In the latest of his Crash.net columns, brought to you by Mitsubishi Motors UK, Bradley Smith looks back on Saturday's 125cc Dutch TT at Assen - an event he was leading comfortably when rain began to fall...

At first it was just spits and spots of rain on my visor. It lasted for a couple of laps and I thought it would pass. It was still almost dry on the first part of the circuit up through the start and finish but as I came down to the back end of the circuit it started to pour with rain.

I was thinking this is not the best situation to be in but I've got to keep pushing on at the front. Despite slowing as much as I could, I went down at the Mandeveen corner with the slick tyres unable to cope with the wet track. The chance of that first grand prix victory had gone. Deep inside I'm still gutted that the rain came when I had over a three second lead in the Dutch TT but as always we are looking at the many positives that came out of our weekend in Holland.

As often happens when the rain comes in the middle of the race the first faller is the guinea pig for Race Direction and the red flag came out immediately to stop the race. I was lucky that I was able to ride the bike back to the pits and could start the second race because the grid positions are determined from the positions of the riders on the lap before the red flag was shown.

I was in pole for the re-scheduled race which was reduced to just five laps and made another great start but I was wary thinking the track could still be a little damp. At the end of the first lap I down in eighth place but on the second lap I realised the track was as dry as it was in the first race and my pace was as fast as it was before the rain. The problem was ten riders were battling for the lead and it was mayhem out there.

At the last chicane on the last lap I tried to ride the outside of everybody because the others were riding defensively on the inside of the bend. I was off the racing line and it was damp and I dared not open the throttle too quickly because I would have gone down. At the flag I was fifth and picked up 11 precious world championship points. I really enjoyed the race and I bet it was fantastic to watch.

We are all determined to take out all the positives from both races and especially the first. I made a great start from the front row of the grid and the led into the first turn. For the opening four laps I thought somebody was right behind me and just got my head down and pushed as hard as I could. After four laps I had a quick glimpse of my pit board and thought it said I had a 1.7 second lead but I was not entirely convinced.

The next time through the start and finish I had a really long look at the board which told me I had a two second advantage. I realised the chance of my first grand prix victory was on. The gap got bigger and bigger each lap and at one stage I was 3.7 seconds in front. I was in a great rhythm and controlling the race from the front and then came the rain.

Despite the bitter disappointment I proved to myself that I can ride a grand prix race from the front. A rain shower at Le Mans earlier in the year gave me a chance to finish on the podium and so I have to accept circumstances can work both ways. After the crashes and gremlins in Barcelona and Donington the Assen weekend has got us right back on track.

I've scored world championship points in the last five races and the aim is to get myself really fit for the second half of the season. I had a one and a half hour meeting with the team on Wednesday just discussing our problems at Donington. Since Mugello we've had set-up problems and everybody worked so hard in Assen to get it sorted and it certainly paid off.

We have one more grand prix before the five week summer break and it's the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring a week on Sunday. I like the circuit and it's really suited to 125cc machines with no Formula One sections. A real bike rider's circuit with plenty of twists and turns plus a few technical parts. Last year despite still recovering from injury, I qualified on the front row in fourth place and was really chuffed to finish eighth in the race.

I banged my left leg again in the crash on Saturday but it's getting better all the time. Still no running but plenty of cycling and swimming. During that five week Summer break I will be working to get it completely sorted and ready for the second start of the season and those long trips to Japan, Australia, Malaysia and America.

On the night before the race in Holland I went through all the data and was so motivated to win. I knew I had to go for it straight from the beginning which I did. It will be exactly the same in Germany. It's going to be close and of course I'll be checking on any sign of rain clouds. It's rained at some stage of practice, qualifying or racing at every grand prix this season apart from that opening night race in Qatar.

Perhaps just for once it will stay away.

Bradley

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