I only really got to know Shoya Tomizawa after Jerez, early in the season. I had gone to find his crew chief Gilles Bigot, after oil had spilled onto the track from Shoya's Suter during the Moto2 race, sending nine bikes down the road on the opening lap.

It was one of those sunny post race evenings and everyone was in great spirits after a cracking day's racing. Shoya-san had got on the podium for the second time in two races from the restart, and was leading the championship. Humble and happy to be there as a 19-year-old, the team loved him to bits because they were collectively underdogs. At that point in the season, Technomag CIP's rough diamond had the measure of all but Toni Elias.