125cc: Smith confident of better start

Repsol Honda's Bradley Smith has spent two days practising his starts at Valencia in an attempt to ensure he does not have a repeat of his Qatar Grand Prix start where he qualified ninth but dropped to 17th before the first corner

Toby Moody Mar 20, 2007, 10:37 AM

The British rider was frustrated after Losail and asked the team for a "test on an airfield" in order to improve his starts.

"Last Wednesday and Thursday I went to Valencia where the team had a bike available," he said. "We did fifty starts over two days, all using the same gearing as I had in Qatar so I was familiar with the set-up.

"I then found the best balance of revs that kept the engine spinning, while going forward too. You just need to find a technique that's fast."

Team mate Esteve Rabat joined Smith at the circuit, with the Spaniard doing 0-100kph in 3.5 seconds and Smith achieving it in 3.6 seconds.

"Now I'm a lot happier with my starts so now I've got to do it in the race," Smith said. "I know Jerez very well, going well there in the test last month so I'm quite fired up to get going again."