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Matt Hoyle’s Haojue 125GP team has withdrawn from tomorrow’s Japanese GP at the Twin Ring Motegi.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

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."