It’s hot, the grandstands are hot and I’ve been wilting in the heat but the quality of the racing made it all worthwhile.
Three races and less than a second combined between 1st and 2nd in all three races. The MotoGP was a cracker. Rins taking it right on the line after timing a move on Marquez to perfection. We thought the chance had gone on the previous lap as he showed Marquez a wheel and he ran him wide.
But this time he cut inside and beat him on the drag as Marquez covered for a repeat.
We were all expecting the move to come at Club where I was sat. Lap after lap he was so much quicker there but could not find a way past. When the last lap came and went we all thought Marquez would hold on for the win, but then we saw the move developing on the giant screen and held our collective breath.
Then jubilation.
It wasn’t that Marquez had lost, it was that we’d just witnessed a great move capping a great race. Rossi started well but faded. Maverick started poorly but probably would have won it had the race been a lap or two longer such was his pace at the end.
The race almost started in disaster. The lights went out and then there was a collective gasp and silence as we say Quatteraro go down and then Dovi’s bike ramp over it and burst into flames. When Dovi didn’t get up immediately we ignored the bikes streaming past for the first time as we concentrated on the screen. Then Dovi gave a thumbs up and we started breathing again.
Moto2 was unfortunate for the Brits. Bradly Smith dropping near the end and then Sam Lowes doing the same on the last lap right where I was sat. His back then burst into flames and looked a lot less pristine than it did when I saw it in the paddock the night before.
I was going to hang around until early evening before riding down to Poole, but it was so intensely hot that I wanted to get going as soon as possible. I made my way back to the site and loaded up the bike. With my riding gear on and not yet moving the temperature was unbearable. I decided to take the direct route and even travelling at 70mph didn’t cool me down all that much.
As I had an early start for the ferry I’d booked a cheap hotel in Bournemouth to spend the night. I arrived just as the sun began to set and threw myself in the shower for a ludicrously long, cool and welcome shower.
DigiDonkey 