The Tech 3 Racing Team ended a gruelling three-week world tour on a positive note after Bradley Smith and Xavier Simeon claimed hard fought top 15 finishes in sunny but cool conditions in the AirAsia Australian Moto2 Grand Prix this afternoon.
Smith kept himself firmly in the hunt for a top six finish in the final World Championship rankings after he guided his Mistral 610 machine to a determined 12th place at the jaw-dropping Phillip Island track.
In front a packed crowd of over 53,000 fans, the 21-year-old was engaged in an exciting figh t with Jordi Torres that went right down to the wire, the Spaniard fending off Smith's relentless offensive to secure 11th by just 0.045s.
Smith now heads to the final round of the 2012 campaign at the Valencia track in Spain still in with a shout of sixth place in the final Championship standings, with the gap to Mika Kallio in sixth reduced to 11-points.
Simeon delivered an equally determined ride to secure his sixth top 15 finish of the season. The Belgian rider slowly built up his confidence after a tumble in this morning's warm-up session and once he found a confident rhythm he was able to keep the battle between Smith and Torres right in his sights.
With top 15 finishes in two out of the last three races, Simeon is now looking forward to ending his time with the Tech 3 Racing Team with a strong performance in the season's final race in Valencia.
Bradley Smith 12th – 108 points:
“That was a tough race and really hard work to finish in the points today. We have experimented with the set-up of the bike a lot all weekend and while we never really got it to where I was completely comfortable and confident, the bike felt good in the race and the Tech 3 Racing Team did another great job. The main issue was a lack of rear grip and that was our problem all weekend. We've got plenty of data to analyse and work on improving in that area for the last race in Valencia, where I'm determined to finish my time in Moto2 with a strong result. With Kallio not finishing as well I still have a chance to finish sixth in the championship. It will be difficult but it definitely gives us a bit more motivation to take into the last race.&rd quo;
Xavier Simeon 14th – 21 points:
“I made a very good start and I recovered some places but this morning's crash at Turn 10 meant I lost some confidence and I wasn't very strong in that part of the track. I lost a few places and I didn't have the best feeling with the front tyre, so it was difficult to push harder with any confidence. I didn't want to make a mistake and I could easily stay in the group so at one stage I was thinking I might be able to fight with Bradley and Torres. But with about six laps to go I encountered a chatter issue with the front tyre and I had to slow down quite a bit and lost my rhythm. It is a shame because I was looking forward to battling with Bradley and Torres right to the end of the race. At least I scored more points and I'm looking forward to the last round in Valencia to finish with a positive result for the Tech 3 Racing Team.”
Herve Poncharal – Team Manager:
“It wasn't an easy weekend for the Tech 3 Racing Team, so to head home with both Bradley and Xavier inside the points is a satisfying way to end this long spell in the Championship. The Moto2 grid didn't have the best weather conditions all weekend, so I think we prepared the best we could and Bradley and Xavier got the maximum potential out of the Mistral 610 machine. Bradley's pace in the second half of the race was fast and constant and I think he would have been in the group battling for fourth if he had a little bit more confidence in the beginning. Xavier had a crash this morning that dented his confidence a little bit but he recovered well and it was a pity he wasn't closer to the fight with Bradley and Torres to try and get a few more points. Both of them rode with a lot of determination and they never gave up, so we can go to the final race in Valencia hoping they will be inside the points again, but hopefully much higher up the rankings.”
Tech 3 Racing Press Release
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Source: http://www.zimbio.com/MotoGP/articles/g-7BJR8q4Z3/Smith+Simeon+collect+valuable+points+Australia
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