After an untimely four-week break the MotoGP World Championship returns at a frenetic pace this weekend with the first of four races that will see the campaign reach its conclusion in Valencia at the start of November. The Grand Prix of Portugal takes place this Sunday at a later stage in the season than usual, with the Estoril circuit potentially the venue for the crowning of a new World Champion in the shape of 125cc star Julito Simón. Whilst the chase for the MotoGP and 250cc titles remain very much open, the smaller category has been dominated by one man since he took residence at the top of the standings following the Grand Prix of Catalunya and now he gets his first ‘championship point.’
It is a privileged situation for the Bancaja Aspar team because not only do they have Simón on the verge of the 125cc title but they also have Bradley Smith in great form and still with a mathematical chance of denying the Spaniard, and Sergio Gadea also battling for that runner-up spot in the championship. Smith is a realist and knows that his title hopes are slim at best but with a fourth, second and a third in the last three races the Brit is now five points off second place in the championship and will keep fighting to catch his team-mate at the top until it is mathematically impossible. Sergio Gadea has lost touch with them slightly after a rotten run of luck that he is hoping will turn around this weekend, having used the time off to return to full fitness following his crash in the last round at Misano.
Julián Simón:
“Estoril is a circuit I love and where I always look forward to going. We did a test there in February and it kicked off a really good 2009 preseason for us. I found a really good feeling with the bike there and set fast lap times, which gave me a lot of motivation. I go to Portugal as the series leader and in a really good position, with my first chance to win the title, although that is pretty unlikely. My main objective is just to finish the race as high up as possible and head out on the flyaways without any worries. I am going to be fighting to try and win because it’s a circuit I like so much and also because it’s quite close to my hometown and a lot of people are coming across to support me. We’ll work hard towards a good result on Sunday and see what happens. I haven’t done anything special over the last three weeks – I had a four-day holiday after Misano but then just stayed at home, relaxed and trained.”
Bradley Smith:
“After three weeks off it’s exciting to be getting back on the bike again. I’m really looking forward to getting to Estoril, even though it’s a circuit I don’t particularly like and I know we’re in for a weekend of hard work, but we have a lot of data from the winter test that will give us an advantage. The last three races have gone pretty well for me so it is important to keep that going over the four that are left. We just have to keep scoring more points than Julián and keep the title fight going for as long ass possible. I suppose it’s a matter of time and whether it’s at Estoril or Philip Island but all we can do is keep fighting to make it as difficult as possible for him. I’ve been training hard over the last couple of weeks – I competed in a biathlon, a one-mile swim and also went to Switzerland to watch the cycling time trials.”
Sergio Gadea:
“I’ve used the last three weeks to recover from the injuries I picked up at San Marino. Luckily I didn’t break anything but I did have a few muscular problems. My physio David and my manager Diego have really helped me to make sure I am 100% fit for Portugal and in the right shape to tackle the final stretch of the season. We haven’t had a good result for a while so I am determined to get back to my best and return to the podium – who knows, maybe even a win! Estoril is a circuit that suits me quite well and even though we had problems in the race last year, this weekend we start from scratch and I’ll be looking to be on the pace from Friday.”
