MotoGP rookie Bradley Smith followed nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi for two laps during today's dry test session at Jerez.
The Monster Yamaha man said he was able to pick up some technique pointers from his factory stable-mate and can see where he is going wrong, chasing speed into corners.
"I got to follow Valentino for two laps which opened my eyes to actually what my weaknesses are because in certain areas I was still pretty decent but in other areas I am trying to rush in a bit too much and trying a bit too hard. He taught me some technique and how to ride a MotoGP bike, so that was really good," said Smith, speaking at Jerez.
"I've got a terrible habit of trying to chase into corners. Not braking late but trying to chase the speed and not really using the engine characteristics to get out of the corners. MotoGP is all about drive and preparation for the next turn. If you run wide at turn two, which I love to do at the moment, then you're wide for three, slow for four, it goes all the way on to the back straight.
"We got a lot more information and knowledge than yesterday. We did a really good job in the first four sessions. Even in the first session, after five or six laps, I was already in the 1'42s and I went faster than my Moto2 laptime, which was the first objective," said Smith, speaking at Jerez.
"I felt a lot more at home here than Sepang, because I know the track and I have been here in the past so I was a lot happier straightaway. We tried a couple of settings which didn't work but there were a lot of positives."
