Round 2: Another Podium & Another DNF...

 

I’ve never experienced an itch to get back to racing like I have in between round 1 and 2. With my amazing weekend at Navarra ending with a technical DNF and dropping to P2 in the championship, I was beyond hungry going into the weekend. Had a month off to reflect, learn, and prepare for the next round. Donington Park is my absolute favorite track on the BSB calendar, so I was very excited to get back to the circuit. Coach Michael Torres and came up with a plan pre-weekend and we were ready to attack the weekend full force. Getting to the circuit on Thursday was quite underwhelming, classic cold and wet UK weather for the track walk but the circuit looked SO good. The weather looked dry for the rest of the weekend so no worries about that. Had a quick chat with the team and I was ready to start Friday.

 

 

Riders in the BTC had exams for school on Friday so we only had one session and it was very late in the day. I was able to relax and do some more studying before we got on track. Turns out it’s very boring when you’re not riding LOL. But getting ready for FP1 was a lot more exciting than normal because of the long wait.

 

 

FP1 was an amazing session, ended up topping the session but the pace right off the bat was incredible. Already got down to last year’s lap record with tons more pace in the bag. Chatted with the team on debrief around the areas on the track that I could clean up. I studied my track map and I wanted to get back out there so bad. The bike felt phenomenal, and I was super ready for the very busy Saturday.

  

 

After my amazing FP1 I was so excited to continue the weekend and FP2 was just as good. My teammate that I basically classify as my brother George Bowes, and I went P1 and P2 in FP2 with both of us underneath the lap record. This was just about the most perfect session we could have.  I love George and his family so much and it put a massive smile on my face that he was having such an amazing start to the weekend.

 

 

 

Heading into qualifying I had a plan and an unbelievable feeling with the bike. At Navarra I got my first career pole and guess what, I had to double it BABY! Stuck it on pole for back-to-back rounds and a new lap record by 1.2 seconds. It was an amazing feeling to go back-to-back and to show the team that I was here to fight this weekend. It was pole position with a 4 tenth buffer to the rest of the field which is Moto3 terms is a ton. Overall, it was an incredible session with amazing feelings and ready for the races. 

 

 

Heading into race 1 I felt the hunger come back like I felt before the start of the weekend. I wanted the win so bad, and I was ready to do whatever it took for it. Heading to the grid and seeing the pole position board in front is some kind of feeling and I can’t even explain it. All I knew was that I was more than ready for it.

 

 

I was going into the race with the exact same plan as Navarra, lead as much as possible and let the others sort themselves out. And this is exactly what I did. I got credited with the race lead every lap besides 2 in the race, but we came up just short in the end. The race overall was incredible, me and Lucas Brown had one of if not the most fun races I’ve ever been in. We were nonstop back and forth passing and somehow in some way we had 0 contact. I took a risk on the last lap going down into Melbourne loop and it didn’t pay off. I broke a bit later than normal to avoid being passed into the corner but ran it slightly wide and allowed Brinton in for P1 and I just wasn’t close enough to throw an attack going into the last corner.

 

 

Finished the race P2 but ahead of the championship leader so we made 4 points back. We worked really hard for that top finish and it was right there for the taking. My gamble didn't pay off, but I will take a P2 any day. 

 

 

Heading into race 2 I was ready to take the fight to the guys and get that P1, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. I had a brilliant warmup session and was ready for race 2. The plan didn’t change, and I was going to be at the front the entire time and let the carnage unfold behind. Little did I know I was going to be a part of the carnage.

 

 

The start of the race was incredible, and I got my way up to the front and stayed there for many laps. Going into lap 8 I was overtaken by the brakes going into the final corner and they ran a bit wide and there was a gap for my bike. I put the bike in the gap not knowing that the rider was going to cut back to the race line, I was ahead at the moment, but the rider hit my right side and fell. In my opinion I believe it was just a racing incident but not even a lap later I was penalized with a long lap penalty. I was very confused with this penalty, but I knew it had to be done. I was on the brakes entering the long lap loop and didn’t think of how nasty and dirty they have the long lap and tucked the front straight up and down on the brakes. 

 

 

After much reflection this crash was on me and my inexperience entering long laps. It is not a part of the track that is used often and therefore very dirty. In my rush to get through it I entered it quicker than I should have. I was furious at this time but made sure not to show it. I didn't agree with the call but there was nothing we could do about it. It pains me to end such an amazing weekend like this but it’s part of racing and there is nothing I would change in the race. These are things I must experience and I’m glad I have.

 

 

Thank you so much to the entire team for all the hard work throughout the weekend, I’m so grateful for you all. Massive thank you to the Bowes' for everything they do for me, George I know I mess with you a lot, but I just want you to know how proud I am of you and how honored I am to share a bed with you LOL. I’m more then hungry to pull the 29 point gap back and we’re going to be back stronger than ever at Snetterton in 6 weeks!