On my return from testing the World Endurance ZX10 at LeMans last week I was confident of finding a good set-up at Brands even though I hadn’t even seen my BSB bike.
The Dienza machine had been prepared in the last couple of weeks before the season started after funding had finally been found. This hadn’t left any time for testing but after 200 laps at LeMans at a good pace I was confident the same geometry settings would be a good starting point at Brands.
Forecast wasn’t brilliant for the weekend but we had more things to worry about.
There was an electrical problem with my bike meaning I missed both sessions on Friday. The team were confident they’d found the problem but after only managing five laps in the third free practice I was going into qualifying with only a total of seven laps on the machine.
As our qualifying session was about to start big black clouds were looming, everybody was at the end of pit-lane waiting, thinking we would only possibly get two or three dry laps before the heavens opened.
The fuelling on my Kawasaki was not so friendly, when I opened the throttle mid-corner at full lean nothing would happen then all of a sudden forty percent of the bikes power would arrive with a big bang.
I decided to try one fast lap in case it rained, passing one bike into Paddock (turn-1) I suddenly approached the back of Dean Ellison’s Suzuki who was also having problems.
As I pulled alongside to pass him he slowed and pulled off-line.
With nowhere to go I touched Ellison’s back tyre sending me into the gravel. Paddock is a fast turn and to make matters worse the bike run over me a couple of times before finally landing on top of me still running in the gravel.
The marshals were very fast getting the bike off me so the medics could check me out. After visiting the medical centre they decided I’d damaged the ligaments in my right ankle and later after an x-ray discovered a small fracture also!
I decided not to race as the machine needed work to be competitive and was more important to get my ankle sorted with another test at LeMans planned before the next BSB at Donington.
