The home GP always has a special flavor. The days leading up to the race weekend are not easy, since after the crash in Barcelona my hand hurts and at a challenging circuit like Misano I know I will struggle.

We start turning, I immediately turn well, and on Friday I manage to set a new track record. I’m fine, on the dry lap I don’t have big problems.

In qualifying I lapped strongly and placed on the front row. Also good for reducing contact risks at the beginning. We leave for SPRINT. I get a good start and manage to stay in Pecco’s wake and pass him. Then I start pointing at Martin, I get underneath but he turns really strong. I keep the second position, good podium considering how I am placed.

For Sunday’s race I’m pretty relaxed since with the M in front you usually struggle less to hold the bike. But the race is long… I still get off to a good start, a few fairings with Pecco and get behind him. I pass him but I go long and he passes me, we lose contact with Martin, I manage to get back to P2 but Jorge is really very very fast. I try hard to get it back, I ride hard, I’m on the edge but my hand is really starting to hurt.

I hang in there, I can’t give up in front of the home crowd pushing me to take a really great podium

The party begins, beautiful. What a spectacle a podium at Misano in MotoGP! A few jokes with Pecco before the awards ceremony and I immerse myself in the celebration of the Misano crowd. Wonderful to see so many fans at the races again, wonderful that there is this energy.

As the adrenaline goes down, the pain goes up a bit, but now we have time to fix everything before we go to shoot in India, the first Asian leg where we hope to continue to do so well!

ps. the Misano helmets are always spectacular but this year the guys at Starline really outdid themselves!!!