Redding relieved to turn season around with Assen MotoGP podium

The British rider switched from Marc VDS, which won Sunday's Assen race with Jack Miller, to the Ducati satellite outfit this year, his third in the premier class.

Redding starred during pre-season testing and said his confidence was returning, but a series of mechanical and tyre issues had limited him to flashes of pace and a best result of sixth from the first seven races.

While an engine issue cost him a podium in the chaotic Argentina race in April, he converted his maiden front-row start in MotoGP to third place in the Netherlands.

"It's good because we've had a real bad start to the season," Redding said.

"Not so much from riding and the team, we just had a lot of bad luck, shall we say, a couple of problems.

"Starting from the front row was also good, and to finish third is also amazing.

"After struggling and not giving up, I thought maybe I'm not even going to finish a race this year."

Redding and team-mate Danilo Petrucci joined factory pair Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone and Aspar's Yonny Hernandez at the front on Ducatis in the first half of the red-flagged race.

On lap 10, before Hernandez crashed from the lead, the five Ducatis were all inside the top six, with Yamaha's Valentino Rossi the odd man out.

While Petrucci's chances ended when his engine stalled on the second lap after the restart, Redding stayed in contention and passed Tech3 Yamaha's Pol Espargaro on the penultimate lap to secure third.

His other MotoGP podium came in similar conditions at Misano last year.

"I started the race not so well because I wanted to understand the track, not to make any silly mistakes in the beginning," he said.

"And actually when the rain came, I felt better, I just couldn't see anything, maybe that was why I felt better...

"At the start [of the second race] it was the same thing, I didn't want to push too much, I didn't want to lose the race in the first laps and these guys were just going.

"They had a lot of rear grip and I pushed more than I wanted to and still they were pulling away.

"I was like, 'I'm already going to crash, I need to take one step back to hold the position' and then I saw the guys crash and crash and I thought the level I was at was OK."