MotoGP 2017 – Round Four – Jerez
New KTM engines help Smith into the MotoGP points at Jerez
Following a successful MotoGP test a week ago at Le Mans in France, the Red Bull KTM MotoGP Factory team had new engines delivered from KTM’s Austrian base for the Jerez GP, taking Bradley Smith to 14th come the chequered flag in Sunday’s Spanish MotoGP race.
Bradley Smith
“It’s been solid weekend for us as from Friday we made a good start in both the damp and dry conditions, but added to that was a positive Saturday with a great time in the morning that nearly got us through to Q2. Qualifying was solid but it was tricky in the race today as we’d never run with these kind of track temperatures with a hard front tyre, so it’s still a learning process.
“With hindsight, we could have changed some things but that’s what we learn as a team with this project…but what a step forward from the first three races and a great step to again look forward to at the next race at Le Mans. We have a chance to test tomorrow and get some more data under our belt so that’s great.”
Pol Espargaro up to 11th before crash halts progress
His Spanish team mate Pol Espargaro made a brilliant start off the line on the KTM RC16 to be 11th before an unlucky crash took him out of the race. It was a fast crash, but he was OK and returned to the garage unhurt.
The race took place in front of 69,000 fans that included the former King of Spain. A total of 129,890 fans attended the race track over three days.
Pol Espargaro
“I tried too much! I had a good chance to be inside the top ten today but you have to try to see if you can be there because we have the tools here at Jerez after the work that the KTM Factory Racing team has done with the engine. I was trying to reward them, give them some points and a position to be happy with, but I tried a bit too hard…but this is racing. KTM want to be inside the top 10, as I do too, but occasionally a small mistake happens.”
Mike Leitner (KTM Team Manager MotoGP)
“This weekend has been very positive for us. All the effort from the company for us to utilise this new engine is proof of the hard work from everyone at the factory. We showed clearly during the practice sessions this was a good move and this gave us confidence and strength for the race. At the start of the race it was tricky; the conditions were windy but Pol was in a good position to fight, but he maybe over- pushed a little, but this is racing and I have full respect for this. Bradley scored two points with a good race. We should be happy to score these points here taking the positive because a crash can happen to anyone during a race weekend.”
MotoGP 2017 – Round Four – Jerez Race Results
- PEDROSA Dani 26 SPA 25 Repsol Honda Team 45’26.827
- MARQUEZ Marc 93 SPA 20 Repsol Honda Team 6.136
- LORENZO Jorge 99 SPA 16 Ducati Team 14.767
- ZARCO Johann 5 FRA 13 Monster Yamaha Tech 3 17.601
- DOVIZIOSO Andrea 4 ITA 11 Ducati Team 22.913
- VINALES Maverick 25 SPA 10 Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 24.556
- PETRUCCI Danilo 9 ITA 9 Octo Pramac Racing 24.959
- FOLGER Jonas 94 GER 8 Monster Yamaha Tech 3 27.721
- ESPARGARO Aleix 41 SPA 7 Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 31.233
- ROSSI Valentino 46 ITA 6 Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 38.682
- REDDING Scott 45 GBR 5 Octo Pramac Racing 40.979
- BARBERA Hector 8 SPA 4 Reale Avintia Racing 43.199
- BAZ Loris 76 FRA 3 Reale Avintia Racing 43.211
- SMITH Bradley 38 GBR 2 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 47.964
- ABRAHAM Karel 17 CZE 1 Pull&Bear Aspar Team 51.279
- LOWES Sam 22 GBR 0 Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1’08.885
- TSUDA Takuya 22 JPN 0 Suzuki Test Team 1’27.450
- IANNONE Andrea 29 ITA 0 Team Suzuki Ecstar 18 (laps)
- RABAT Tito 53 SPA 0 Team EG 0,0 Marc VDS 18 (laps)
- CRUTCHLOW Cal 35 GBR 0 LCR Honda 22 (laps)
- MILLER Jack 43 AUS 0 Team EG 0,0 Marc VDS 22 (laps)
- BAUTISTA Alvaro 19 SPA 0 Pull&Bear Aspar Team 22 (laps)
- ESPARGARO Pol 44 SPA 0 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 22 (laps)
MotoGP 2017 – MotoGP Championship Points Standings after Round Four at Jerez
- ROSSI Valentino 46 ITA 62 Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
- VINALES Maverick 25 SPA 60 Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
- MARQUEZ Marc 93 SPA 58 Repsol Honda Team
- PEDROSA Dani 26 SPA 52 Repsol Honda Team
- DOVIZIOSO Andrea 4 ITA 41 Ducati Team
- ZARCO Johann 5 FRA 35 Monster Yamaha Tech 3
- CRUTCHLOW Cal 35 GBR 29 LCR Honda
- FOLGER Jonas 94 GER 29 Monster Yamaha Tech 3
- LORENZO Jorge 99 SPA 28 Ducati Team
- PETRUCCI Danilo 9 ITA 26 Octo Pramac Racing
- REDDING Scott 45 GBR 26 Octo Pramac Racing
- MILLER Jack 43 AUS 21 Team EG 0,0 Marc VDS
- ESPARGARO Aleix 41 SPA 17 Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
- BAUTISTA Alvaro 19 SPA 14 Pull&Bear Aspar Team
- BAZ Loris 76 FRA 12 Reale Avintia Racing
- BARBERA Hector 8 SPA 12 Reale Avintia Racing
- IANNONE Andrea 29 ITA 9 Team Suzuki Ecstar
- ABRAHAM Karel 17 CZE 9 Pull&Bear Aspar Team
- RABAT Tito 53 SPA 8 Team EG 0,0 Marc VDS
- RINS Alex 42 SPA 7 Team Suzuki Ecstar
- SMITH Bradley 38 GBR 3 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
- ESPARGARO Pol 44 SPA 2 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
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