Ben Spies scores first 2011 podium with Yamaha Factory Racing at Catalunya GP – MotoGP news
Yamaha Factory Racing rider Ben Spies earned his first podium of the 2011 season at the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya on Sunday, June 5.
Spies has recently moved from Tech3 to the Yamaha Factory team. It was his best result of the 2011 season after managing two six place finishes and two ‘did not finish’ statuses in the first five rounds.
The American was fourth to start the race and while entering the first corner, the mix was tightened up. Spies availed the opportunity to sneak ahead of Valentino Rossi and grabbed the third spot.
Spies said, “We just kept pushing and pushing and we were slowly catching up to Jorge, not necessarily to try and catch and pass him but to stay away from Andrea. The bike was great and I felt good on it and just needed a good result. After the first couple
of laps I realised we had a shot at a podium so I rode as hard as I could.”
After his move on Rossi, Spies throttled up to get closer to his teammate ahead and kept a short distance from his rear end. The Texan rider crossed the finish line in the same manner. He also pushed hard to open the gap from fourth placed Repsol Honda rider
Andrea Dovizioso.
Spies also added that the option tyres choice was very helpful in the conditions. He said the team has achieved his goal and the results for both teammates were very pleasing.
Yamaha Factory Racing team manager Wilco Zeelenberg commented on the achievements made by their team riders. Zeelenberg was pleased with the efforts put in by the crew and the struggling performance of the riders as he said, “Not a very spectacular race
but second and third places are of course very important to us. We closed the gap we feel this weekend even if it was difficult circumstances. We said at the beginning it’s important to finish every race on the podium.”
The team manager still finds some areas which need development to get even better results. Let’s see how they fare at the Silverstone circuit.
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