Bradley Smith has his sights firmly set on the top step of the podium at the fourth round of the FIM 125cc World Championship in France.

Smith won his first race in the championship at the previous round in Spain and is aiming for this third podium finish in a row at Le Mans on Sunday.

Smith was a convincing winner at Jerez and hopes to improve on his last two showings at Le Mans this weekend.

Two years ago Smith clinched his first podium finish in the championship when he was third and last year he came in second behind home rider Mike Di Meglio in a race reduced to five laps because of rain.

A move to the Bancaja Aspar Aprilia team over the winter has raised Smith's profile and he responded with his first 125cc grand prix win at Jerez.

The 18-year-old from Oxfordshire goes into the Le Mans race just one point behind series leader Andrea Iannone in the standings and another good result could see him sitting at the top of the table.

With his first GP race win to his name Smith feels he is ready to show his victory in Spain was not a one-off.

He said: "I've got my feet firmly back on the ground after my win in Jerez. We are determined to push on from here especially as I'm only one point behind Iannone in the championship.

"I like Le Mans and think it's great for 125s. I took my first ever podium there two years ago when I finished third and was second behind Mike Di Meglio last year."

Reigning champion Valentino Rossi holds an 11-point lead over Ducati Marlboro rider Casey Stoner in the MotoGP championship points standings, with Rossi's Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo back in joint third with Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa.

In the 250cc class Japan's Hiroshi Aoyama leads the standings on the Scot Racing Honda, with Spain's Alvaro Bautista in second on the Mapfre Aspar Aprilia and Hector Barbera third on the Pepe World Aprilia.