“I told him to give his maximum, whatever his position. I told him not to give up and here we are,” said an ecstatic Alberto Puig under the Qatar podium last night. The first exit of the British Talent Team ended in success with Scotland’s John McPhee finishing second after a stunning ride up from outside the top ten. He fought hard with Joan Mir, who beat him by a tenth, and Jorge Martin in third.    

Joining the new British Talent team run by Dorna and Puig on a works Honda is a turning point in the Scottish rider’s career. In a handful of months he passed from 22nd position in the championship and a bed in the hospital following to an incident in Australia to the podium.

So what does he think to that?

Is this the start to the year that you expected?
“Podium was the target. I believed all the pre-season tests and the race weekend I had the chance to win the race. I was confident till the very end and it’s a pity that I couldn’t cross the finish line in first position. The engine was really strong and in the middle of the race I was studying the other riders to understand where I could pass them. I knew that taking the last corner in second position could have been good, but then three corners before I made a small mistake, totally my mistake. Unfortunately I couldn’t catch up Mir.”

Which are the key factors of this result?
“The Honda bike is working really well and I could use at the best one of my strengths which  is corner exit. This helps a lot in Moto3. Mir and Martin were also riding a Honda but I could pass them on the straight. It was really nice. Honda looks really strong this year and if we look at the standing the first five bikes are Hondas."

Was it tough in the pack?
“It was hard to break the pack, but I felt totally under control and I was able to recover. Also the work of the team was excellent and they were telling me the exact positions of the other riders. I knew what was going on and this helped me to manage the race at the best. I felt really strong.”

What have you changed from last year?
“The biggest thing is the bike and the whole package. Honda did a brilliant job to bring the new bike with good top speed. I have the full support from Dorna. I can count on the advice of Alberto Puig and Jeremy McWilliams. They have been helping me with my training but also over the weekend. I changed my approach to the races, but also to my preparation. Now I have the bike, I have the team, I have the whole package to win races. This is just the beginning. Last year I had to look for a slipstream, now I know that I can do the lap times alone. Finally I can do my race, my pace.”

What kind of support do you get from Puig and McWilliams?
“I never had such support. They are helping me on track with important feedback about my riding style. They are giving me tips to improve.”

Is this just the start of a great season?
“I have always believed in myself but it’s nice to back up this with track results. I’m grateful for this opportunity. I have the chance to fight for the championship.”