Redding sick in helmet, fights to the end

Scott Redding has revealed he threw up inside his helmet in the closing stages of Sunday’s MotoGP encounter in Thailand as he felt his body was overheating in the draining afternoon temperatures.

The factory Aprilia rider was involved in a four-way fight for 13^th with Aleix Espargaro, Franco Morbidelli and Bradley Smith while feeling, physically, “really on the limit.”

With three laps to go, the Englishman was sick, but still maintained concentration until the end, when he just missed out on a point scoring finish to countryman Smith.

“I was just overheating,” said Redding. “For me, sometimes I’ve been struggling this year. when there have been hot races maybe I wouldn’t have pushed so much and not been consistent.

“But today I was in a fight so I was pushing, pushing, pushing. I had to work from the back of the grid, and keep fighting. I was really on the limit. All the hard work that I’ve been doing back home, which is hard to do to stay motivated, today was the day that it paid off.

“I had two laps to go and I had to dig deep. I’m happy I’ve been working hard at home for moments like this. The body was getting so hot I just started to be sick in the helmet, which is OK, I didn’t really care.”

Overall, Redding was pleased with his efforts, and the feel with Aprilia’s RS-GP, which allowed him to battle through from a disappointing qualifying performance on Saturday.

“In the weekend we felt really good in the braking. In the last races I’ve been struggling there. that was a good start. Like I said yesterday I feel really good on the bike, the bike feels good. But the lap time hasn’t been coming.

“It’s down to rear grip. I pick up the bike and [there’s no drive]. This morning we changed something and it started to work. I was consistent. I was getting faster, could work with the angle and find grip.

“For the race I was thinking about the Dunlop rubber [from the Moto2 race], but I was positive. I got an amazing start, had a good first corner. I planned really well into turn three. I had space to brake where I want.

“Having that grip we found I could exit with them. I didn’t have to brake later and then have tyre problems. I had to play a bit with tyre temperature. It was going up and down. The bike was working really good.

“Apart from Assen this was one of my best races feeling-wise this year. To come from that far back, I’m happy. I had good confidence through the race. If it comes at Japan and the next races, what did I tell you earlier in the year, it will have come too late.

"It is what it is and if I can make races like that I’ll be happy. I was fighting for points from last. Yesterday I was so pissed off with myself because I don’t know what the answer is. Today I came back and feel positive.”

Redding also revealed his bike is likely to remain unchanged for the rest of the year. “I think Aleix may have a different chassis coming Japan or later but it’s four races to go. Is it worth it?

“I've just got the bike working. Don’t f**k with it now. I won’t do that. I’ll just try to be consistent, adapt to it and go forward. Here it was good because I chose the hard tyre and it kept us in the ball-park. The biggest thing for me is I could go with them. It’s the first time this year I could do that.”