After a month’s break from racing, the first day of qualifying at a sunny Misano, in northern Italy, went quite well although I only managed a ninth position.

The factory was busy trying out different parts on our Alitalia-sponsored Aprilia RSV4 bikes, so I wasn’t too despondent.

In Superpole, I got through to the final 16, qualifying in 14th for the race proper, while team-mate and birthday-boy Max Biaggi secured second with literally seconds left before qualifying finished. Troy Corser (BMW) grabbed pole and Michel Fabrizio (Xerox Ducati) took third spot.

Race one, lap one, saw me make up four places. With the temperature climbing steadily, it was important to try and conserve the tyres but at the same time not let anybody pass me. On lap eight, I got past Noriyuki Haga (Xerox Ducati) and two laps later I slipped by Leon Haslam to move up to sixth. With a six-second gap to get to the top five, time was running out.

With eight laps to go, Biaggi passed Corser for the lead, retaining it to the chequered flag. For me, the gap was just too much and I brought the second Aprilia home in sixth spot.

The start of race two had the air temperature substantially higher than the morning’s race so tyre degradation was high on the agenda.

I didn’t get the best of starts and got swallowed up by other riders around me but by the end of lap one I’d got my rhythm going. I made up one spot to 13th.

I then started to pick off some of the slower riders and with 13 laps gone I’d got up to 11th but the second race was proving to be not one of my best.

Up front, team-mate Biaggi came home in first place, some six seconds ahead of Haslam, so it was another double for Max while I stayed 11th.

Race One results: 1 Biaggi (Aprilia RSV4); 2 Checa (Althea Ducati); 3 Corser (BMW). Race Two results: Biaggi (ApriliaRVS4); 2 Haslam (Alstare Suzuki); 3 Fabrizio (Xerox Ducati).