Zoom James Toseland

The reigning Superbike World Champion James Toseland has enjoyed good debuts in the MotoGP series.

Riding for the Tech3 Yamaha Team, the Briton has impressed with some strong results in qualifying and four top-six finishes.

On the eve of the Dutch GP, he talked to moto-live.com about his first impressions and his expectations for the rest of the season.

The race at Donington was a huge disappointment for you. Have you already put it behind or is it still in your mind?
”I put it behind me the day after the race because I had to focus on Assen. Donington Park was my only home round of the season and my first ever British GP, so of course it was disappointing to have such a difficult weekend. However, in the context of the whole championship it was just one race and it's important to remember that and move on quickly.”

This week's race marks the half-way point of the championship, how would you assess your season so far?
”Challenging. Making the step up to this level of racing is a challenge that I'm enjoying, but coming from a championship where I was consistently successful it's difficult to accept that I have a lot of hard work to do before I reach the podium. Realistically, if I can learn from the experience I gain this season and be competitive in the races that's all that I can ask for.”

Did you expect to be so competitive?
”I wouldn't have moved to this championship if I didn't believe that I could be competitive. I actually expect more from myself than I have achieved so far but I must remember that this is a learning year. I have a strong package and great team around me, so I think that I have to be competitive to earn my place in the MotoGP paddock.”

Are you glad about your choosing the Tech3 Team to enter the MotoGP World Championship?
“Yes I have absolutely no regrets about my choice of team with Tech 3 Yamaha. We work in a less pressured environment than many of the factory teams and it's important to have supportive people around you while you're trying to learn. It's fantastic having Colin as a team-mate with the amount of experience that he has and my Chief Technician Guy Coulon is five times better than any other mechanic I've ever worked with. I couldn't ask for a nicer team boss than Herve Poncharal, so overall I think that we chose exactly right when looking at a move into MotoGP.”