Looking at the bigger picture, my fourth place at Le Mans was a great result because it was carnage out there on the wet track. There were 32 crashes during the 24 laps which is the most ever recorded in a grand prix motorcycle race or practice and qualifying session.

There were yellow flags everywhere and some riders actually crashed twice but still got back into the race and scored World Championship points.

In the past I've crashed out in the rain when well placed in the race and I was determined not to let that happen again. I'm not prepared to give away crucial championship points by taking big risks.

Normally I'd be very disappointed not to be on the podium, but the plan was to get across that finishing line. I'm still second in the championship and looking forward to a 'warm and sunny' race at Mugello in Italy.

It was definitely not a case of 'not trying' because I actually set the fastest lap of the race on the last lap when I was fighting for third place with my team-mate Sergio Gadea. During the race at least four or five riders crashed right in front of me and four or five behind me - I was certainly in the mix.

All weekend during practice and qualifying the track dried very quickly after the rain and, with this in mind, I chose the hardest rear tyre possible. It was a mistake because just when the track started to dry and felt I could take advantage with around seven laps to go, it started pouring down again. I was having real trouble getting enough heat into the left hand side of the tyre and so it was a case of being very, very careful.

At one point while I was in second place behind my team-mate and winner Julian Simon, but the German pair of Jonas Folger and Stefan Bradl closed right up and started to pressure me. I'm a racer and began to push too hard to keep them at bay but soon realised I was close to providing the marshals with some more yellow flag practice. I ran wide and let both Jonas and Stefan through. It was certainly not in my racing plan but I knew I had to do it.

Despite the problems with the bike because of the rear tyre, I was riding with great confidence and felt I really knew what I was doing. Practice and qualifying was not great fun in the rain and we destroyed plenty of wet tyres when the track started to dry throughout the weekend. I crashed early during the qualifying session on Saturday afternoon, but I was lucky. First the crash was near the entrance to pit lane and I was able to repair the bike and get back out and qualify on the second row of the grid. Secondly it woke me up to the fact just how slippery the surface was and just how easy it was to be caught out. It was a good reminder and I was very conscious of this and, consequently, was a little nervous before the race.

We are at the height of the grand prix season with races every two weeks or some cases every week. This weekend we have a break with no grand prix and I realise it's very important to step away from racing in order not to get burnt out. Grand Prix racing is not my hobby it's my profession and I live and breathe it every day, but you can mentally tire yourself out unless you are careful.

I will start fully concentrating on the grand prix ahead in Italy on Monday or Tuesday. On Sunday I'm competing in a Triathlon Sprint event near Milton Keynes. I have to swim 750 metres, cycle 20 kilometres and run five kilometers. On Monday I'm going to Donington Park to support my Bradley Smith Racing team in the British Championship event.

Leading up to the Triathlon I'm going to Milton Keynes this week to practice open water swimming in a freezing lake. I've never swum in a lake wearing a wet suit before although I reckon the weekend at Le Mans was as good as practice as any!

Bradley Smith