Smith admits that he considered quitting
Added on Thursday, October 27th, 2011 by Carole Nash Editor
Smith admits that he considered quitting
Bradley Smith has admitted that he had considered quitting motorcycle racing in the wake of Marco Simoncelli’s death, although claimed that he could never imagine doing anything other than racing.
The British Moto2 rider said that the death of Simoncelli in Malaysia on Sunday came as a shock to everyone in the paddock and that, in the immediate aftermath, he did consider his future in motorcycle racing.
Smith, who didn’t race on Sunday due to injury, told BBC Radio Oxford: “It is very upsetting as a rider and it actually makes you question whether you want to do something like this as a career.”
The 24-year-old admitted that he immediately feared the worst for the Italian, despite the various safety improvements that have been incorporated into the sport.
“Unfortunately because of the great job the safety commission do, the high technology that is involved in our safety equipment, and just the general safeness of our sport it has come as such a shock to us that something like this has happened,” he added.
But despite his reservations, Smith, who will graduate to MotoGP in 2013 with Tech 3, admitted that he couldn’t imagine any other career.
“In my heart, racing is my life and I don’t feel fun or fulfilment without it,” he said. “There is no other thing that I would want to do and I would like to think Marco felt exactly the same. He seemed to show that same emotion and that same feeling. “There is obviously a lot more to life then racing motorcycles, but not to me.
“Motorcycle racing is my world, is my life and the reason why I will line up in Valencia once again, obviously with a bit more of a sad feeling in my heart, but also great motivation as well to continue the sport I love.”
