Tuesday, December 16, 2008

125cc: Smith's Aspar switch key '09 change

125cc: Smiths Aspar switch key 09 change

Bradley Smith's switch to the crack Aspar squad for 2009 is the key change in the 125cc field following the FIM's announcement of the 29-bike official entry list for next year.

The Briton - under pressure to deliver in 2009 with a team that won the championship in 2007 with Gabor Talmacsi and 2006 with Alvaro Bautista - is still to post his first win in the category.

But with Talmacsi and reigning champion Mike di Meglio moving up to 250s, Smith's switch from Polaris World is the most high profile of the off-season.

In a largely unchanged, but highly competitive field, Simone Corsi starts the season as one of the favourites on the Pons Aprilia but will face stiff opposition from several competitors, including his teammate Nicolas Terol.

The entry list confirms that Sergio Gadea will remain with Aspar, while Donington-winner Scott Redding stays with Blusens Aprilia.

Another race-winner from 2008, Stefan Bradl, will return for a crack at the title with Kiefer Racing.

The British-based Maxtra team, a joint venture between John Surtees and former Suzuki boss John Taylor in collaboration with Chinese bike manufacturer Haojue, has also been granted entries for Matthew Hoyle and Michael Ranseder.

No Rider Team Bike 5 Alexis Masbou Loncin Racing Loncin 7 Dominique Aegerter Ajo Interwetten Derbi 8 Lorenzo Zanetti Wwc Aprilia 11 Sandro Cortese Ajo Interwetten Derbi 12 Esteve Rabat Blusens Aprilia Aprilia 16 Cameron Beaubier Red Bull Ktm 125 Ktm 17 Stefan Bradl Kiefer Racing Aprilia 18 Nicolas Terol Jack & Jones Pons Aprilia 24 Simone Corsi Jack & Jones Pons Aprilia 27 Stefano Bianco Cbc Corse Aprilia 29 Andrea Iannone Wwc Aprilia 30 Pere Tutusaus Matteoni Racing Aprilia 32 Lorenzo Savadori Fontana Racing Aprilia 33 Sergio Gadea Bancaja Aspar Aprilia 34 Randy Krummenacher Degraaf Grand Prix Aprilia 38 Bradley Smith Bancaja Aspar Aprilia 44 Pol Espargaro Derbi Racing Derbi 45 Scott Redding Blusens Aprilia Aprilia 60 Julian Simon Bancaja Aspar Aprilia 66 Matthew Hoyle Maxtra Team Maxtra 71 Tomoyoshi Koyama Loncin Racing Loncin 72 Marco Ravaioli Cbc Corse Aprilia 73 Takaaki Nakagami Wwc Aprilia 81 Jasper Iwema Kiefer Racing Aprilia 88 Michael Ranseder Maxtra Team Maxtra 93 Marc Marquez Red Bull Ktm 125 Ktm 94 Jonas Folger Wwc Aprilia 99 Danny Webb Degraaf Grand Prix Aprilia Tbc Tbc Derbi Racing Derbi

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