Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) went to race in the Oschersleben 8H before his home GP at Silverstone, and then suffered a difficult crash and ligament damage to his knee during a practice session for the endurance event. After being forced onto the sidelines for three MotoGP™ races, Smith got back on track at the Twin Ring Motegi for manufacturer Yamaha’s home GP – and after a tough Friday that forced seat adjustments to make him more comfortable on the bike, progress saw him move further and further forward, until crossing the line at the end of the race in P13, and picking up points. Unsure before getting on the bike in Japan whether he was recovered enough to compete, the result was impressive – and sets the 2014 Australian GP podium finisher up well for Phillip Island.
Bradley Smith: "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."