BSB Round 13 Brands Hatch GP

Last race of the season already and it’s certainly been very eventful this year, change of teams, different bikes to learn but no big injuries.

The weekends forecast wasn’t perfect but at least it was going to be dry, in fact their prediction was perfect.

First free practice I was on the pace straight away, had some problems but wasn’t too worried as there was time to try different settings. Didn’t have the latest Dunlop 200 tyres this weekend but worked hard with what we had finding a set-up.

Second session was a different story, didn’t manage to lap as quick and was struggling to hold a line in many turns. The circuit was quite dirty and many riders were complaining with lack of grip. Graham Hill, Surtees and Hawthorn were my worst turns. The gearing wasn’t quite right making it very hard work getting a good drive out of Surtees down the long straight, always seem to be in between gears.

Overcast all day but quite warm so track temperature was quite good. Seemed to be struggling with grip on a race tyre after ten laps, with race distance twenty laps I had a chat with the Dunlop boys.
Dunlop came to my rescue promising some of the latest 200 tyres that they have been developing through the season. I have used them before at Oulton but the set-up is quite different, my WP shock valving has to be stiffer and there’s much more grip that in turn pushes the front very hard causing chatter.

Basically we’d already lost a day but desperate for a good result the team worked hard to find a good setting through qualifying. The first tyre I used caught me out losing rear grip on corner entry, having to sit the bike up at Stirling’s left-hander and running off circuit. I tipped over in the gravel without any damage but my Honda stalled.

The marshals didn’t want me to push the bike back but I had to with not having a spare and there still being twenty five minutes of the session left.

Managed to get back out on circuit but didn’t lap any faster leaving me well down the grid in twenty first position.

Second qualifying was just as eventful, half way through felt a big vibration coming from the front end so cruised back to pit without touching the front brake or anything. The front wheel bearing had collapsed and it took the guys twenty minutes to get the problem sorted.

I then went straight out on qualifiers with my best lap putting me fourteenth, still struggling with front chatter though?

The guys changed some fork settings to try in warm-up and sure enough the chatter was gone, just needed a good start in the race and get my head down.

My race one start was rubbish; I’ve always been a good starter but cannot seem to get this Honda off the line. Eighteenth on lap one but the bike was working real well so tried my hardest making it through to eighth place but with no real complaints.

Last race of the year and desperate for a good result, my start was nothing exciting again. Thirteenth on lap one left some work to do but by the fourth lap was through to eighth. Had some ground to make up but was soon sat behind Kiyo and catching the group of five in front. Held eighth until lap eleven then passed Mason as Kiyo was also making his way through the field. Over the next three laps passed Rutter then Richards into Clearways (last-turn) and was confident I could beat all the guys in front of me. Wasn’t sure what position I was in as it’s very hard to see your pit-board at Brands so just looked at anybody’s board to see how many laps left.

On lap sixteenth went fourth behind Kiyo and sat watching him, he had more speed on the straights but I was faster from Hawthorn onwards, made a move into Clearways then had one lap to hold him off. Soon as we got to Hawthorn on the last lap I knew he was beat.
After the chequered flag I knew it was a good result but didn’t realise it was third place, I returned to park ferme when the marshals told me to get down to the podium!

I cannot explain the feeling that rushed through me, more relief than anything else that after so many injuries last year and losing my ride this season before being rescued by Hydrex Honda there’s still some magic left in the tank!

Time to PARTY!