Mandalika is a track I really like. I’ve always felt comfortable here, I enjoy riding this circuit, and I arrived in Indonesia eager to build on the work we’d done at Motegi.

But more than anything, I wanted to win again.

I’d been trying for a while. Since the injury at Sachsenring, things hadn’t been easy. We kept working, kept trying to improve, and never gave up. But when you know you have the potential to fight at the front and you can’t quite get the result you want, it’s frustrating.

We started strong on Friday. Fastest in FP1, second in Practice, with good pace and a bike that allowed me to push. I felt comfortable, even though there were still a few things we needed to sort out.

On Saturday, we confirmed our competitiveness by qualifying second on the grid.

Then came the Sprint.

And that was pretty much over before it even started.

There was contact with Raúl Fernández at the first corner, and we both ended up out of the race. A racing incident, one of those things that can happen when everyone is so close together and you have to make so many decisions in just a few metres.

It was a real shame.

Because we’d worked well, we were fast, and everything was in place for a good race.

Raúl and I spoke afterwards, cleared things up, and both apologised for what we felt we’d done wrong. For me, the important thing is that there’s always respect.

I wasn’t happy, obviously. But I didn’t want to throw away all the hard work we’d put in up to that point.

On Sunday, we had another chance.

I went into the race determined to make up for Saturday, but also knowing that I had a competitive bike underneath me. It wasn’t an easy race. Raúl was incredibly fast at the front and kept up a really strong pace for most of it.

I tried to stay calm, ride smoothly, and avoid making mistakes.

Then, lap after lap, I managed to close the gap. With nine laps to go, I made the move and took the lead.

From there, I just kept pushing all the way to the chequered flag.

First place.

Finally.

I hadn’t won since Mugello, and getting back onto the top step of the podium after everything we’d been through over the past few months was an incredible feeling.

We really needed this win.

I needed it, of course, but most of all, the whole team deserved it. Because the guys never stopped working, not even during the toughest moments. They’ve always given me so much strength, and every time I go out on track, I try to give at least some of that back.

And it was an unbelievable Sunday for Aprilia.

Four RS-GPs in the top four positions. Me in first, Raúl second, Jorge third, and Ai fourth.

A historic result that says more than words ever could about the work we’re all doing together.

They also told me this was the 300th victory