MotoGP: Bradley Smith Back With Tech 3 For 2015
Cycle News Staff | August 13, 2014
Photography By Gold & Goose
Bradley Smith has received a contract extension that will see him aboard the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha for one more season in the 2015 MotoGP World Championship.
The 23-year-old Smith joined the team in 2011 for his rookie Moto2 season after a successful 125cc GP career. After two years in Moto2, Smith was moved up to the Tech 3’s MotoGP team for the 2013 season. Smith’s debut MotoGP season included three sixth-place finishes.
Now in his second season of MotoGP, Smith’s best result was fifth at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas. He finished sixth this past weekend in Indianapolis.
“It’s difficult to explain exactly how I feel right now, but I am just overly thankful to Yamaha and Herve [team owner Poncharal] as well as the whole Monster Yamaha Tech3 team for believing in me and enabling me to continue riding here for another year,” Smith said via his Facebook page. “I really do love working with this team plus the Yamaha YZR-M1 and it’s crazy to think that this well be our fifth year together – although it still feels like the second.
“There’s been a lot of emotion in re-signing so I’m really happy with the end result and that everything is finally sorted. Also, it’s positive mentally to have next year clear while going into the second half of this season. For me, personally, it’s now time to start achieving and performing at my full potential, which I don’t believe we have seen yet. I know that with this team they can support me to get where I am capable of being and beyond plus furthermore, get the results that I need not only for myself, but for the sponsors and everyone involved in this elite operation.
“In addition, riding with Pol [Espargaro – his teammate] is great fun as it creates a strong atmosphere in the team and together we are very competitive which aids us in pushing as well as motivating each other in every session. For Pol and I to finish fifth and sixth [at Indy] is back where Monster Yamaha Tech3 deserves to be and everyone can expect more of the same in the next 18 months. I am very happy and look forward to the rest of the season as well being very excited for 2015.”
Poncharal is also happy to have the young Brit back in the fold for next year.
“I am very pleased to announce that Bradley Smith will remain with the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team for one more year,” he said. “We know each other well plus he is part of the family so this will be the fifth year of us working together and he will be the second longest serving Tech3 rider behind Olivier Jacque. This year has not been easy for him so far due to the high expectations after the winter test and the first race in Qatar. But he never gave up, so together with Yamaha and Tech3 we believe he is the best choice of rider for 2015. I believe that him and Pol are getting on really well together and will push each other the strong results. I am very happy to welcome Bradley back for one more year and I hope this agreement will not only help him to finish the second half of the year in a more relaxed state of mind, but also make things exciting for the MotoGP fans watching him.”
