Bradley Smith (motorcyclist)

Bradley Smith

Smith at Motorcycle Live 2012.
Nationality British
Born (1990-11-28) 28 November 1990
Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Current team Monster Yamaha Tech 3
Bike number 38
Website www.bradley-smith.co.uk
Motorcycle racing career statistics
MotoGP World Championship
Active years20132016
ManufacturersYamaha
Championships0
2015 championship position6th (181 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
55 0 2 0 0 426
Moto2 World Championship
Active years20112012
ManufacturersTech 3
Championships0
2012 championship position9th (112 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
33 0 3 0 1 233
125cc World Championship
Active years20062010
ManufacturersHonda, Aprilia
Championships0
2010 championship position4th (223 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
80 3 20 9 4 717.5

Bradley Smith (born 28 November 1990) is an English motorcycle racer, currently competing in the MotoGP World Championship. He was a regular frontrunner in the 125cc class, recording three wins, twenty podium finishes as well as nine pole positions in his five seasons in the class. Eurosport commentators Toby Moody and Julian Ryder have frequently noted his reputation for being at his best while leading races. He won the Suzuka 8 Hours in 2015 with Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Pol Espargaró.

Career

Early years

Born in Oxford, Oxfordshire,[1] Smith's father raced in Motocross, and the family owned an open practice track. Smith got his first motocross bike aged six.[2]

Smith applied for selection to the Auto-Cycle Union (ACU) academy for young racers, but was never chosen. He spent a year in 2004 aged 13 competing in Aprilia Superteens competition, finishing fourth behind three ACU Academy riders. In January 2005 he was asked to compete for the year in the Spanish 125cc championship as part of the MOTO GP Academy, winning the last three races ending the year 2nd just one point behind the champion.

125cc World Championship

2006

For 2006, he joined the Repsol Honda 125cc Grand Prix World Championship squad, managed by Alberto Puig finishing 19th overall and rookie of the year, with a best result of 8th place in Motegi.

2007

Remaining with the team in 2007, he took a first podium with third place at Le Mans.[3] Nine more top-10 finishes left him 10th overall.

2008

Smith signed with the Polaris World Aprilia team for the 2008 season.[4] He secured his first pole position at the opening round of the season at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar on 8 March,[5] but suffered a technical problem while leading.[6] A number of midseason injuries affected him,[7] but he scored podium finishes at Jerez and Le Mans (after briefly leading the five-lap sprint required by a red flag for rain). He led at both Assen and Sachsenring, but finished off the podium in both. He ended the season sixth overall, with three poles and four podium finishes but no victory.

2009

For the 2009 season, Smith signed for Jorge Martínez's Bancaja Aspar Racing Team to continue to ride an Aprilia, alongside Julian Simon. The deal also included an option to race in 250s for the team in 2010.[8] Smith had almost signed for the team in 2008, before signing for Polarisworld.[9]

Smith won his first ever Grand Prix with a dominant performance at Jerez in May 2009. Smith's first Pole Position of the season came at Mugello in which he scored his second Grand Prix victory after a brilliant fight against Nicolás Terol and Julian Simon. This race put Smith in the lead of the Championship with 74.5 points, just 3.5 points ahead of Simon. However, Simon hit form and ultimately won the title. Smith finished second to his team-mate in the last three races of the season, losing the lead on the final lap in two of them. He ultimately finished as series runner-up.

2010

In August 2009, Smith stated his ambition to move up to the new Moto2 class with the Aspar team,[10] but the team's two seats were given to Julian Simon and Mike Di Meglio instead. In November 2009, Smith agreed a deal to remain with the Aspar team in the 125cc class for 2010 alongside Nicolas Terol.[11]

Smith was a favourite for the title in 2010, after finishing runner-up in 2009, however the year was dominated by Spanish trio Marc Márquez, Pol Espargaró and Nicolas Teról. Smith did however manage three pole positions and six podiums, including a win at the final round of the season in Valencia on the way to fourth place in championship standings.

Moto2 World Championship

2011

After the 2010 Portuguese Grand Prix, it was announced that Smith would be competing in Moto2 in 2011, racing for the Tech 3 team, alongside one of the riders that had denied him a Moto2 move a year previous, Mike Di Meglio.[12] On 19 September 2011, it was announced that Smith had signed a three-year contract with Tech 3 that would see him remain in Moto2 in 2012, before moving to MotoGP in 2013.[13]

Smith started his debut campaign in the Moto2 class well with seventh in his first race before following it up with a fourth-place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix. Smith scored his first podium with a second-place finish in his home Grand Prix at Silverstone, and he followed it up with two third-place finishes at the next two rounds. Smith finished his début season in the class, in seventh place in the final championship standings.

2012

Smith's 2012 season was full of consistent points-scoring finishes, scoring points in all bar two races, but without a podium. His best result was a fourth-place finish at the Italian Grand Prix, and he eventually finished the season in ninth place in the final championship standings.

MotoGP World Championship

2013

Smith was promoted to the premier class aboard a Yamaha for Tech 3, with team-mate Cal Crutchlow. He concluded the season in 10th place, with 116 points, running consistently within the top ten riders in most races. His best result were a trio of sixth places obtained in the Catalan, German and Australian Grands Prix.

2014

In 2014, Smith continued to race with Tech 3, with teammate Pol Espargaró. He finished fifth in the second round of the championship, the Grand Prix of the Americas in Texas, achieving his best result at that time. Later in the season, Smith achieved his first podium in MotoGP at Phillip Island, finishing in third place; he took advantage of late-race crashes for Cal Crutchlow and Espargaró to move into the position.[14] He also received a penalty point from Race Direction, after he was deemed to have overtaken another rider under yellow flags.[15]

2015

Remaining with Tech 3 for the 2015 season, Smith finished each of the first twelve races in the top ten placings, with two fifth-place finishes being his best results. At the San Marino Grand Prix, Smith achieved his best MotoGP result with a second-place finish despite staying out on track on slick tyres as rain was falling – he fell as low as 21st in the race order before riding through the field.[16] With Scott Redding finishing third, the duo became the first pair of British riders to finish on a premier class podium since Barry Sheene and Tom Herron did so at the Venezuelan Grand Prix in 1979.[17]

Career statistics

By Seasons

Season Class Moto Team Race Win Pod Pole FLap Pts Plcd WCh
2006 125cc Honda RS125R Repsol Honda 14 0 0 0 0 20 19th  
2007 125cc Honda RS125R Repsol Honda 16 0 1 0 0 101 10th  
2008 125cc Aprilia RSA 125 Polaris World 17 0 4 3 0 150 6th  
2009 125cc Aprilia RSA 125 Bancaja Aspar 16 2 9 3 3 223.5 2nd  
2010 125cc Aprilia RSA 125 Bancaja Aspar 17 1 6 3 1 223 4th  
2011 Moto2 Tech 3 Mistral 610 Tech 3 16 0 3 0 1 121 7th  
2012 Moto2 Tech 3 Mistral 610 Tech 3 17 0 0 0 0 112 9th  
2013 MotoGP Yamaha YZR-M1 Monster Tech3 18 0 0 0 0 116 10th  
2014 MotoGP Yamaha YZR-M1 Monster Tech3 18 0 1 0 0 121 8th  
2015 MotoGP Yamaha YZR-M1 Monster Tech3 18 0 1 0 0 181 6th  
2016 MotoGP Yamaha YZR-M1 Monster Tech3 1 0 0 0 0 8* 8th*  
Total 168 3 25 9 5 1376.5  

* Season still in progress.

By class

Class Seas 1st GP 1st Pod 1st Win Race Win Podiums Pole FLap Pts WChmp
125 cc 2006–2010 2006 Spain 2007 France 2009 Spain 80 3 20 9 4 717.5  
Moto2 2011–2012 2011 Qatar 2011 Great Britain 33 0 3 0 1 233  
MotoGP 2013–2016 2013 Qatar 2014 Australia 55 0 2 0 0 426  
Total 2006 – present 168 3 25 9 5 1376.5  

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Yr Class Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Pos Pts
2006 125cc Honda SPA
17
QAT
22
TUR
Ret
CHN
22
FRA
21
ITA
19
CAT
16
NED
16
GBR
12
GER
12
CZE MAL AUS
28
JPN
8
POR
Ret
VAL
12
19th 20
2007 125cc Honda QAT
12
SPA
26
TUR
8
CHN
8
FRA
3
ITA
8
CAT
6
GBR
7
NED
DNS
GER
8
CZE
13
RSM
8
POR
12
JPN
Ret
AUS
16
MAL
9
VAL
8
10th 101
2008 125cc Aprilia QAT
16
SPA
3
POR
Ret
CHN
Ret
FRA
2
ITA
5
CAT
14
GBR
10
NED
5
GER
4
CZE
6
RSM
2
IND
8
JPN
Ret
AUS
Ret
MAL
2
VAL
4
6th 150
2009 125cc Aprilia QAT
5
JPN
10
SPA
1
FRA
4
ITA
1
CAT
8
NED
3
GER
Ret
GBR
20
CZE
4
IND
2
RSM
3
POR
3
AUS
2
MAL
2
VAL
2
2nd 223.5
2010 125cc Aprilia QAT
8
SPA
4
FRA
5
ITA
4
GBR
3
NED
4
CAT
2
GER
5
CZE
6
IND
Ret
RSM
4
ARA
3
JPN
3
MAL
5
AUS
5
POR
3
VAL
1
4th 223
2011 Moto2 Tech 3 QAT
9
SPA
4
POR
29
FRA
9
CAT
19
GBR
2
NED
3
ITA
3
GER
Ret
CZE
Ret
IND
4
RSM
6
ARA
6
JPN
7
AUS
18
MAL
DNS
VAL
23
7th 121
2012 Moto2 Tech 3 QAT
9
SPA
11
POR
10
FRA
9
CAT
12
GBR
7
NED
6
GER
7
ITA
4
IND
15
CZE
8
RSM
8
ARA
5
JPN
Ret
MAL
7
AUS
11
VAL
16
9th 112
2013 MotoGP Yamaha QAT
Ret
AME
12
SPA
10
FRA
9
ITA
9
CAT
6
NED
9
GER
6
USA
Ret
IND
8
CZE
Ret
GBR
9
RSM
11
ARA
7
MAL
7
AUS
6
JPN
8
VAL
7
10th 116
2014 MotoGP Yamaha QAT
Ret
AME
5
ARG
7
SPA
8
FRA
10
ITA
Ret
CAT
10
NED
8
GER
19
IND
6
CZE
9
GBR
22
RSM
7
ARA
5
JPN
9
AUS
3
MAL
5
VAL
14
8th 121
2015 MotoGP Yamaha QAT
8
AME
6
ARG
6
SPA
8
FRA
6
ITA
5
CAT
5
NED
7
GER
6
IND
6
CZE
7
GBR
7
RSM
2
ARA
8
JPN
7
AUS
10
MAL
4
VAL
6
6th 181
2016 MotoGP Yamaha QAT
8
ARG
8
AME
17
SPA
12
FRA
ITA
CAT
NED
GER
AUT
CZE
GBR
RSM
ARA
JPN
AUS
MAL
VAL
12th* 20*

* Season still in progress.

References

  1. Official MotoGP profile
  2. Shea, Julian (26 March 2006). "Teenager Smith hits the big time". BBC News.
  3. Only UK appearance for schoolboy racer Bradley Smith
  4. Bradley Smith for full factory backed Aprilia 125
  5. 2008 125cc Qualifying – Qatar
  6. Bradley Smith column – Qatar
  7. Bradley Smith almost fit – Sachsenring
  8. Smith column – signing for Aspar
  9. Aspar confirms Smith and Simon for 2009 125cc team
  10. Bradley Smith for Moto2 in 2010
  11. 125: Bradley Smith signs for 2010
  12. "Smith and Di Meglio to front Tech 3 Moto2 effort next season". motogp.com. Dorna Sports. 31 October 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
  13. "Smith signs Tech 3 MotoGP deal". Carole Nash (Insidebikes). 19 September 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
  14. "Maiden MotoGP podium for diligent Smith". MotoGP.com (Dorna Sports). 19 October 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  15. "Rossi takes 82nd premier class victory in incident packed race". MotoGP.com (Dorna Sports). 19 October 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  16. "Smith: "Luck favours the brave"". MotoGP.com (Dorna Sports). 13 September 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  17. "Two Brits join Marc Marquez on the podium". BBC Sport (BBC). 13 September 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2015.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bradley Smith (motorcyclist).
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Leon Haslam
Takumi Takahashi
Michael van der Mark
Suzuka 8 Hours
Winner

2015
With: Pol Espargaró
Katsuyuki Nakasuga
Succeeded by
Incumbent
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