Smith credits strength for Sepang second place

Riding in conditions unlikely to have been experienced in his long distance cycle rides along the Oxfordshire roads, Bradley Smith took a creditable second place at the Sepang circuit on Sunday in a true battle of attrition. The Polaris World rider spoke after his runner-up spot, taken from thirteenth on the grid, to explain just how much the intense heat had shaped the course of the race.

`You have to be pinpoint perfect everywhere or you lose too much time here. Nineteen laps seems to go on for ever,´ said Smith of his exhausting ride in pursuit of racewinner Gabor Talmacsi. `I was hardly making any mistakes, and my consistent pace was what allowed me to get up to third so quickly. At the end everyone was physically tiring, but I was able to keep strong and concentrated.´

An expected title challenger for 2008, the Briton has not had quite the predicted impact this year –although it has been his best Grand Prix season to date. A storming series of early pole positions and four podium finishes have shown what Smith is capable of achieving, but the teenager remains determined to cap the season with the race win that has thus far eluded him.

`We´ll definitely be giving 100% at Valencia. These past few races we´ve been one of the fastest on track, but qualifying has let us down. We will be fully focused for this last race, especially with it being Polaris World´s home Grand Prix.´

The Gran Premio Parts Europe de la Comunitat Valenciana will also be Smith´s last event with his current team before his move to the Bancaja Aspar outfit –also based in Spain.