Bright start at the cathedral of speed for Tech3

Posted on Jun 26, 2014 by Monster Yamaha Tech 3

Monster Yamaha Tech3 rider Bradley Smith kicked off proceedings in a firm and encouraging manner to clinch 5th position in the morning's overcast yet dry practice session with his time only 0.385 behind his teammate who topped FP1.

The clouds withdrew in the afternoon and glorious sunshine soaked the 4542 metre legendary Assen circuit where Smith persevered to notably improve his morning time by over 6 tenths of a second which meant that it was also quicker than last year's pole position. The 23-year-old British rider set his best time with his Yamaha YZR-M1 around the fast flowing track on his 20th and final FP2 lap which resulted in him being just over two tenths of a second from 3rd position and in 6th position.

Smith's strong start to the weekend sees him prepared and geared up for tomorrow's qualifying session, illustrating his clear intentions to finish round 8 of the Moto GP world championship as the leading satellite bike.
   
Bradley Smith: – Position: 6th – Time:1'34.286 – Laps: 41
"Overall I am very pleased with how the first day of practice in Assen has gone. The settings and speed we found through our work at the post Barcelona GP test has been carried straight over to this round and I have been able to ride comfortably and at pace from the start. There weren't too many modifications that needed to be undertaken today but we still tried a few settings for both the rear and the front of the bike to increase stability for this high speed track, especially when compared to the layout of Barcelona. However, now we will use this afternoon to analyse today's data to make further steps of progress, to be prepared for what will be a tough contest in qualifying."