There was no way I could catch the leaders after that, and they were on fresher rubber anyway, but I was so pleased with my pace, banging in quick times lap after lap. The team did a great job with the car and the pit-stop was very good as well. It was a very satisfying way to get our first points of the season.

We then headed to Monaco, the most famous grand prix of them all. The street circuit there is famous around the world, and it's a real honour to race there. To be on the podium in Monaco was the best place in the world and the best feeling I've ever had in racing.

I really had a bad run with the traffic in qualifying, and the first half of my race was compromised by where I qualified. I was stuck behind Adrian Valles, but once I was in clear air my pace was good and I was able to close on those ahead. I had a good chuckle about what happened to both Grosjean and Mike Conway.

With Grosjean, the marshals waved at us to go right, and he went left and drove into Giorgio Pantano's car! With Conway, I spoke to Javier Villa and he said he was just caught out by how early Mike braked. He might have been a lap down, but Villa was quicker than him and was on his tail for three laps. I was catching them both by 1.5 seconds a lap, so I think the pressure I was putting on him was a factor.

The track isn't physically difficult, but it's mentally challenging, so to finish in the top three means you really deserve it. It was a great relief after a difficult second race in Istanbul, and I was delighted for the team to get both its cars on the podium along with Bruno. It was amazing to have the Indian tri-colour up above the Royal Box in Monaco.

After the summer break we travelled to Magny-Cours in France, and though I wasn't really able to hook a lap up in qualifying – starting the feature eighth – in the race the car worked very well and I got into a good rhythm. I lost a place to Jérôme d'Ambrosio in the pit-stops because Maldonado's car was uncomfortably close to my mechanics, but otherwise I think it was a good afternoon.

I had a good battle with d'Ambrosio and Buemi straight after the stop, but it's so difficult to pass there that I couldn't make more progress. It was good to keep my points score ticking over after Monaco, though.

Unfortunately, Sunday's sprint race was a big mess. It was a tough choice with the tyre strategy, and it was one of those where all the guys at the back who could afford to gamble came out on top, while those of us at the front lost out.

After changing tyres, I was really catching the group of cars in front including Pantano, but at one stage about five of us tried to squeeze into the chicane and he and I didn't come out unscathed! It damaged my front wing and the brake duct, so I had to retire.

It was nice, however, to meet one of my sporting heroes, Sachin Tendulkar, for the first time. I was surprised at how humble he is for someone with such stature in India. He is more than just a casual viewer of the sport, and was certainly very keen to learn about the technical and driving intricacies. Moreover, it was great to interact sportsman-to-sportsman with a man who has done a lot for our country.