In his latest column for Crash.net, Bradley Smith reflects on the highs and lows of last weekend's British Grand Prix at Donington Park, which saw the young Englishman qualify on pole - but then crash out of the lead during the wet five-lap restart...

I can't apologise for trying to take the British Grand Prix by the scruff of the neck and put everything I had into winning but I'm still gutted at the outcome. Prince Harry told me on the grid at Donington that I had to go out and win but it was not to be. I'm sorry I let him down.

The crash at Coppice while leading just shows the fine line between success and failure in world championship racing. My telemetry showed I was just two miles faster than I had been previously but it was enough to bring me down. That's the fine line you tread at this level of competition.

I know all about these five lap sprints, after the first race was stopped because of the rain. It's not the time to 'faff' about especially when you are starting from the second row. I so wanted to win I had to be aggressive.

I got the start and rode round everybody at Redgate and through the Craner curves but at Coppice I got into a little slide. Any other time I would have stuck my legs out, got back in the seat and taken it as a little warning but the track was so slippery down I went. At the end of the day that's what racing is like and at least others including Valentino Rossi had the same experience.

I was not doing anything crazy, the situation had not got to me and I'm not making the rookie mistakes I was making earlier in my career but I'm still so very disappointed because the rest of the British Grand Prix had been fantastic. Taking pole position at the last Donington Grand Prix on Saturday afternoon was awesome as you could see from my celebrations That's what I've stuck firmly in my mind as we prepare for the next round in Brno in a couple of weeks time.

I've just got to go for it now and have nothing to lose and no lead to defend. Julian Simon has a lead of 55.5 points over me after he's won the last two races and I've crashed. It's not going to be easy but my last two races shows just how quickly the situation can change although he's riding very well at the moment. It also shows just how quickly the situation can change as it did on Sunday.

In the first race we were just a couple of laps from running the required two-thirds distance for the results to stand when the rain arrived. The race had to be stopped but at the time I was comfortable at the back of the leading group and believe I could have finished in front of Julian and picked up a second or third place. I would have gone for the win but Pol Espargaro was getting away at the front and he's behind me in the championship. If the rain had just waited a couple of more laps the gap at the top of the championship table would have been a lot closer.

On the way home from Donington we popped into Silverstone to have a look round the circuit that will be staging the British Grand Prix next year. I was very impressed because they are putting so much effort and money into making it a very special event both on and off the track. I think they will put on a great show and make us proud of the British Grand Prix - I can't wait.

No grand prix for couple of weeks but no lie in for me this Sunday morning. I'm taking on Jenson Button in the London Triathlon plus about another 10,000 competitors. It will be great although I think Jenson will be a tough competitor to beat but I'll give it a good shot. Certainly it will give me something to focus on before the Brno. So think of me on Sunday morning when I dive into the London Docks at 7.30 am on Sunday morning. You would think I'd had enough of water after Donington.

Bradley Smith