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Aspar Team 125, GP Spain Preview

In MotoGP

29 aprile 2009

The MotoGP World Championship is in full flow and after a whirlwind trip to the north Pacific for the Grand Prix of Japan it returns to Mediterranean shores this weekend for the first Grand Prix of the season on Spanish soil. Jerez de la Frontera welcomes home a Spanish armada of riders fresh from conquering Japan in two of the three classes. The only podium at Motegi that did not feature the 'La Marcha Real' ('The Royal March') national anthem was in the 125cc category, in which Bancaja rider Julian Simon was narrowly beaten, but the victory quest continues this Sunday with a host of local riders looking to set the record straight after two opening rounds in which their performances have undeniably been restricted by adverse weather conditions.

Bancaja rider Julián Simón arrives at his home race on the back of consecutive second-place finishes, lying second in the championship and desperate to score his first victory of the season in front of the Spanish fans. His British team-mate Bradley Smith, whose chances have been affected as much as anybody's by a bizarre start to the season, returns to action on Friday with his gaze fixed on the podium having completed an excellent preseason test at this circuit. Sergio Gadea is equally keen to return to battle as he aims to follow up two weekends of productive hard work with the result he and his crew deserve.

Julián Simón: "We arrive at Jerez lying second in the championship and really keen to play a lead role. The first two races have been really strange as far as the weather is concerned and the truth is that I'm looking forward to having a race in normal conditions. In Japan things went really well and looking towards Jerez the idea is to improve the set-up as much as possible, as well as improving my riding in order to be as best prepared for the race on Sunday as we can be and see if we can take our first win of the year. The fans are going to get behind the Spanish riders and we have to try and pay them back with a big performance."

Bradley Smith: "I know the Spanish guys won't be making it easy for us but Jerez is a circuit where we know we can go fast and we are not going to let the opportunity of a good result slip through our grasp. We have a lot of information from preseason testing that I'm sure will help us to get off to a good start and be on the pace from Friday. We haven't had much luck with the weather over the opening two rounds so now is the time to follow up all the hard work we've been doing with a top result."

Sergio Gadea: "I'm really looking forward to getting to Jerez because we still haven't been able to complete a race in normal conditions and it feels a bit strange. We're working well but haven't been able to reap the fruit of it yet. In Japan we made the wrong tyre choice and weren't able to show our true potential. Jerez is not one of my favourite circuits but that's not a reason for us not to be up there fighting for the win. I'm really happy with the set-up of the bike and engine performance, as well as the way the team is working, so we have to just keep going like this until the results eventually come."