Picture exclusive: Bradley Smith starts 2009 preparations

Bradley Smith has started his 2009 125GP world championship preparations at the Jerez circuit in Spain today.

After a cold start to proceedings, the British teenager was able to kick off his ’09 assault on board the new Aspar Aprilia.

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Smith finished sixth overall in the 2008 world championship having scored four podiums for the Polaris World Aprilia squad.

The global economic crisis forced Polaris World out, but Jorge Martinez’s squad seized the opportunity to sign the highly-rated Smith, who had spoken to the Aspar team as far back as the summer of 2007.