Silverstone, Sep 2020.
Race 1.
Despite my reservations about the short circuit at Silverstone (National) I managed to qualify. I wasn’t sure I would, given that 110% of the leader wasn’t much slower than I went last year on the Ducati 959. I needn’t have worried too much as I went quicker straight away and well within the limit.
I was still pretty much last every session but getting quicker every lap. I even stayed out for the whole of FP2 from flag to flag. I worked on being consistent and getting specific sectors as right as I could, trying different lines to see what was quicker and felt best. 31 Laps in the given time also proved to me that my fitness was there and I could cope with 24 laps during a race. Good saddle time and a lot learned.
From a grid of 37 I was the last bike on the grid until we were joined by a couple of the front runners who had missed the grid. They didn’t hang around though so it made little difference. I got a decent start and slotted in behind my team mate on the #61 bike. Dave “Salty” Sellers is always my target. He pulls me along all the time and is an experienced road rider so I learn a lot when I am behind him. Unfortunately my time behind him didn't last and he went down at Becketts after missing a gear. My focus shifted to being consistent and trying to catch Stephen Smith on the BMW, another road rider who has come to the class this year. I was also mindful of a long term rival Ben Broadway on the Aprilia. I have been racing against Ben since I started in 2012 so we have always been near each other. He has moved to the Stocks this year and I am glad he has. I like racing with Ben and we often trade places but in race one I managed to get ahead enough for him not to bother me too much. Even though I knew it wouldn’t take much for him to get near me.
The only real issue I had at Silverstone was getting lapped. It was pretty much inevitable as I was only doing 57s laps and the leaders were into the 54s. 24 laps meant I was lapped in race 1 at about lap 16. I have never been in a situation like it at such a level. Ideally as the lapped rider I should just carry on at my pace on line and be predictable. Easier said than done when trying not to get in the way of the guys battling for the win. I made the decision to ride my normal lines through the tighter corners and where I could onto the straights I would have a look and make the effort to move out of the way. It worked pretty well I think but I did end up getting rear ended in the the second last corner as I tipped in. Nobody at fault really and thankfully myself and the other rider stayed on. I spoke to him afterwards and he was cool about it. Thankfully race 2 went a lot smoother when it came to getting lapped, perhaps because I was slightly quicker and got lapped a little later in the race.
Overall another confidence building weekend with the Suzuki and I am looking forward to Oulton Park next weekend and more PB lap times.
Huge thanks to Jules, Nathan and the rest of the crew for looking after me and the bike. Thanks also to sponsors and the rest of the team for making the whole thing happen every race weekend.
Images Barry Clay