Winning in Phillip Island at my home race was a great feeling and a huge relief after the troubles of the last couple of years. After the disaster in Qatar at the first race it really was the best way we could have recovered.

We were consistently fast all weekend being fastest in 3 out of 4 of the practise sessions. Importantly the qualifying sessions, to take pole position for the first race. I was sure it would be a difficult race with probably 4 or 5 guys fighting all the way.

I got a good start and led the first lap but it was impossible to get away from the group with the slip streaming battle starting on the first lap. I tried to stay at the front as much as possible because in a group situation it is easy to go from 1st to 5th in half a lap. I could see that we were in a group on one of the big tv screens exiting one of the corners. So if someone passed me I tried to pass straight back. The biggest fight for most of the race was with Harms and Brookes but I was sure Fabien would come at the end and he did. We went into the first corner on the last lap together and I had the inside so I got through and led the last lap. He tried to outbrake me at Honda corner but I was strong there and he went wide, so from there I was sure I could get to the line in front and that my Ten Kate Honda was fast enough to get across the finish line in front.

Side grip was a big problem in the last 7-8 laps so I tried to slow it down in the turns and ride around this problem.

It was really a hard race and a big fight but also really good fun when its like this.

We go to Valencia to test next week before the next round there on April 6.