My grid spot was up against pit wall which made it difficult to get over and on the inside for the chicane. I’d have probably preferred to have qualified in 21st, just because it sets you up much better for an inside line into the first corner. I held my position, 17th, through the next long right and then up over the brow Guintoli passed me into turn 3 the 90 degree left hander.
On the exit I was just behind Jules Cluzel, Guintoli’s team-mate, who was trying to win his home grand prix at the third corner. He came out, gassed it up and flicked himself of it leaving his bike right in my path and I had no where to go. I hit the middle of his bike and then the rest was history. I think I went over the top and then did a bit of rolling into the gravel trap.
It didn’t hurt at all but I was pretty angry. Cluzel has crashed so many times this year (three times in Le Mans) and wasn’t manly enough to admit he screwed up and apologize. So that was it, from a good weekend to an absolute disaster in two days.
Hopefully I will be racing in Mugello. I’m in exactly the same situation as what I was before Le Mans, I’m just waiting for the team to ring us to tell me whether or not I’ll be racing. The problem is just down to money but the team are not interested in a rider who can bring in a budget to just do 1 or 2 races. They’re looking for someone who can at best finish the season for them but they’d probably take someone who could do 5 or so races.
So, until they get a rider who can bring that sort of budget in, I’ll still be riding the bike. But I can’t count on it too much, there’s plenty of Italians out there who can find sponsors pretty easy or have rich Dad’s. Fingers crossed I’ll be there.
Until then I’m now in Monaco with Casey. It’s pretty damn cool. Money everywhere you look, tied up in cars mainly. Bentley’s, Ferrari’s, Lotus’s everywhere. I’ve never been here before but I’ve brought my bicycle and me and Casey are having a good crack. He’s managed to blag us two tickets from
Red Bull for the
F1 this weekend which is proper exciting. I’ve never seen F1 so that should be cool.
