Smith signs one year MotoGP extension with Monster Yamaha Tech 3

Bradley Smith has just signed a new one-year deal with current employers Monster Yamaha Tech 3 with the French team making the announcement as they prepare to get underway at round 11 of this year’s MotoGP Championship at the Brno circuit in the Czech republic.

There’s been a lot of emotion in resigning so I’m really happy with the end result and that everything is finally sorted

Bradley Smith

Smith originally joined Tech 3 in 2011 entering the Moto2 championship with the team’s very own Mistral machine for two seasons before graduating to MotoGP last year. The 23-year-old currently sits in 9^th place in the championship standings this year but a number of crashes in the first half of the season severely hampered his point scoring ability and is currently battling with a badly damaged finger sustained before the summer break.

Speaking about the announcement, Smith was over the moon with agreeing terms on a new deal allowing him to stay with the team and bike that he is very familiar with. "It’s difficult to explain exactly how I feel right now,” said Smith who continued, “but I am just overly thankful to Yamaha and Hervé as well as the whole Monster Yamaha Tech3 team for believing in me and enabling me to continue riding here for another year. I really do love working with this team plus the Yamaha YZR-M1 and it’s crazy to think that this will be our fifth year together although it still feels like the second!

There’s been a lot of emotion in resigning so I’m really happy with the end result and that everything is finally sorted. Also, it’s positive mentally to have next year clear whilst going into the second half of this season. For me personally, it’s now time to start achieving and performing at my full potential, which I don’t believe we have seen yet. I know that with this team they can support me to get where I am capable of being and beyond plus furthermore, get the results that I need not only for myself, but for the sponsors and everyone involved in this elite operation,” Smith added.

Smith will continue to partner Pol Espargaro in the tech 3 garage with Espargaro in his rookie MotoGP season this year. Smith also spoke his relationship with his teammate. He said, “Riding with Pol is great fun as it creates a strong atmosphere in the team and together we are very competitive which aids us in pushing as well as motivating each other in every session. For Pol and I to finish 5th and 6th is back where Monster Yamaha Tech3 deserves to be and everyone can expect more of the same in the next 18 months. I am very happy and look forward to the rest of the season as well being very excited for 2015.”

Team boss Hervé Poncharal said he was very happy that a deal to keep Smith in the team had been reached saying, “I am very pleased to announce that Bradley Smith will remain with the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team for one more year. We know each other well plus he is part of the family so this will be the fifth year of us working together and he will be the second longest serving Tech3 rider behind Olivier Jacque. This year has not been easy for him so far due to the high expectations after the winter test and the first race in Qatar. But he never gave up, so together with Yamaha and Tech3 we believe he is the best choice of rider for 2015.

I believe that him and Pol are getting on really well together and will push each other the strong results. I am very happy to welcome Bradley back for one more year and I hope this agreement will not only help him to finish the second half of the year in a more relaxed state of mind, but also make things exciting for the MotoGP fans watching him,” Poncharal added.