Smith loses ground in title race

Smith has claimed two grand prix wins this season

Bradley Smith's slim hopes of winning the 125cc World Championship took another knock on Sunday as he finished fourth in the Czech Grand Prix.

The Oxfordshire 18-year-old improved on his last two races, where he scored no points, but lost ground on runaway championship leader Julian Simon.

Nico Terol won ahead of fellow Spaniard Simon, with Andrea Iannone third.

Smith is now third in the standings on 111.5 points, behind Terol in second on 119.5, with Simon way ahead on 174.

The other two British riders in the race, Scott Redding and Danny Webb, finished 15th and 16th respectively.

In the 250cc race, reigning world champion Marco Simoncelli kept alive his chances of retaining his title with his third win of the season from pole position.

The Italian, who is moving to MotoGP next season, came home half a second ahead of compatriot Mattia Pasini, with Alvaro Bautista third and championship leader Hiroshi Aoyama fourth.

But the main talking point of the day was a spectacular and embarrassing blunder by Bautista as he tried to perform a celebratory wheelie on the warm-down lap, only to overbalance and fall off, smashing up his bike.

Czech 125cc Grand Prix result:

1 N Terol (Sp) Jack & Jones Aprilia 40'57.378
2 J Simon (Sp) Bancaja Aspar Aprilia 40'57.546
3 A Iannone (It) Ongetta Team Aprilia 41'06.097
4 B Smith (GB) Banca Aspar Aprilia 41'09.821

125cc World Championship standings:

1 J Simon 174
2 N Terol 119.5
3 B Smith 111.5
4 S Gadea 111
5 A Iannone 109.5

250cc race result:

1 M Simoncelli (Ita) Gilera 41 minutes 6.490 seconds
2 M Pasini (Ita) Aprilia 41:07.174
3 A Bautista (Spn) Aprilia 41:10.871

250cc World Championship standings:

1 H Aoyama (Jpn) 172pts
2 A Bautista (Spa) 160
3 M Simoncelli (Ita) 140
4 H Barbera (Spa) 123
5 M Pasini (Ita) 100