Having seen his campaign in the Italian Grand Prix end prematurely due to a mechanical problem, the 19-year-old Ratthapark had to endure another forgettable day, and for the second straight race he failed to pick up points.

The Thai Honda PTT-SAG rider remained in 16th place in the overall standings with 16 points from seven races. Nevertheless, considering that the Thai raider was in the penultimate row of the grid in 22nd place, Ratthapark should, however, feel content with the outcome as he had said the race was his least favourite one.

In addition to bidding for points, Ratthapark - son of the country's famous rider Christmas - had also sought to make an impression in front of a group of AP Honda officials led by its president Zenjiro Sakuri, and the Thai media. And the disappointment was plain on his face.

"I wanted to get the best possible result here as the venue was like my second home. I stayed in Spain during my European campaign. And, this time I got a huge support from people who came here," said Ratthapark.

"However, this race was very tough, with continuous curves, which required high speed. That made it difficult in managing my bike. My concentration was also not good. Also, I felt nervous as the need to impress people added to the pressure.

"I didn't start well. I was unable to keep in touch with the main group, and had too much to chase. I hope to do better in a fortnight's time in England," said Ratthapark.

Kitinan Sanguansak

The Nation

Barcelona