Tech3 fired up for the fight down under

Posted on Oct 19, 2016 by Monster Yamaha Tech 3

Monster Yamaha Tech3 team riders Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro head to the Australian Grand Prix full of confidence and ready to battle, fresh from competing at the Motegi round last weekend. Both riders seek to complete the second back to back flyaway event solidly at the world famous Phillip Island circuit, which has produced many memorable duels over the years.

Bradley Smith returns to the scene of his debut premier class podium in 2014, and he will seek to undertake another brave performance in Australia following his comeback in Japan after being forced to sit out three Grand Prix’s due to a severely damaged knee. The British rider showed incredible resilience at the previous round and he courageously defied expectations by concluding the Motegi showdown in 13th, despite being limited by his injury. He resolutely targets completing the GP in the best possible position on Sunday in what will be another demanding race for him whilst he continues his recovery progress.

Bradley Smith: – Championship: 17th – Points: 45
"Phillip Island is a unique circuit and completely different in nature to Motegi, but I am excited for the challenge and I will do my best, as usual. The high-speed demand of the track will be tricky, because, even though there are not as many corners as some other rounds, it is still quite physical. In addition, the cooler conditions that we get at this time of the year make racing a bit more complicated for MotoGP riders. However, I will go there with an open mind, and I hope that we can work in the same way that we did in Japan, in order to build up our pace over the weekend. Moreover, in the next few days, I will be off the bike and I am positive that my knee will improve a bit so that I can be better and stronger for the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team."

Hervé Poncharal - Team Manager:
“Next up is the Australian Grand Prix at the iconic Phillip Island circuit and once again, the team will do everything they can in order to allow Brad and Pol to fight to two solid finishes. The guys both had good results in Motegi. Pol did his best all weekend long and completed the demanding race in 6th, whilst Bradley returned to us after his injury and ended the GP in 13th, and his resilience impressed us all. Therefore, we hope that these performances will boost the boys even more for Phillip Island. For Pol, we expect him to be challenging for the top independent position so that he can cut the gap to Cal Crutchlow in the satellite championship battle and we are fully confident that he can do this. As for Brad, he will have a bit of time in-between the races and we are sure that his knee will improve slightly for the GP, therefore, we hope that he can conclude the weekend in a positive fashion. This event is special for the Tech3 team because we can’t forget that Bradley scored his first ever premier class rostrum in 2014. In addition, the incredible battle between the Tech3 riders, Shinya Nakano and Olivier Jacque, for the 250cc World Championship in 2000 was unforgettable and it still sends shivers down my spine. So let’s see what we can do at the beautiful Australian circuit.”