Last weekend’s superpole for the race in Brno, Czech Republic, aboard the Alitalia-sponsored Aprilia RSV4, was held in hot conditions.

Despite some set-up problems, I managed to get through to the final 16 qualifying in 13th position, placing me on the fourth row of the grid.

The first race on Sunday saw the temperatures somewhat cooler and as the lights changed, my start wasn’t too good and I got jumped by other riders around me.

By the end of the first of 20 laps I’d lost a couple of slots as the pace from the guys at the front was fast and on lap four my race ended as the clutch started to seriously malfunction and I pulled into the pits.

Team-mate Max Biaggi finished second behind Jonathan Rae while Cal Crutchlow took third.

With Luca Scassa having a fall in race one and not starting, I got bumped up one position for the second race.

With the lights going out I initially got swamped but managed to pass a couple of riders and at the end of lap one I was holding 11th.

When the chequered flag dropped, I crossed the line in eighth, a fairly uneventful race – at least the mechanical gremlins didn’t surface.

Biaggi took first with a five-second lead over Rea, while Michel Fabrizio (Xerox Ducati) took third.

Overall it leaves me in ninth position in the championship going into the next race at Silverstone on August 1.

Race 1 results: 1: J. Rae (Hanspree Honda); 2: M. Biaggi (Aprilia RSV4); 3: C. Crutchlow (Sterilgarda Yamaha). Race 2 results: 1: M. Biaggi; 2: J. Rea; 3: M. Fabrizio (Xerox Ducati).

To find out more about Leon Camier and how you can help support a local rider, visit www.leon-camier.net