British GP: Post race reaction: Bradley Smith

Bradley Smith survived three crashes in practice including a particularly vicious highside at Coppice to finish seventh in Sunday’s GP125 race at Donington.

The 16-year-old Brit is now equal seventh in the championship on 63 points, 45 behind series leader Hector Faubel but goes to Assen this weekend in hope of a stronger result.

He said: “It’s good to be going straight to Assen this weekend.

“After today’s disappointment I’ve got a chance to make amends straight away.”

Smith bruised his right foot in the Coppice crash but said he was not troubled by it on Sunday.

Early in the race he was towards the tail end of a 12-rider freight train battling for the leading places but gradually worked his way up to eighth and finally secured seventh on the final lap.

He said: “I passed De Rosa in the last lap at the Melbourne Loop and then braked as late as I could and just got him over the line.

“I’m disappointed with my result really because I know I could have done a lot better.

“But I also had three crashes during the weekend so seventh is not so bad.”