio GADEA APRILIA 2:07.843
5. Joan OLIVE DERBI 2:08.062
6. Jonas FOLGER APRILIA 2:08.391
7. Sandro CORTESE DERBI 2:08.502
8. Pol ESPARGARO DERBI 2:08.531
9. Esteve RABAT APRILIA 2:08.617
10. Randy KRUMMENACHER APRILIA 2:08.783
11. Scott REDDING APRILIA 2:08.985
23. Matthew HOYLE HAOJUE 2:17.277

Bradley Smith - Biography

As the Aspar Team have now published a big and career stats press release for Bradley, it seems opportune to post it all up here for completeness...


BRADLEY SMITH #38
Date of Birth: 28/11/1990 - Garsington - Oxfordshire - Great Britain
Age: 18
First race: Motocross - January 1997
First Grand Prix: Spain Grand Prix - 2006
First Victory: --
Last Victory: --
First Pole: Qatar Grand Prix - 2008
First Fastest Lap: --
First Podium: England Grand Prix - 2005
Victories: --
Podiums: 5
Pole Positions: 3
Fastest Laps: --
Best General Result: 125cc World Championship - 6th
Total Grand Prix appearances: 47 - 125cc

CAREER SO FAR
1997 - 1st Cotswold Winter Championship
1st Bedfont Lakes Summer and Winter Club Championship
1998 - 1st Winter Vale of White Horse Championship
1st Summer Cotswold Championship
4th All British Championship
1999 - 15th All British Junior 65 Championship
2000 - 4th National BSMA Championship
6th British Supercross Championship
2001 - 1st British Supercross Championship
2002 - 3rd Sheffield Supercross
2003 - 1st Future West Supercross
Several victories in BSMA and KWS Championship
2004 - 4th MRO Superteen Championship
7th MRO GP 125cc Championship
2005 - 10th British Championship - 125cc
2nd CEV -Spanish Championship 125cc
2006 - 20th World Championship 125cc
2007 - 8th World Championship 125cc
2008 - 6th World Championship 125cc

BIOGRAPHY
Nobody could lay claim to an earlier start in motorcycle culture than Bradley Smith, who grew up just 100 metres from a motorcross track that was owned by his parents in his native Oxford. For as long as he can remember Bradley has helped out his father maintain the track - from planning it and grooming it to just taking walks around it, Bradley's dream since he was in nappies was a future as a motorcycle racer.

As soon as he came home from school, Bradley would spend every available evening riding the track on his bicycle until Christmas 1996, when his father finally bought him his first motorcycle - a Kawasaki 60cc. Just a month later, when he reached the minimum racing age of six, he took part in his first competition at the circuit by his house. From that day onwards he was rarely off a motocross or supercross bike and he was a regular contender in the British Motocross Championship, winning the title in 2001.

He looked set for a bright future in off-road racing until 2003, when he broke his leg and was ruled out for three months. The time away gave him chance to consider an alternative career and Bradley now sees the injury as a positive thing because it was during his period of convalescence that he decided to switch codes and trade in his career as a motorcross racer for a future in road racing.

He tried his hand on tarmac for the first time in 2004, finishing fourth in the MRO Superteen series, including a race victory at Lydden, and seventh in the MRO GP 125cc series despite only taking part in three rounds.

In 2005 Bradley entered the 125cc Spanish Championship, riding a Honda for the MotoGP Academy Team. He missed out on the title by a single point after taking victory in the final three rounds at Albacete, Valencia and Jerez. That same year he also registered tenth place overall in the 125cc British Championship, despite missing several rounds due to his commitments with the MotoGP Academy.

However, it was his performances in Spain that had converted him into the bright hope of British motorcycle racing and secured a deal with the Repsol team for his debut 125cc World Championship season in 2006. Riding a Honda, at the age of fifteen the teenager took the title of Rookie of the Year, with stand-out performances in Japan, Great Britain, Germany and Valencia. In 2007 he was a regular points-scorer, confirming his reputation as one of the most promising talents in the World Championship, ending that season eighth overall.

Bradley, known for being methodical and thorough in his approach to racing, signed for the Polaris World team in 2008 as his career continued to progress on a factory Aprilia RSA.

The season saw him become a consistent frontrunner in practice and in the races although he was robbed of his dream of a first victory at World Championship level when crashing out of the lead on several occasions. However, it was still the year Bradley confirmed his reputation as one of the top young riders in the category, ending the season sixth overall.

In 2009 both the British youngster and the Bancaja Aspar team are hoping to create a winning partnership. The Spanish outfit have spent two years chasing Bradley's signature and are ready to give him all the resources he needs to challenge for his first victory, and hopefully many more.


Source: Aspar Media

Bradley Smith hails Randy Mamola influence

British 125GP world championship hopeful Bradley Smith believes the influence of mentor and former Moto GP 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.”

BatiFans.com Announces RACECARD '09 Competition

Okay - a quick and cheeky bit of non-125Brits pimping if you'll forgive me just this once... A sure sign that the fun's about to begin in MotoGP is the announcement of the annual BatiFans.com RACECARD Competition...
It's dead simple - for every 250cc race in 2009 you can enter your qualifying and race predictions for how Alvaro Bautista is going to do. You get 5 points for a correct qualy prediction and 10 points for a correct race result.
We keep an eye on the scores, and at the end of the season one lucky winner walks off with some great prizes, like a rare Alvaro Bautista photo-biography, a diecast model of his 2005 Seedorf Honda, and a superb documentary about Alvaro on DVD.
It's free to enter and open to all members of the BatiFans Forum and adds an extra bit of fun and excitement to each race weekend.

Just get clicking on the link to find out more about the RACECARD 2009 Competition...
Sign up, join in, and bag yourself a bunch of fun across the season - and possibly a great prize at the end of it.