Jake Dixon put on a determined display in Doha to clinch seventh in the first Moto2 race of 2021 despite agonising pain from his right wrist.

His first return to competitive action since Valencia last year, saw Dixon launch from 10th on the grid. Claiming fifth by the end of the opening lap, the Brit continued to soar, no doubt buoyed by the rush of adrenaline, taking fourth two laps later. Mid-race, however, left the 25-year-old suffering as his wrist began to lose strength, and he faded back to seventh.

Digging deep so as not to lose too much ground, the Petronas rider was not only able to maintain his position throughout but also increased his pace in the closing laps, securing seventh at the chequered flag.

“Starting from tenth wasn’t ideal but I got a fantastic start and was fifth on the first lap, so I was really happy with that” the excitable Brit explained. “I knew that I would be good for four or five laps, like in practice, but after that it was a bit of an unknown.

“Clinica Mobile has been great throughout the test and the race weekend in helping me get fit. I wouldn’t have been able to do that race if I hadn’t had painkillers because it kept it at a level but I just lost all power from about lap 10 in, so I wasn’t able to control the bike.

“That was possibly the biggest thing, I couldn’t change direction. I didn’t have the power to brake in the end. I did all I could do. I ended up having to brace my arm into my stomach to help me turn. The wind also made it really hard.

“I’m so happy to finish that race where we did though and maybe now there is something we can look at to help me for next weekend.

I was in such a fight with myself saying, ‘Get past Joe and push hard to get to the front and try to attack for the podium’. Then I’m saying ‘no, you don’t need to do that because if you do that you’re going to be more at risk of having a crash and you don’t need a crash right now’.

“The boys said they saw I did a 59.8, then a 2’00.1 because then I’m taking it easy again and then I did a 59.7 - because my brain is telling me ‘you need to catch’. In the end I said, ‘Look, my time will come, right now is not the time, so don’t force it’ and that’s when I accepted what I have, and where I am, and that’s where I finished.

“It’s only been 14 weeks since really trying to move it. I had no time to get power into it. I started literally trying to get more power from my wrist a week before the first race because that’s all I could do.

“Honestly, I don’t want anybody to feel sorry for me, to have sympathy for me. I’m just doing what I can do and I speak openly about it. I’m not one that’s gonna put a show on to make it look worse than what it actually is.

“I’m just being genuine and letting everybody from the outside see what I’m dealing with, because other riders might be dealing with something similar in their early career. It’s alright to feel scared at the time, and yes, it takes time, let it heal. Don’t try to rush it.”

That said, Dixon is adamant he has what it takes to be a title contender when everything is going his way.

“I honestly believe when I’m 100% fit, I think we’ll see some good things this year. I think it will be round four to five, where I’ll be aiming to be back to somewhere where I can fight fully and be in control. I want to be fighting for the title, I have the team to do it so I’m going to be trying my best” he concluded.

It seems his Petronas Team Director, Johan Stigefelt agrees, adding “Jake managed to do a really good start and was there with the front guys immediately. With his injury there was a lot of pain mid-race and it was difficult for him.

“He still managed to do a really good race and we’re very thankful for what he did, because it wasn’t easy. We can see that he has a lot of potential. If he is like this when he isn’t at full capacity then I really want to see what he is like at 100%.”