Back at the Jerez circuit!
To best prepare for the start of the season, we did some testing last week at Jerez itself (new team, new bike, new category, new leathers).
The race is going to be particularly competitive because several World Championship Sportbike riders (10, including one rider who spent several years in the Moto3 World Championship, representing 10 different nationalities) will be there to prepare for the start of their season.
This category is brand new and has just been created in the World Superbike Championship (WSBK) – hence my choice – and a few countries (England, Germany, and Spain). The ambition is to go to WSBK next year. We’re going to try
to get one or two wildcard entries this year; these would be Aragon and Magny-Cours.
On Thursday, there was quite a bit of wind with gusts up to 80 km/h, which, as you can imagine, made riding rather difficult. We (the team is great!) tried some things in the first part of the session on this new bike (Triumph Daytona 660, a little toy) but it wasn’t conclusive. I went back to my end-of-test settings and felt much more comfortable with them.
Friday morning, the track was wet. The forecast didn’t predict rain for the rest of the day, so I preferred not to ride. In the afternoon, the track was almost dry, with only a few damp patches remaining. I got my bearings and continued to break in my awesome Matt Racing suit. I noted where the wet sections were for tomorrow, as qualifying is likely to be in the same conditions.
Saturday morning, qualifying. The track was indeed like yesterday. I started with a good pace and accelerated throughout the laps to finish in 11th position, just one second behind the leader.
In the afternoon, it’s the first race of the year. I’m ready but a little stressed. I mess up my start, wheelieing, and lose six places. At the first corner, I overtake two riders, but I need to quickly get back to the group in front.
I gradually move up, but a rider with a super-fast bike on the straights gives me a hard time for almost the entire race. I finally manage to get past him, but the rest of the riders ahead of me are too far behind. I finish 12th. I’m very disappointed with this race; I’ll be faster tomorrow.
Sunday, second race, dry track. I’m feeling great mentally. At the start, I have a very good reaction time, but the clutch slips a bit (for the next race, we’ll
change the stock clutch for a specific one), and I lose three places. I work my way back up, rider by rider. My lap times improve, and I beat my best time by five tenths of a second. I’m much more comfortable overtaking
now and I’m back in 5th place. I have a little over 2 seconds to make up in 3 laps… I’ve got him in my sights!! On the last lap, I beat my record again and gain 7 tenths of a second on him; I’m right behind him. I’m going to
attack him. I exit the penultimate corner better, I move over, he’s not expecting it, I brake late alongside him, I keep him on my wheel and I pass him in that last corner; I cross the finish line in 5th position!!! Woohoo!!! I
finish behind 4 world championship competitors.
It was an incredible race with excellent lap times, a very good pace, and some fantastic overtakes. I’m so happy.
In short, a very good weekend. I learned a lot and I intend to do better next time because I can be in the leading group. The next one is in Navarra for the second race of the year, which takes place
in over a month, see you soon!!
