Leon Camier, the 2009 BSB champion and a nine-times WorldSBK podium placer, was at the Portimao round as a rider assistant to his mate Chaz Davies, while incumbent helmet-polisher Michael Laverty was commentating on the Brno GP.

Signed by the respected and well-equipped Barni Racing Ducati team for a full campaign this year, only the recurring and obdurate left shoulder injury Camier has been carrying around for too long now saw he and his team part ways recently, leaving him with an uncertain racing future.

“I do not know what the long term is, to be honest. After the injuries obviously I tried riding – Supermoto, trials, motocross, everything – and I still had some pain, but I could ride everything with zero problems. 100% in everything I did,” said Camier.

“We went to Misano for the test and - something to do with the position - within a few laps I got the pain, big pain, back. Then I cannot change direction, could not pull on the bar. I still rode around, no that badly. I was 0.8 seconds from Chaz, 1.2 from Johnny on the first day, still riding in pain.

“I was thinking it was not that bad, but I definitely did not want to crash on it again. I was a little bit not sure. We sort of decided with the team, with me saying I am still not sure, it is still not right. I went back to the doctor; he is thinking it was an impinged nerve. I did a diagnostic test, which was a cortisone injection and anaesthetic in where the nerve is that goes around the Coracoid Process, which I broke in the crash.

“Because of the false ligament that goes under it, that is strapping the shoulder up anyway, it has pulled the Coracoid fractionally. Just impinging on the nerve and there is not as much space for the nerve anyway - there is not a lot of space in there normally. It goes behind the bone.

“His thing is that it s pretty simple to fix, a small operation that cuts the ligament and gives it more space. But right now, because the team has decided to stop, I am in no rush. In normal life I have 100% zero pain,” said Camier rotating his arms and shoulders above his head to show his free movement.

The psychological and emotional, as well as the physical, seems to be at play for Camier now. “Honestly, in my head I have had two years of injuries. Smashed myself to bits in two years. I have had the odd injury and the odd little bone before, but nothing too bad. The last two years I have done ribs, lung, the other shoulder, leg, wrist, and this shoulder twice… you name it.

“I have recovered from it twice. I haven’t slept in two years, I genuinely haven’t. I get two hours a night - to six hours a night at best. I am a bit over it, if you know what I mean. In my head I am like turning off. I do not want to come back right now. If the shoulder gets fixed then I will see how I feel in a few months’ time. If it does not get fixed I won’t come back.

“If I am also not wanting to come back when it is fixed then I won’t come back. For me, I have had a couple of years of shit. I do not come back to ride for a wage, I am not interested in any of that. I would only come back if I am trying to be 100% and I am there for the right reasons. I am not going to come back to earn a living.

“If I come back I will be absolutely balls-deep committed again, no doubt. 100 per cent. In some sense it is not a bad thing to have some time away from it, especially with all the shit I have had, if I do want to come back with a fresh look on it, then decide what I want do from there.”