I HAD the worst start to my final weekend with the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha team.

I woke up on the Friday morning in Valencia unable to walk or eat.

When your chief mechanic even questions whether he should have sent you out on the track – you know it’s bad.

But with what I’d been through for the last 11 weeks after shattering my knee, a bout of food poisoning was not going to stop me riding regardless of not being able to eat and having very little energy.

I was here for the team and all those people who’d put so much time, effort and passion to get me back to full fitness.

It was great to be where we should be – in the top ten running with the likes of Cal Crutchlow and my teammate Pol Espargaro, because we have been the leading independent riders for the last few years.

It was not quite the fairytale ending of my six-year career with the Tech 3 team.

I had been dreaming of riding into Parc Ferme with a podium finish, but to be ninth when I still should not be riding was very satisfying and a big thank you to the team and all those people who’d put so much time, effort and passion to help my get back riding.

Really I should still be back at home sitting on the sofa and doing my rehab, but that was not the plan.

I needed to get back to racing in Japan at the start of the three flyaway grands prix.

It’s a massive thank-you to my dad and Dakota Mamola who gave up some much time to travel the world looking after me.

It was tough for them to see a son and friend getting on a MotoGP bike knowing just how much pain I was in and the lack of flexibility I had in the knee.

That first weekend in Japan was the toughest in terms of physically being able to actually ride the bike.

I was scraping my right leg everywhere and could not get my knee down properly.

I gritted my teeth and lapped 11 seconds quicker in the race on Sunday than I did in that first Friday morning practice session.

Things got better over the week and I was pleased with the eighth place at Phillip Island in Australia, when I got over the shock of coming so strong towards the end.

The final race of that spell came in the pouring rain at Sepang in Malaysia – a timely reality check of just how tough MotoGP racing can be.

In Phillip Island I didn’t feel great and finished eighth while in Sepang I felt great and finished 14th.

It just shows there is no right or wrong way in motorcycle racing and it is what happens on a Sunday that is important.

I was both angry and frustrated at nearly being there but not quite making it. It made me realise just how much I care.

I really want to thank the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha team for those amazing last four MotoGP years.

It’s not always been plain sailing. In 2013 and 2014 there were some big doubts if I could make it in MotoGP.

Then after such a fantastic year last season I struggled in the early stages of this campaign and was then sidelined with the knee, but I honestly believe we turned it round.

We had problems in qualifying and were not getting into qualifying two, but we ended the season much stronger and always fighting around that top ten area, even with the injury.

I’ve learnt a lot over the last 12 months, which stands me in good stead for the adventure that lies ahead with KTM.