Filled with a mixture of excitement and nerves, I arrived at the Losail International Circuit with the artificial light of more than 100,000 bulbs shining down on me and the sticky humidity of the middle-east wrapping me up in a blanket of heat.

I vividly remember my first moments in the pit lane. The first garage that myself and Matt Roberts came to was Suzuki. A team mainly made up of Brits, they were the first to welcome me to the paddock, set me up with a pair of ear plugs and tell me that any time I wanted a cup of tea to come and see them.

The first rider I spoke to properly was Jorge Lorenzo. Being big Twitter fans, we had already had a few short conversations online but I was keen to meet him in the flesh. He was holding an ice pack on his injured hand as he walked over to officially welcome me to the paddock. I knew straight away we would get on just fine.

The first programme of the season was nerve wracking. The growl of 17 MotoGP bikes lined up behind you, a gallery of directors and producers back in London wishing you luck and counting you down to transmission, and Casey Stoner pulling up on his Desmosedici GP10 behind you to start the season. Scary but awe-inspiring.

I ended the race on such a high I could have flown home under my own steam. I had just seen Valentino Rossi win the first race of 2010 and knew I had the best job in the world.

Then the ash cloud happened. No flights to Japan and no more MotoGP for me until the middle of May - a bitter disappointment to have made such a false start to the season.

After missing Jerez, a race won by Lorenzo, I was soon on the Eurostar travelling to Paris. Le Mans, a place steeped in motorsport history, was the scene of my second race, the third of the season and the start of a new era. Lorenzo won and you could see in his eyes he believed he had what it takes to be world champion.

Our next destination was Mugello, a track synonymous with one man - Valentino Rossi. I was due to interview the legend that weekend but fate intervened when he binned his beloved M1 in practice and broke his leg. Awful for Rossi, an anti-climax for his fans and a real disappointment for us. Pedrosa took advantage, finishing on the podium with Honda team-mate Andrea Dovizioso and Lorenzo, clad in a Rossi fan-club T-shirt.

Next up was the three back-to-back European races - at Silverstone, Assen and Catalunya. And they were all won by Lorenzo.

Silverstone was one of our biggest broadcasts of the year and one of my most challenging shows. Not only had I taken to the back of Tommy Hills's BSB bike to ride pillion around the newly designed circuit but I also had to do a 100m dash down the track to make sure I was in the right place at the right time for the cameras. While you were watching a short film, I was running my socks off.

At Assen, the only Saturday race of the season, Randy de Puniet was on fire. He had the most amazing start to the season. Throttling his LCR Honda and riding it like some sort of bucking bronco. Assen was the highlight of his season for me. He showed the character and steel that makes MotoGP such an exciting sport as he finished sixth.

And so to the heat of Catalunya. It was roasting that weekend, making the broadcast very difficult. The worst bit of the weekend, though, came just as we were preparing to start rehearsals for the show. Moto2 rider Carmelo Morales had a huge high-side on the start/finish line and the whole press room took a collective breath. Luckily, he was just bruised but it was a horrible moment as he was bundled over the track wall.

Rossi returned at Sachsenring and served up one of my favourite moments. His battle for third place with Stoner after limping to his M1 on crutches was an amazing effort.

America and Laguna Seca followed. Sharing breakfast with Lorenzo and Ben Spies was a great moment. Pedrosa may well have thrown his championship challenge away in that race but another win for Lorenzo put him almost out of reach for the rest.

Brno was a technical nightmare for us. Normally I have talkback in my ears, which means I can hear people telling me how long we have until the next item or the race starts, but I had no sound for the whole of qualifying. I couldn't hear my colleagues and I couldn't hear the people I was interviewing. The race itself was again won by Lorenzo, his seventh success of the season.

Back to America for Indy and a track once again steeped in history. Spies got pole position and I spoke to him on the grid as he prepared to race. He seemed cool as a cucumber. He couldn't hold on to the lead, though, but took his second podium of the season, finishing behind Pedrosa. Pretty impressive for a rookie.

San Marino witnessed the death of Moto2 rider Shoya Tomizawa. I saw the accident in the press room and feared the worst, for both him and Briton Scott Redding. About five minutes before the end of the race, I was told that Tomizawa had passed away. Telling you all live on air was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. He was such a talent and a true gent in the paddock.

The mood was a strange one in Aragon, where Stoner took his first win of the season. Had he found form earlier, he could have mounted a serious challenge for the title.

I travelled 11,000 miles to the other side of the world after Spain. The postponed Japanese GP was first up and it was the most eventful weekend of the season. Pedrosa fractured his collarbone in practice and had to fly back home for surgery in Spain. It was the end of his title challenge.

We still had the battle between Rossi and Lorenzo to savour, each rider pushing each other to the limit during those final laps at Motegi. While Stoner walked away with the win and Dovi was second, it was the fight for third that had us riveted. Rossi back to his old tricks and Lorenzo throwing his toys out the pram afterwards. It was a lot of people's favourite moment of the season.

At Malaysia, I got to chat with Lorenzo as he prepared to claim Rossi's crown. Never before had we spoken to a rider on the front of the grid as he prepared to win the title. It was a real honour. Lorenzo came across as relaxed but, between you and me, he was shaking a little and a bead of sweat trickled down his brow.

Rossi was finally back to winning ways in Sepang but Lorenzo's third place was enough to give him overall victory. Two very separate parties happened that night. One for Lorenzo, at which everyone ended up getting chucked into a swimming pool, and the other an hour away for Rossi.

Stoner reinforced his dominance on Australian soil by winning at Philip Island for the fourth time in a row. The weather was not typically Australian, though. We were all freezing on the front of the grid. The wind was savage and the rain torrential at times. The car park was a mud fest and spectators deserve an award for their perseverance.

Back in Europe, the bad weather followed us to Estoril. That meant no qualifying but Matt got some great interviews and we were able to show you a slice of MotoGP life that you don't usually see, with riders playing cards, strolling around and chatting. As for the race itself, Lorenzo never eased off the gas and took his first win since Brno.

And so to the final race of the season - Valencia - and my moment with Rossi. We finally tracked him down and chatted about his time at Yamaha. After seven successful years, it was his last race on his beloved M1 before his move to Ducati.

Lorenzo won for the first time at Valencia in any category, clocked up the most points in a season and equalled the record for the most wins in a campaign. But, as the race ended, all eyes were on Rossi. He wore his bright yellow Bye Bye Baby T-shirt and hugged his M1 on the side of the track, having finished third.

The end of an era, the end of a season and the end of my first year as BBC MotoGP presenter.

It is the last Friday of the MotoGP season and it is a little like the end of term in the paddock. Everyone has that carefree approach to the weekend.

Even world champion Jorge Lorenzo seemed to lack drive and enthusiasm at the pre-event news conference, insisting it was "not an obsession to try to get the win" here, although Nicky Hayden was as relaxed and jovial as always. The American joked with the media as he looked forward to joining forces again with Valentino Rossi.

While the season may be winding down, I seem to be busier than ever. We got to Valencia on Wednesday night so that we were ready and prepared for an interview with Rossi, the nine-time world champion, on Thursday.

Interviewing a MotoGP legend

I am not going to lie, I was a little nervous before Rossi came to his garage and the crew set up lights, cameras and sound equipment. Butterflies fluttered around my tummy but they quickly disappeared as the great man, wearing jean shorts and his Yamaha T-shirt, walked in with his trademark grin spread all over his face.

We sat and chatted about his accident at Mugello and his years at Yamaha as the crew made final preparations for our interview. Rossi's shorts showed off his injured leg and we sat and compared scars. I have a very similar one on my right knee so we talked about surgery and arthroscopies.

Then he pointed out the large, semi-circular scar on his shin - the point where his bone tore through his leg as he smashed into the track at Mugello.

As the cameras started rolling, we continued to chat about Yamaha and how the Doctor would feel leaving behind his most famous patient - his beloved M1. It was rather ironic that we were filming in front of her as darkness fell upon the paddock. So many times Vale has crept into his garage at night, alone, and spent time with his bike. Now, on the eve of his final GP for Yamaha, he was sat with me talking about his love affair with her.

There were no tears but it is clear that the seven years Rossi has spent with Yamaha have been filled with success and happiness. He will miss his mechanics, his bike and the people he will no longer work or deal with.

I won't give too much away but you will be able to see the interview during qualifying on the Red Button, Sunday's show on BBC2 and HD as well as the BBC Sport website.

Chances are I shall meet with Rossi again on Sunday night when I present the FIM MotoGP Awards. He defends a 12-point lead over Casey Stoner for third place in the Championship and, while it is not another title to add to his portfolio, it is not a bad result when you consider he missed a chunk of the season because of injury.

In the 1998 World Cup, an 18-year-old Michael Owen took to the pitch in an England jersey and began to turn the Argentine defence inside out, scoring one of the competition's great goals to announce his arrival as a global star.

And in 2008, when 4.5m people watched 14-year-old Laura Robson take the Wimbledon girls' singles crown, the press dared to think about the possibility of a British women's Grand Slam winner for the first time since Virginia Wade in 1977.

Laura Robson was thrust into the public eye following her win at Wimbledon in 2008. Photo: Getty Images.

Last weekend, as Scott Redding crossed the line at Phillip Island in Australia to take second place in the Moto2 class, a small group of travelling Brits celebrated his success.

Just like Owen, Daley and Robson, Redding competes week-in week-out at the highest level of his sport but his face isn't splashed across the back pages of the papers. In fact, if you could find a line about his achievements this weekend you'd be doing well.

For those of you who follow MotoGP on a regular basis, you'll know the names and have seen the talent of the riders I'm going to mention. But I wanted to use this week's blog as an advertisement, if you like, for those who have yet to experience the brilliance and the bravery of the young British riders out on the circuit.

At 17, Scott is one of the youngest Moto2 riders in the championship. He grew up in Gloucestershire and is the youngest rider of all time to have won a 125cc GP, at Donington in 2008. Now he is on the cusp of becoming the youngest ever rider to win a GP in the intermediate class.

As far as talented young Brits, he deserves to be up there with the likes of Daley and Robson and co but, chances are, if you walk down the high street and asked 100 people who Scott Redding is, they wouldn't know. And this is a lad who risks life and limb for the love of his life - his sport - every time he takes to the track.

Then there is Bradley Smith from Oxfordshire, who was second in the 125cc world championship last year and in 2010 has waged a one-man battle against the seemingly invincible Spanish 125cc contingent. Supported by dad Alan, who travels with him, he has his very mature mind set on being world champion.

The first time I met Bradley was at a press day just near London Zoo just before the 2010 season began. In walked this shy-looking lad who said hello to everyone and then helped himself to a drink and took a seat at the far end of the room.

Unassuming, polite and slightly embarrassed at all the fuss around him, he looked like any other teenager. A closer look at his arm, though, showed the angry looking scars of his sport. A layer of skin was missing from his elbow almost all the way down to his wrist.

It is no sport for the faint-hearted. A scrape like that is considered a small scratch for the guys that take to the track and risk everything in every race.

Danny Webb from Kent is the other teenage Brit on the circuit this season. 'Laurel' to Scott's 'Hardy', the two are like lovable rogues around the paddock.

Danny Webb and Scott Redding make friends with the locals before the Australian Grand Prix (Photo: Getty Images).

Hugely talented, Webb has consistently finished in the top 10 in the world on a 125cc bike this year. If there's someone out there looking to sponsor a world-class talent, then look no further than Danny Webb... or any of these three amazingly talented young Brits who deserve to grab a lot more headlines than they do.

Next year, however, there will be a new Brit in the paddock. Cal Crutchlow will hope to succeed where James Toseland, Neil Hodgson and James Ellison weren't quite able to. Crutchlow has won himself a coveted ride in the premier class of world biking - MotoGP.

Having been World Supersport champion in 2009, Crutchlow has spent the last year racing against the likes of Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa, honing his skills for the Yamaha World Superbike team alongside Toseland.

In 2011, he steps up to compete alongside the likes of Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and new world champion Jorge Lorenzo on the Yamaha Tech 3 bike.

The 25-year-old has pretty big shoes to fill, taking over from rookie of the year and 2009 World Superbike champion Ben Spies, but I think everyone wishes him the best of luck.

There's no doubt the talent is there. Now all we need is for a few more people to sit up and take notice. So do me, do yourself and most importantly do the sport, a favour - get your friends to crowd around your computer and watch the Moto2 race from Phillip Island on the BBC iplayer (UK only).

Watch as Scott Redding makes one of the best overtaking moves any of us have ever seen and I challenge them not to fall for the sport and the stars of tomorrow.

Just like when Owen slotted home for England, Daley dived to success for Britain and Robson volleyed for victory, Redding is a huge talent to all those in the know and the future for him, and British biking, looks bright.

This was no intimate affair. Lorenzo is a man who, I imagine, is rarely on his own and he was sharing the table with another seven people. I am still not sure who all of them were but his best friend and PR man Hector Martin was among them, while a camera crew was in close proximity, filming Lorenzo's every move.

That is the strange thing about becoming a world champion in motorsport. When you are trying to find your feet, you struggle for everything - for helmets, gloves, travel costs and bike parts - but as soon as you achieve success, everyone wants a piece of you.

I left him to his espresso and orange juice, a mound of melon and an omelette as I went off to the track, wishing him well as I went. He gave me a cheeky wink - and that was the last time I saw him until we met again on the front row of the grid. As I ducked under the barrier protecting him and his bike from the general mêlée, he turned and smiled. Apart from a couple of beads of sweat trickling down his brow, he looked supremely calm.

Lorenzo has come a long way. Some call him arrogant and cocky, while others dislike his swagger. But you do not become the best in the world without a little self-confidence. Look at Valentino Rossi, Fernando Alonso, Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Michael Schumacher and Muhammad Ali. They all walk a little taller than the average man.

Lorenzo took the early lead in the race while Valentino Rossi slipped back from sixth to 11th off the start. With Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa sidelined, Andrea Dovizioso took the early fight to the number 99 bike of Lorenzo. But it was not long before Rossi, his fans cheering him on, was in front and heading for his first race win since the start of the season. Dovizioso took a well-fought second spot and Lorenzo crossed the line in third place, well within the top-nine finish he needed to be crowned king.

In his autobiography, Lorenzo calls himself a warrior, a fighter, a Spartan. On Sunday, he stepped into the arena and showed how far he has come as a rider. In 2009, he had the speed and the will but crashed too many times. In 2010, with the help of team boss Wilco Zeelenberg, the boy has become a man. The young pretender is world champion.

In the press conference after the Sepang race, Lorenzo spoke of his happiness, of his dream coming true. He thanked all his fans, his team and the people around him. Most tellingly, though, he said he was looking forward to having a few minutes on his own to sit and contemplate what he had achieved.

Lorenzo is not yet as loved as Rossi - and some say the Spaniard never will be. But he is a winner, a world champion and, at the end of the day, a guy from Mallorca who loves to ride his bike... very, very fast and very, very well.

I watched from the media centre as he was carried away on a stretcher and taken to the medical centre, where he discovered he had suffered multiple fractures to a collarbone.

Only two weeks ago at Aragon, Alberto Puig, Pedrosa's manager, had told me how important the next three back-to-back races would be for the Honda rider as he attempted to overhaul Jorge Lorenzo's 56-point lead in the championship standings.

But when we heard just how badly Pedrosa had been hurt at Motegi, we knew Lorenzo had taken a massive step closer to his first MotoGP title.

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Pedrosa, who had turned 25 just two days before his accident, may be one of the world's top sportsmen but even he had to sit patiently before his injuries were assessed.

Just like you or I, he was told he would have to wait! But it was not long before he was beginning his 12-hour flight back to Spain, where he had his operation. 

Pedrosa's absence - for how long we are not quite sure - leaves the way open for Lorenzo to coast to the title.

However, Lorenzo did not have it all his own way in Japan, where Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi felt the twin rings of Motegi weren't too painful on his shoulder and decided he wanted a scrap. And what a battle it turned out to be.

A long wall lines the side of the track and directly opposite was one of the massive TV screens that show the race. Sat on the wall in their matching blue shirts and headphones were all the guys from IRTA, the organisation that look after the race and riders.

Like kids in a sweetshop, they were mesmerised by what they were seeing. We joined them on the wall for what was one of the best motorbike battles I have ever seen in my 10 years of working in the sport.

Rossi and Lorenzo duelled for third place like their lives depended on it. Elbows clashed, tyres grazed each other and all of a sudden the 2010 season came alive in front of our eyes. No team orders here, this was each man for himself. Poor Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis must have been having kittens watching his two riders fight it out.

Like he has done time and time before to the likes of Max Biaggi, Sete Gibernau and Casey Stoner, Rossi showed his younger team mate why he has won nine world titles. He is a fighter, a winner and he never holds back. 

Each of us on the wall sat with our hands to our mouths as the battle played out and Rossi took the last podium spot. Up in the commentary box, Steve Parrish and Charlie Cox almost lost their voices from shouting so much.

Stoner may have won the race on his Ducati, with pole-sitter Andrea Dovizioso in second, but the battle between Rossi and Lorenzo made the race. If you weren't a fan of the Yamaha pair before, you probably are now. 

The next race in Malaysia this weekend should be a really exciting affair. Lorenzo is apparently fuming about missing out on third, while Rossi is nonchalant. But the best place for revenge is on the track - and if Pedrosa does not make it back for Sepang, Lorenzo only needs to finish in the top nine to be crowned champion. 

The GP of Malaysia has to be one of the most eagerly awaited races for a long time.

Now, complete with my own suitcase, I have to pack for three different countries and six different shows. That means up to 12 different TV outfits on top of all my normal clothes.

Hmm, where to start? Well, there are some things that come with me wherever I go. First, my earpieces. They enable me to hear instructions from the programme's director, editor, producers and production assistant. If I can't hear those guys, then I have no idea when to start talking, when we're live on air and when I need to get off the grid and hand over to Steve Parrish and Charlie Cox in the commentary box.

I am a nightmare for pens. The first thing you are taught as a journalist is ALWAYS have a pen and paper with you. It is a bit like being a Brownie and carrying 10p and a tissue with you for emergencies! So I pack enough pens for me, Matt Roberts, Charlie, Steve - pretty much the whole team. I've even lent pens to riders on occasion if they get pounced on for an autograph and their PR people are not around.

I also have a notepad that I update after each race. It's my little bible. It has all the standings, stats and racing notes in it. I'm on my third for the season and you may have seen it flying across as I got a little over excited while talking to Steve about Ducati's double podium in Aragon. Luckily Mat, our floor manager, was on hand to pick it up and pass it back to me.

Lionel, my Lion mascot given to me at the start of the season, takes 'pride' of place in my suitcase, normally perched on top of everything else. Most of the paddock have some sort of lucky mascot they take with them around the world. Look out for Bradley Smith's little car, which he places by his seat in his garage, next time he's on TV! Randy Mamola's daughter gave it to Bradley for good luck and now it goes with him everywhere.

Bradley Smith celebrates third place in the 125cc race in Aragon. Photo: Getty Images

Being typically British, I also pack a pot of Marmite and tea bags. In fact, ask most of the BBC Sport team what they take when they're away from home for weeks and it seems that Marmite is pretty high on everyone's list. It also keeps the mosquitoes away. The little blighters apparently hate the stuff. The time I forgot to pack the Marmite for the trip to Mugello I was eaten alive!

My laptop is always the last thing that gets packed. It goes into my hand luggage along with a good book and some trashy magazines.

Oh, and for Japan, a phrasebook and some tuna pouches will also be essential. When you're allergic to milk and don't eat meat, it's pretty tough to find things to devour on the road so I have to make sure I have some food with me just in case. I got through quite a lot of tuna pouches in Germany - steak seemed to be the only thing to eat - and might have to live on them until I get to Australia. And in case you wondered, it is almost the same as cat food, according to my team-mates.

Hopefully this will give you a little insight into our preparation for the next three races. I'll let Steve Parrish give you his expert opinion of what to expect in Japan this weekend in his regular column for the BBC Sport website, while the whole team will keep you updated with events as we travel through the Far East.

Fingers crossed for some great racing - and someone to help me carry my case.

Without a win since Malaysia '09 and having missed three races last year battling a 'mystery illness' which later turned out to be an allergy to dairy products, the 2007 world champion has struggled to find form all season.

Criticising other riders and complaining about the performance of his Ducati was becoming a routine, that is until he and his mechanics sat down to get to the bottom of his problems. I say 'sat down' in the loosest of senses as Stoner and his team have been chipping away at the problem week after week - but last weekend was the turning point.

As Vito and I pored over Hayden's number 69 bike, the slim-line fairing of the past 12 races was gone and in its place a chunkier, frankly, more Nicky-sized fairing (that's the nose of the bike for all the untechy people reading this!), a change that on Sunday enabled him to glide effortlessly down the long back straight and to his first podium since Indianapolis 2009.

For Stoner, the changes to his bike weren't as obvious. Since having an operation on his wrist in the close season, the Australian had struggled with front-end washouts. He had reverted back to the 2009 front forks provided by Ohlin but trust in that front end had remained an issue.

However, all of a sudden at Aragon, Stoner came out of his box on fire.

What was the reason for this dramatic change of form? The answer was surprisngly simple, a slight change in his position on the bike.

Stoner was now sitting 10mm further forward, three little nuts lined up behind his backside giving him a slightly better weight distribution and meaning that the front was less likely to wash out. Not only was his seat moved forward but both the front wheel and engine were moved back a matter of millimetres, too.

No longer was Stoner struggling to control the Desmosedici GP10. The two had become one and danced around the brand new Aragon circuit like a 'Strictly' winner invited back for the Christmas special.

As he crossed the line to take the chequered flag, and more importantly the 25 points for a win, team-mate Hayden was wrestling third position from Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo.

A sea of red tumbled out of the garage as Ducati staff celebrated their double podium. Everyone from press and PR people to team managers and hospitality staff hugged each other and slapped each other on the back. Finally, they had something to celebrate - their hard work had been rewarded.

In stark contrast, Valentino Rossi limped across the line in, for him, a lowly sixth place - equalling his longest losing streak since 2000. His team-mate, championship leader Lorenzo, still has a healthy lead of 56 points but the title remains up for grabs.

That is one of the things that makes MotoGP such a great sport. A fraction too much weight on the front can see a rider go from pole to the back of the pack; a wrong choice of tyre can see a challenge become an impossible fight; the slightest touch of a white line can see a rider go from hero to zero in a split second.

This is no potluck game - MotoGP is the best of the best. For these guys, a millimetre, a thousandth of a second, it all matters.

Can Casey keep it up? Will Lorenzo lose his lead? Can Dani Pedrosa make up the margins? All these questions and more will be answered in the next five rounds as MotoGP reaches it's thrilling climax.

Oh, and thank you Aragon for a brilliant race. A brand new track and a reputation already made for thrilling competition and nail-biting finishes!

So, while 'Tomi' will be very much in our thoughts this weekend and with many riders planning their own tributes to the Japanese youngster, MotoGP continues and the paddock moves on to its second new circuit this season - MotorLand in Aragon, Spain.

This will be the third time the bikes have been racing in Spain this season after trips to Jerez and the Circuit de Catalunya.

And if Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo finishes in the top two - something he has achieved in all but one race this season - he can guarantee that either he or fellow Spaniard Dani Pedrosa will win the world championship.

Bridgestone, the tyre suppliers to MotoGP, have also been carrying out all sorts of 'white-coated' experiments to work out what type of rubber will work best on a track no-one has ridden on before on a MotoGP bike.

It is not only the teams that must work out what to do when a new circuit is introduced to the world of MotoGP. TV camera positions need to be decided upon and each team's paddock position must be agreed for a start.

Our trusty floor manager, Mat, will be running around non-stop all weekend with his stopwatch working out how long it will take for us to walk from the paddock, through the garages, to the pit lane and grid. Like the riders, the BBC team will have to spend a lot of time getting used to every twist, turn and undulation there is.

If you have caught any of the Twitter conversations this week, you will know that we have been trying to work out what the MotoGP circuit in Aragon resembles. Opinions so far are quite amusing, with dolphins, bottle openers and a c spanner among the suggestions. Personally, I think it looks like Captain Hook's arm but have a look at the layout below and let me know your view.

It may sound like a bit of fun but a lot of the riders try to imagine what a track resembles to get the best out of their bikes. Ben Spies infamously described almost every circuit on the tour as an animal to help him learn it, with kittens and sharks among his choices.

The last couple of weeks have been really tough for many people. Fans all around the world have taken time to remember Tomizawa, a promising and talented rider, and to think of others involved in the accident at Misano, like Britain's Scott Redding.

The news that he will ride in this weekend's Moto2 race was a great relief to all. We all wish him luck, courage and strength for what is bound to be a difficult race.

And as many have said: Shoya, on the track and beyond, we will always follow your line.

The racing accident happened on the morning of the MotoGP race.

Lenz fell in a warm-up lap and tried to get up but was then struck by another rider. He received medical treatment trackside but died later that day in hospital.

The news filtered through to all of us at the track slowly but in racing, when you're on the grid and the lights go out, riders have to put all other thoughts out of your mind.

There was no doubt, though, that on a hot and gruelling day it hit each and every one of the 17 elite-class riders.

Ben Spies, starting a MotoGP race from pole for the very first time, collected a well-deserved second place, his second podium finish of his debut season.

The American Tech 3 rider dedicated the race to Peter Lenz. "I was riding my heart out for him. It definitely did put a damper before the race but, when the green flag goes, you've got to look straight ahead and hope it will give me some motivation out there."

The race was especially hard for Spies' teammate Colin Edwards, who was a close friend of the family.

Edwards retired from the race after 17 laps because of tyre trouble and said: "I was shattered after I heard the news. I have known Peter for a while and am good friends with him and his dad. They were in and out of my motorhome this weekend and when I heard the news my heart ached. In the end, I decided to race. I knew it was what I had to do."

The death of Lenz is the first at the famous Brickyard circuit since IndyCar driver Tony Renna was killed during testing in October 2003 and is a tragic reminder of the dangers of racing.

Whilst I could have written my blog about the famous museum at the track or the searing Indiana heat or the amazing history of the Brickyard, I thought it was more appropriate to remember Peter and all the amazing sportsmen and women who have passed away doing what they, and we, love.

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Peter. May he rest in peace.

We always leave the hotel really early on a race day, so at the crack of dawn we usually grab a quick coffee from the hotel and head to the car park. There are normally a team of about 12 of us who work on the race with a separate crew of cameramen and techies who can solve almost any problem at the drop of a hat.

Once we get to the track we sometimes head to Ducati hospitality. They treat the press to breakfast on race day - although I never normally eat more than a banana until after the show - but they do a mean green tea. After that, it's off to the media room.

Last Sunday, the press room was filled with more anticipation than usual. Everyone was holding their breath and waiting for THE announcement. I think the whole world, including my mum, knew that Valentino Rossi was being unveiled as the new Ducati rider for 2011.

As soon as the race was over, all attention turned to the clock as the assembled media waited for the moment we would be told that Rossi was actually leaving Yamaha. As it got closer and closer to 6pm local time, the buzz in the media room reached fever pitch as people constantly checked their inboxes for an e-mail from Yamaha.

At exactly the appointed time, Katie, the Yamaha press officer, hit send on her keyboard and 50 or so journalists rushed to be the first to get the news out. My hands flitted over my laptop like a secretary in a typing test as I, too, rose to the challenge of letting all you British MotoGP fans around the world know the news.

To my right, BBC colleague Matt Roberts was reading the letter on the back of the press release (see photo above), a copy of Rossi's handwritten note, scribble marks and all. To my left, producer Vicky was furiously phoning in the news to the BBC Sports desk and website as I fed her lines, quotes and any info I could offer.

My Twitter account went into overdrive as thousands of people across the world started to tweet the news that Rossi would be in red next season.

And then there was only one thing left for the jigsaw to be complete - an announcement from Ducati. So we waited and tweeted and waited. Suddenly Federica, the Ducati press officer, made her way into the press room and invited everyone to a news conference in Ducati hospitality at 7pm local time.

Rossi is pressed for a comment while the media room goes into overdrive

About half an hour later, a press release was passed around the now litter-strewn media room, discarded coffee cups and camera lenses all over the place, confirming the Rossi deal was done and, as of 2011, he would ride for Ducati on a two-year deal.

With the BBC Sport website and both my Facebook and Twitter accounts up to date, we were ready to head back to the hotel. We left a sea of journalists still at their desks, the Italians vexed that the story would not be read in an Italian paper for 48 hours because of a public holiday. "Ciao, see you in Indy!" we shouted as we left them to it.

Casey Stoner had to wait until Assen to get his first podium of the season. Since then, the Australian's fortunes have improved, although he still has not won a Grand Prix in 2010. Maybe his decision to switch from Ducati to Honda for the 2011 campaign will have a galvanising effect on the 2007 champion.

Nicky Hayden does not seem too fazed with the news of team-mate Stoner's switch. The American is more interested in his own performances, which have improved dramatically for the 2006 champion. He came out the box fighting and has more fourth place finishes than anyone else this season.

Next target for Hayden is a place on the podium. He had go-faster stripes etched into his Mohican at Laguna Seca and we thought his home race might be the time for him to step up. But, although he was the first American across the line, he once again missed the podium by finishing fifth. He lies sixth in the standings, only one point behind a certain Valentino Rossi.

Rossi was expected to be out for six months with a double fracture of his right leg but the 'Doctor' declared himself fit after just six weeks, amazingly returning to action in Germany. He missed out on third place at the Sachsenring after an incredible tussle with Stoner but went one better in the United States, hobbling onto the podium to take third spot, crutches and all. It was a remarkable achievement.

While Rossi was sidelined, Dani Pedrosa won his first race of the season at Mugello. The Repsol Honda rider, who sits second in the standings, seems a happier person this year and has been all smiles when interviewed by the BBC.

Valentino celebrates his third place in the United States, complete with crutches

Andrea Dovizioso was not going to let Spanish team-mate Pedrosa have it all his own way, though. He has performed with consistency rather than flamboyance to lie third in the championship at the halfway point. The Italian has become a father this season and I think his little girl gives him an extra bit of motivation when he is out on the track.

Randy de Puniet has been many people's choice as the outstanding rider of the year so far. Flanked by the most glamorous of all the pit-lane girls, he has been riding his LCR Honda to the absolute limit, making his bike dance and squirm its way around the track.

The Frenchman had never missed a race start in Grand Prix racing since 1999 until suffering a similar injury to Rossi at the Sachsenring on 18 July. He sat out the race at Laguna Seca as a result but is hoping to complete another incredible recovery by competing at Brno.

Not so fortunate is Interwetten Honda rookie Hiroshi Aoyama. He is recovering well after fracturing a vertebra at Silverstone in race warm-up but it may still be some time until we see the Japanese 250 champion back on the circuit.

Things have not been going so well for the Suzuki boys. Loris Capirossi and Alvaro Bautista have both struggled this year, their best results coming at Catalunya. It is a real shame because the Suzuki gang are one of the most welcoming and hospitable teams on the circuit. No-one wants to see Capirossi having to battle down the field with the rookies.

Another man in a similar predicament is Colin Edwards on his Monster Yamaha Tech 3. At this point last year, he was battling for fifth in the standings. This year, things just do not seem to be coming together for him.

The Texan has been in MotoGP for eight years but his results seem to be slipping and his rookie team-mate, Ben Spies, is consistently beating him. Rumours are rife that this may well be his last year in MotoGP and I think everyone in the paddock would miss him. He is the life and soul of the party, always has a witty line or joke and his interview with Spies was one of my highlights of the season so far.

Talking of his team-mate, it is hard to believe Spies is in his rookie year after winning the World Superbikes crown last year. He has already been on the podium, taking third place at Silverstone, a moment that brought a lump to the throat of many a BBC viewer.

There is plenty of talk linking Spies to Rossi's seat next year in the factory Yamaha team. Spies is a quiet and shy guy but he loves to race and his single-minded focus shows a similar drive to other MotoGP greats. Personally, I think he is one of the most exciting riders to have moved up to MotoGP for a long time and it will be fascinating to see what he can do on a factory bike.

Honda Gresini man Marco Melandri has shown how tough the riders are after riding with a fractured sternum for the last four rounds following his fall at Assen. As for his big haired team-mate, Marco Simoncelli, he has been slowly improving and has started to show the form that both he, his team and fans of MotoGP were hoping for.

Another of the rookies improving with every race is Aleix Espargaro. While his little brother Pol sits second in the 125 championship, Aleix and his Pramac team are learning that life in MotoGP is not quite as easy. Team-mate Mika Kallio is also stuck in a rut, with bad luck and crashes blighting his season. Things are not looking good for the Finn, whose best race result of 2010 was his seventh-place finish in Jerez back in May.

Hector Barbara, on his bright yellow Aspar Ducati, has had some tremendous battles in qualifying but the sixth of our rookies this season is finding it frustratingly difficult to transfer that form into race pace.

Jorge Lorenzo has become MotoGP's latest superstar

Finally, let's turn to Jorge Lorenzo, a rider who has raced with maturity, skill and passion this season to become MotoGP's latest superstar.

When I interviewed him for the first time at the start of the campaign, his desire was plain to see but he was also quick to acknowledge that it would be a tough battle for the title. He seemed genuinely happy with his second place at Qatar but maybe that was because he knew the best was yet to come.

Lorenzo's win at Jerez followed by his epic jump into the lake at the circuit was something special. The celebration matched those of team-mate Rossi and tested the marshalling skills of the Spanish as they rushed to pull the leather-clad Lorenzo, who has dropped only 15 points all season, from the water.

So nine races down and nine to go. With a maximum of 225 points still up for grabs, expect plenty more twists and turns before the season finishes. Let's hope the second half it is as good as the first!

OK, I'm not ready to take out an M1 - Yamaha's MotoGP machine - quite yet but after a day in leathers on a bike I can honestly say it was one of the best days ever!

It's all part of the Get On campaign, which aims to get more people out of their cars and onto two wheels.
I didn't have to be asked twice to take part in the scheme, which also helps those who haven't been out on their bikes in a while to dust off the mothballs and give it another go.

CBT was first introduced in 1990 to try and cut down the amount of accidents involving bikes and since then it has been illegal to take a proper motorbike out on the roads.

Your CBT lasts for two years and ideally, before it runs out, you'll have taken your Direct Access - that's your proper bike test - and be off on the roads on the bike of your dreams.

So what's involved?

It's a full day of training and it was a little daunting to be back in a classroom environment but my instructor, William, put my mind at ease and explained there were five main sections, each one to be completed successfully before you can move on to the next.

We started with an introduction to the course and all the legal bits about riding on roads, from helmets and gloves to leathers and footwear. It was all quite civilised as we chatted and sipped a cup of tea and I listened to tales of William and the many, many people he'd helped to pass.

Section one completed we moved on to practical on-site training, the bit I'd been waiting to do for ages - to actually get my hands on a bike. William introduced me to my trusty steed for the day, a sleek black Honda 125 GR, and talked me through the controls and some of the basic checks you have to do before you set off and then it was time to fire her up.

I had a big smile on my face and my heart was racing as I turned the key of my first proper motorbike. It was exhilarating - a scooter just doesn't give you the same feeling!

Then it was time for the real fun to begin as I hopped onto the bike and in the disused car park of a local leisure centre, I rode up and down learning the basic controls and functions.

Next, it was time to master some moves and get to grips with 'slow control' - which basically means doing U-turns and figure-of-eights. It was a bit like being asked to rub your head and pat your tummy at the same time, but after a couple of attempts I had it sussed.

Basically, it's all about looking where you want to go and sure enough the bike will follow. So, if you look at the curb, the bike will head straight into the curb - don't do that!!

Emergency stops were next on the list - the MotoGP boys don't have too much call for those but out on the roads it's a pretty crucial part of the training.

After a quick pit stop for a spot of lunch sitting on a hillock talking about MotoGP, government safety schemes and sheepskin seat covers (I didn't bring that one up!) it was back to the classroom for a bit more theory.

I was back learning my highway code - talking speed control, road signs and how to stay safe on the road. I was listening really carefully by now because I knew very soon I wouldn't be in the safety of the classroom or car park - I would be on the road.

To complete your CBT you have to ride for at least two hours on the open road. William would be on his bike behind me, giving me instructions through my ear piece (not so different from a race weekend really).

And then we were off. William's reassuring voice talking to me all the way as I took a right turn onto the open road. I'm not going to lie, it was daunting and my heart was going like the clappers but as I released the clutch and got up to speed (30mph on a motorbike feels a lot faster than 30mph in a car) I felt a freedom and excitement that I have never felt on four wheels!

As we rode through the country lanes of Caversham and Henley I began to grow in confidence and after two hours on the bike we were happily riding through the centre of Reading in rush hour.

It really was an amazing couple of hours and by the time we got back to the test centre, I really felt I had a better understanding of what the MotoGP guys put themselves through every week.

Sure it's not like I could leg it around Silverstone now or take on 'the corkscrew' at any great speed but whether you're riding at 30mph or 200mph, the basics are the same - and I can now say I'm officially trained to do them.

Last weekend I was speaking to Alvaro Bautista at a Suzuki dinner and, having once given me a scooter masterclass, he asked me how my riding was coming along. When I told him I had just done my CBT he looked dead chuffed, as if he had had a little part to play in my learning to ride - and he did!

In fact, all the MotoGP guys have because when you've spent even a small amount of time with them or watching them you want to understand what they do more, what makes them tick. Their energy and passion is contagious and that's one of the things I love most about the sport.

As I said at the beginning I'm not going to be rivalling any of the MotoGP guys quite yet but at least I know if one of them ever wants to go for a spin I can say yes and not just have to ride pillion.

And the next step for me? I really want to do my full licence and after I've got a bit more experience on a bike that's exactly what I plan to do. I'm completely hooked and can't wait to put some serious hours in on the road.

Only one thing left to do now, choose a bike.

We were right that it wasn't for financial reasons or because he felt he had to get back on his bike for fear of losing his seat - no, pure and simple it was because he thought, even with a fractured shin and a metal pin in his leg, he could win!

I'm currently sat on the plane back to the United Kingdom looking at the most beautiful sunset whilst the rest of the plane eat egg sarnies (I mean really, on a plane why you would serve egg sarnies is beyond me but I digress...) I'm still buzzing from what was one of the most thrilling race weekends I've ever covered.

Despite the rain and thunderstorms, more than 98,000 fans made their way to the steep hills of Sachsenring to witness one of the most eagerly awaited returns to sport since Tiger Woods decided to pick up his clubs again.

The Doctor was back and injected some much needed adrenalin into proceedings.

MotoGP is all about the fight, the tactics, the sheer power and audacity of riders. We've had a glimpse of the future without the Doctor and it wasn't such a great place. So, with a collective sigh of relief, Rossi has returned and resuscitated the championship.

All of a sudden, there were battles all over the track. Dani Pedrosa showed Jorge Lorenzo that size doesn't matter as he took his second win of the season. Then there was THAT battle for third place between Rossi and Casey Stoner, who was riding the Ducati Rossi will be riding next year (if the Italian would only come out and make it official).

Not very gentlemanly, Charlie Cox and Steve Parrish said in their commentary. Too right! Stoner wasn't going to let a fractured tibia come between him and a podium - and let's be honest, since when is MotoGP about manners? Barry Sheene certainly didn't have any when he 'waved' at Kenny Roberts in 1979...

I admit I would have quite liked to have seen Rossi on his crutches on the podium. The photographers would have gone mad for it. But Stoner didn't get that script and doesn't compete with sympathy in his mind, so the Doctor had to settle for fourth place. I think, between you and me, he probably wasn't too upset with that.

But enough talk of Rossi and how extraordinary he is... I think everyone would like to send their best wishes to Randy de Puniet following his crash at Sachsenring.

Just before the race, when I was speaking to Randy's team owner, Lucio, I gave the statistic that de Puniet hadn't missed a race since he started his GP career in 1999... I hope I didn't jinx him.

Having one bad crash in a weekend is unlucky but to have two crashes and end up with a fractured tibia and fibula is awful. So get well soon, Randy.

MotoGP stops for no man, though, and next weekend we'll be in Laguna Seca for the first of our two transatlantic trips.

With three Americans in the championship, it's definitely going to be an 'awesome' event. If you're not in the know about the Californian track, then I can fill you in on the key facts: it's the shortest circuit that we go to all year and the 'Corkscrew' section is one of the most thrilling, strenuous and terrifying sections of a track in the world.

Now I've done my CBT (compulsory basic training), I'm fully planning on borrowing a bike on Thursday and giving it a go - wish me luck!

I'm told the drive from San Francisco to Monterey, where the circuit is, is stunning. I've only been to America once - and that was to Las Vegas so apparently it doesn't really count - but I'm really excited about it (when am I not excited, our crew would say...).

I shall try to take some pictures and let you know what it's like when I'm there. You can catch the show on BBC2 at 2200 BST on Sunday with qualifying, as ever, on the Red Button from 2150 on Saturday.

Italians must be made of tougher stuff - well, one of them is that's for sure. After just six weeks on the sidelines, reigning MotoGP world champ Valentino Rossi has decided he's had enough of watching the Italian equivalent of Jeremy Kyle and This Morning on TV and will be back at this weekend's race.

When Rossi was dumped so ungraciously from his Yamaha YZR-M1 at the beginning of June, smashing his tibia in the process, we all feared the worst. Would he ever ride again?

Those fears were unfounded but as reports came back from Florence, it looked like it would be up to six months before we saw Rossi back at a GP circuit.

Now, however, just 40 days after he was air lifted away from the Mugello circuit, 'The Doctor' is back looking relaxed, tanned and healthy. Quite incredible!

So what makes a man who is a millionaire many times over and a multiple world champion rush back to a sport which is one of the most physically demanding and potentially dangerous around? Well, it's not for the money or the fear that he could find himself without a ride at the end of the season, that's for sure.

Personally, I think Rossi's return has more to do with grit, determination and passion than a compulsion to perform. He could quite easily have written this season off, curled up under a duvet at home, stuffed his face with chocolate and cake and had an easy time over the next few months. But some people aren't made that way and in the pre-event press conference when asked if he was 'crazy' for returning so soon, he laughed and said five-month recoveries were for footballers not MotoGP riders.

Rossi returning to racing so soon is almost miraculous and his courage and dedication to the sport should be admired - but I say almost because he's not the first man to call on superhuman strength and courage to take to the track against all the odds.

In 1992, Mick Doohan almost lost his right leg at the Dutch TT when leading the championship by 65 points. He took eight weeks to recover and came back for the final two races of the season but lost out on the title to Yamaha rider Wayne Rainey. Two years later he won the title and kept it for five years. Some argue Doohan's injury and subsequent fight to return to action made him stronger and led him to those titles.

This is the first time in his illustrious career that Valentino Rossi has had a serious injury and it's too early to tell how his body will take to riding but if he responds the way Doohan did, he could come back better than ever - a scary thought for the rest of the MotoGP paddock.

Sure, 104 points is a massive gap to concede to your main rival, team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, who has won the last three races almost unchallenged and heads the championship standings, but Rossi is a man who has probably never pulled a sickie in his life and you'd be crazy to write him off with 11 races still to go this season.

It might be the best, the fastest, the most technical, the one where they took a big spill... whatever the reason, most people have one track that they love more than all others.

For me, my favourite circuit in the United Kingdom is - and always has been - Cadwell Park. It was the very first circuit I went to when I made the transition from watching speedway and motocross to watching racing on tarmac. It was love at first sight.

And the clincher - there always is one, isn't there? - was the 'mountain' section, where the bikes are almost catapulted into the air as they make their way up the steepest part of the circuit. Timing the landing and angle of the front end are crucial if the riders are to stay on their bikes.

Cadwell Park was my induction into the world of track motorcycle racing and I shall always have a special place in my heart for it.

So, why the slightly indulgent story? Well, this weekend we are in Spain for the Catalunya GP in Montmelo.

While it may not be Cadwell, it is, for me, the next best place for motor racing in the world. It was the scene of one of my favourite MotoGP battles in the modern era and it's great to be in Barcelona to see where it all happened.

For those who weren't fortunate enough to see this tremendous tussle between Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo last year, fear not, you can watch it below if you are in the UK.

The final lap was a thing of beauty, a thing of drama, a thing of so many twists and turns you wouldn't believe that there are just 13 corners on the circuit.

And just when it looked like the 'young pretender' had got the better of 'the Master', Rossi found that little bit of extra room and speed and beat Lorenzo into second place by 0.095s. Quite a race!

Shame Rossi won't be there this year but to me this circuit is the perfect canvas for a stunning scene setter for the rest of the season.

Can the Spanish - so dominant in the 125cc class, having just made it 15 GP wins in a row - continue to assert their authority on the MotoGP championship as well?

Yamaha rider and championship leader Lorenzo will certainly battle it out for top spot with countryman Dani Pedrosa but hopes are high that his Honda team-mateAndre Dovizioso can get his first win of the season.

If Dovizioso can regain the form of the opening couple of rounds, then the Italian may well come out on top.

There should be an interesting battle at the back of the field, too.

The two Japanese test riders who have replaced the injured Rossi and Interwetten Honda's Hiroshi Aoyama - Wataru Yoshikawa and Kousuke Akiyoshi respectively - will have their own private race as the big names fight it out at the front.