After a good official test, we went to Donington to try different setups within the bLU cRU parameters in preparation for the first round! Although it was halted by intermittent rain we found a good direction for the setting ready for round 1 of the bLU cRU European Cup!
Walking into a World Superbike paddock for the first time was very surreal and it was crazy to be rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s best riders! After briefings, we had a track walk and got weighed to round out the day.
FP - P18
I started practice where I left off the test, although I felt at my limit and the bike didn’t feel great. I came in and made a change to the front which felt a lot better, but once again I’d hit a glass ceiling with lap times and didn’t know how to go any faster! However, I had started to work on points we noticed I was losing time on during testing and this made me a bit more comfortable, although I didn’t gain a lot of time.
QP - P22
During qualifying all I could do was try and push harder, but I wasn’t getting any higher up the grid which made me more frustrated. I came in to reset and got told to “bite the screen!” Initially it jumped me up to P20 but in an attempt to get closer to the top 15 I pushed again, until I went too far and lost the front on the brakes into Turn 4. An annoyance but after seeing the data that evening, we found that I was pushing in the wrong places and needed to carry more speed through the corners - easier said than done!
Race 1 - P25
I made a great start to race 1, but unfortunately wasn’t aggressive enough and lost positions through the first chicane, and then struggled to stay with the pack through the race. I tried to work on the areas I lost on the data, but didn’t gain a lot of time and continued to struggle at the tail end of the group. I was attempting to make an overtake on the rider in front, but they went deep into Turn 7 and I got sucked in, went really wide and lost almost 5 seconds. I then settled for the position I was in, because I saw the pit board had +16 seconds, ending the race P25.
Race 2 - P23
Going into the final race, I was certainly in the wrong place mentally, meaning that the race went very similar to the first. I wasn’t aggressive enough off the start and lost the tow to the main group, riding with a few others but unable to make any overtakes, even after a change we had made to give me more confidence. I managed to hold position while others crashed in front of me to get P23, but left me deflated and questioning my speed.
After the weekend, we found areas of our preparation both at home and at the track that could effect my performance and mental state, and are acting on them now! Next up is my home race at Donington Park, so a circuit I know well and have previously gone well at, so hopefully we can get in the fight a bit more!
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