21-year-old Dominic Schmitter is having a strong first full season in the FIM World Supersport Championship, having scored points in eight out of nine races so gar. Only at the British round at the Donington Park did the Swiss rider have to accept a DNF after a technical problem led to his only crash of the season so far.

With three rounds to go, Schmitter is holding onto 14^th in the Riders’ Championship; with three strong races as the season comes to an end, the top ten remains realistic. Schmitter talks WorldSBK.com through his rookie season.

Dominic, you are in your first full World Supersport season and constantly scoring points. How would you summarise the year so far?
This is an incredibly difficult category and it makes me even happier that I am – if everything runs according to plan – able to be in the points on a constant basis. In the Supersport World Championship you must not make mistakes - you have to give your all and always.

Do you consider your eighth place from Aragon as the highlight?

So far, yes. Aragon is a track I already knew before. Most of the tracks have been new to me except for two or three that I had ridden in my Superstock 600 season two years ago.

How hard do you find it to establish yourself as a rider in this hard-fought class?
It is extremely hard. You need to have a good team that believes in you and that is always willing to fight at the front. With Team Go Eleven, we have got a more than good relationship. The team is giving it all and is working unbelievably well. However, I still have a lot of things to improve. We are working on it.

With the rounds of Jerez and Magny-Cours coming up, you are heading to two tracks you already know and where you scored WSS points last year during wildcard rides. What are your expectations there and what do you expect of floodlit Qatar?
Actually, I have been looking forward to those two races for the whole season, as I know both of them. I expect to put myself into the top ten. I would love to better my highlight of Aragon. I can’t wait to ride at Jerez! Unfortunately, I don’t know Qatar at all, but even there I am aiming to get some points. It will be an amazing feeling to ride in the desert and at night. I am looking forward to that experience!

So far you have had only one DNF this year, but scored points in all of the other races. Surely that a good base for your 2016 negotiations?
Unfortunately, I had that one DNF - I would have loved to be in the points in every race. But due to a technical problem I couldn’t avoid that crash, unfortunately. Regarding next year, I’m sorry to say I do not know anything at all. I am now just hoping for three very good last races and I would like to stay with Team Go Eleven to be able to reap the fruits of our labours this year.