Tech3 ready for second half of season at high speed Spielberg circuit

Posted on Aug 09, 2016 by Monster Yamaha Tech 3

The Monster Yamaha Tech3 pairing of Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro optimistically aim to commence the second part of the year with two solid performances at Spielberg as the World Championship returns to Austria for the first time since 1997. The riders will battle at the rapid and undulating 4.3-kilometre venue that features three left corners and seven right. The track also has an altitude difference of 65 metres which promises a fast and spectacular 28 lap race on Sunday.

Bradley Smith intends to get straight back into fight mode and begin the second half of the season with a notable result. The 25-year-old has experienced a challenging year so far but remains fully confident of his chances in the nine remaining MotoGP races.

Bradley Smith: – Championship: 16th – Points: 35
"The three-week break was nice for me and although I had some time to wind down, it wasn’t for very long as I trained hard to be ready to get back to where I need to be in the second half of the season. This year has been tough at times, yet I am confident that I can turn it around, just like I did in 2014, and close my final year with the Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team in a positive way. I am certain that our good fortune will start in Austria and even though I think it will be very tight in the race, I am highly motivated for the battle. I have done a lot of preparation for this track and with the fast flowing corners, it will be fun to ride on my Yamaha YZR-M1. The GP will be long with 28 laps, but I am excited to sample the track on my MotoGP bike after sampling the layout on a Yamaha R1 recently."

Hervé Poncharal - Team Manager:
“I hope that everyone in the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team enjoyed a relaxing time on their summer breaks but now it’s time to head back to work so we can carry on our goal which is seeing both boys seal strong results in the remaining events. Firstly, I want to congratulate Pol on his fantastic effort in Japan for the Suzuka 8 Hours race and it is impressive that he helped the Factory Yamaha Racing Team win again. For sure, this will give him a lift for what will be a challenging GP for us in Austria. He has produced some solid performances this year, such as four top six finishes and he is doing a great job at keeping the satellite riders, and some of the factory guys, behind him in the championship. So, here we hope that he can end up inside the top eight. As for Brad, I am certain that he can get back on track in Austria. Without a doubt, he will have worked hard in the summer, as he usually does, and we know that he will be eager to get back to business and clinch the results he wants. Therefore, I expect him to finish in a similar position to his teammate, and hopefully as the leading satellite rider or as close as possible to it. It will be a new adventure for us, but we are all keen to experience Spielberg and we will do our best to give the riders everything they need.”