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Motorcycling star Bradley Smith describes his joy at winning his first grand prix on his 50th attempt in the 125cc World Championship at Jerez on Sunday.

It was only during the flight home on Sunday evening that it really started to sink in that I had finally won my first grand prix. I'd been bubbling with excitement and adrenalin up to then, but once on the way home I was able to calm down and think about the amazing weekend.

It was on the very last corner that I let myself believe I'd finally done it and on the way up to the chequered flag I took my hands off the handlebars and held my head. Hearing the national anthem on the podium was so very special and it was then it properly sunk in that I'd finally won a grand prix - and on my 50th appearance.

Obviously you would like to win your first grand prix at home, but if not you would choose Jerez. Over 120,000 packed the track on Sunday, with around 260,000 over the weekend, and the atmosphere was something to believe.

It may have looked like an easy race with such a big lead, but I can assure you it had its moments, especially during the last eight laps when the engine started misfiring in fifth gear. I was riding round the problem but just five laps from the finish I had a big moment at turn four: the bike went sideways and started to slide and but I managed to hang on to it.

Those last five laps were nerve-wracking but I knew it was down to me and nobody else. This was no big scrap to the line and I did have a comfortable gap, so I was able to concentrate.

As my mum told me on Saturday evening, I had to make a good start and clear off. I've been making decent starts this season but I've messed up the first corner by braking too late or too early. In the Sunday morning warm-up I used a full fuel load and practised going into turn one and sorted out my braking points and it really paid off. I was just under the lap record on my first lap and just got my head down for the first eight laps in what turned out to be a freaky race.

I did not know that both my team-mate Julian Simon and championship leader Andrea Iannone had crashed out although I realised something must have happened. My pit board just told me I was building up a big lead and even when I eased the pace the gap was getting bigger.

The whole weekend had gone really well and, to be honest, both the team and I were not surprised at the win. It was more a case of being relieved because of the big effort we have all put in together. As I said last week, we knew one day that little bit of luck would change and thank goodness it has because we will put all our effort and focus into that next race at Le Mans in France.

It was great that my mum and dad were at Jerez to see the win. My mum was very calm and watched the race on the television on the start and finish straight and just checked on me every time I went past. My dad was not so calm and was all over the place. Both dad and my uncle saw the big moment at turn four and he actually shouted out me to not make any silly mistakes. I explained to him later there was no chance of hearing him but I'm sure it did his nerves a great bit of good.

I had a quiet day on Monday and enjoyed looking at the pictures of such a special day for all of us but on Tuesday it was back to normal with Le Mans the big focus. I'm just 1.5 points behind championship leader Iannone and at a track I like and have a good record.

Two years ago I secured my first ever grand prix podium there in third place and last year finished second behind world champion Mike Di Meglio. There is only one way to go this year but that first win is now just a happy memory and it's in France where it now really matters.

Everything is back to normal at home apart from a certain very special winner's trophy on the kitchen table.

Crash.Net / Eurosport