Round 4 - Accepting the TEST head on

After Snetterton, I took a quick trip home to enjoy with family and friends before going out for my four week stint in the UK with three rounds in that time span. Once I arrived in the UK, I was given the news that I was going to be racing with Wilson Racing again for Brands Hatch because the Microlise Team was still under probate. We had a very promising end to the weekend at Snetterton so I had high hopes. After a good chat with Coach Torres about the circuit and strategy, I was more than prepared to keep the momentum going.

Friday morning's FP1 session proved challenging. The bike felt slightly off, but I attributed it to needing more time to familiarize myself with the bike. To maximize track time, I pushed through the session. We addressed this before FP2, leading to improved lap times, though the handling still wasn't optimal. A discussion with the team revealed the bike's geometry was slightly off, causing a misleading feeling on the front end. This issue was rectified for qualifying, and the team made further adjustments to the bike's rear shock to prepare for the next morning's session.

Qualifying was a much stronger session and I qualified P6 but there was still something missing with the feeling on the bike. The shock change the team made didn't improve so based on the debrief we made the adjustment for Race 1. Reminder, this is their #1 bike they put me on to make sure I kept pushing for the championship. We put a refreshed motor in after the issues at Snetterton and kept making progress as the weekends went on. We had no telemetry on this bike though. So the decisions we were making were based on my feedback, the knowledge of the Wilson Mechanics and the knowledge of the Microlise mechanics; with Wilson's recommendations often taking precedence.

Let me make something perfectly clear, I am eternally grateful to Wilson Racing for stepping up in my time of need. Without them I would be much worse in this championship, especially without a ride. Also, taking under consideration, I have been racing with the same Microlise crew for 2.5 years. We have developed together and they have the formula for the machine that works for what we have become in that time. The Wilson team has their way of managing a bike for the championship and Microlise has their way. Ultimately it is the Wilson bike and we needed to respect their wishes. Racing is inheritably difficult and unforgiving in many ways. While these challenges affect everyone, I cannot ignore the impact on my personal goals and career aspirations.

Going into the Race 1 was feeling very confident after the changes made and ready to give my all. Had a strong launch off the line and went from p6 to p3 on the first lap. A couple of laps in I noticed the little red light out of the corner of my eye on my dash. There were times where I had to pull out of the draft so that the motor could get clean air and not over heat which you could imagine hurt my advantages. Due to this I had absolutely nothing for the guys on the straight and was having to push the limits through the corners just to stay in the group and tried multiple overtakes; just to lose it on the straights every time. I tried one last overtake around the outside of everyone after the back straight in turn 6 but just couldn’t make it work. I had nothing for the guys after that and finished P5. When I pulled into Parc Ferme I told the guys the situation and they looked around the bike to see if they can notice any leaks around the radiator. No leaks were found. The team did further tests that evening and didn't find any apparent issues. So we prepped the bike for the following day.

Morning warm up was damp and it wasn’t going to be for the rest of the day so the Wilson team decided not to go out for the session. For Race 2 I was starting P2 due to my lap times from Race 1. After starting strong, I just couldn't get into the rhythm needed to keep with the lead group. Yet, I'm grateful for the opportunity to compete, to push my limits, and to learn from each experience. While a P5 finish wasn't ideal, I'm thankful for the points earned and the unwavering support of my team. This season has had its highs and lows, but I'm grateful for the dominant performances we've achieved and the valuable lessons learned from the setbacks. I remain committed to giving my all and look forward to the challenges ahead

I'm incredibly grateful to Wilson Racing for the opportunity to compete and contribute to the team's success. While we've faced setbacks and currently sit fourth in the championship, the season is far from over! We're only halfway through, with plenty of races left to make up the 62-point gap. It's a challenge, but I'm confident in my abilities.

A huge shoutout to Mr. Bowes and my fantastic teammate George for their unwavering support. Let's give it our all in this second half and bring home the championship!