Smith pleased with Qatar outcome

Bradley Smith had a strong first race of the season with the Tech3 Yamaha rider finishing eighth in Qatar and just behind Cal Crutchlow in the fight for top satellite rider honours. After the race it was clear that Smith can take plenty of positives from the opening race in what is a contract year for the Englishman.

Speaking to MCN prior to the start of the season Smith made it clear that his target is to finish as the top satellite rider because it’s the most direct route to guaranteeing a fourth season in MotoGP.

“I think we have to be really happy with coming away in eighth,” said Smith. “We were only half a second away from being top satellite rider, and we have to be happy with that; I’ve said from the start I want to be top satellite bike. There’s certain areas where I need to improve during the race – being too hesitant and not passing Yonny when I first could have cost me the opportunity to beat Cal. They’re all details to fix in the future.”

Crucially for Smith he was consistently on the pace throughout the weekend and outshined his teammate, Pol Espargaro, who struggled in Qatar.

“This is one of my stronger tracks, so it was essential to beat Pol. He took a lunge with a lap to go and left it a little late – but it’s hard to give a full analysis of the race, because everyone was behind me, and came from behind. I need to have a look and see, but we all started the same, all did a similar lap time, and finished in the same place. The guys who could go fast, went fast, and we were the second group. All I want to do this year is be in the middle distance, and maybe a little closer to the front group.”

When assessing the relative merits of the satellite Yamaha compared to the satellite Honda of Crutchlow Smith commented that there wasn’t too much separating the two machines.

“We’re pretty similar; the Honda has some strengths, but Cal didn’t come past me and make me go ‘whoa.’ He wasn’t doing too much that was dissimilar to me, which is encouraging for the future, and I think there’ll be plenty more good battles between me and him.”