Practice went okay, I started with set-up I had from our test here after Qatar. But then some people went faster so we make some small changes and I improve. I was a lucky man all weekend, and it started in practice.
I lost the front in the left turn going onto the back straight. Somehow (maybe because of my Yuki-powers!) I held the bike on my knee and elbow for over a second before my tyres gripped again. My heart beat was very fast as I thought for sure I was off, but then all of a sudden I am back on the bike and back on the full gas.
I had another moment in Superpole, but again I was lucky to stay on bike. With Valencia if you make one mistake it messes up whole lap, this is what happened in Superpole so I had to start races from ninth. But this is not so bad. I knew it would take a good start before I could go after the leaders but was sure, with my race set-up, I could do it.
In first race I get good start and was following Norick Abe, unfortunately for him he fell, but lucky for me as then I was on podium and very happy!
In race two I was again lucky as I did not crash! I did not have very good feeling from tyres, like everyone, as the temperature had gone up so much. The afternoon track temperature was nearly 20 degrees Celsius more than in the morning race so tyres were a gamble.
Early on in the race I run wide on turn one due to no grip, I stay on because I am the luckiest man in the paddock, but by then the leaders were too far away so I rode my own race, trying not to come off due to the lack of grip and finished a safe seventh. It is a long championship and I am still in second in the title in my first year in WSBK - it is not so bad to settle for a finish!
With my luck at Valencia maybe now I will go and play Lottery!
See you all in Monza!
Thank you very much,
Yuki-san
