Round Five. Brands Hatch, Kent.

We always look forward to a weekend at Brands Hatch. Such an iconic location and a perfect place to be on a warm summer’s day. All ready to do battle over the 2.43 mile grand prix layout, through the dips and rises at the back of the circuit and around the amphitheatre Indy circuit section.

After a mixed weekend at Snetterton, a podium but a couple of technical issues on Max’s bike and three strong rides by Joe, we were really looking forward to making an impact at Brands. We are now familiar enough with the characteristics of our AJN Steelstock bimota KB988 Riminis to be confident we would be running at the front. The fast and flowing nature of the circuit plays to the strengths of our bimota chassis and Kawasaki ZX10 engines.

Our rookie rider Joe has already proved that he’s a worthy superbike rider and a regular top ten runner up against far more experienced riders. Max on the other hand is into his fourth season now and finally comfortable in the knowledge that he’s as fast as anyone out there. Just needs to get that first win in the bag!

An added bonus was the weather forecast. A warm and sunny weekend means bike set up can be optimised and riders can give of their best without the variable of tricky track conditions.

Free practice testing

One hour on Friday morning. Max running-in new front brakes and using worn tyres. Joe unfortunately ran into a technical issue after four laps and had to sit out the session while his bike was sorted out. The session provided an opportunity to try out some subtle set up changes, all of which received positive feedback from Max. After 18 laps and with nine minutes to go, Max went out on new tyres and set the fastest time of the morning. A promising start, even if Joe had some catching up to do.

The afternoon practice session is shorter, just half an hour for final preparations before pre-qualifying. Joe got in 15 laps without any issues and while he was a bit off the fastest times, he almost matched Max’s worn tyres time. Good recovery but still a bit behind the curve. Max was just happy to consolidate the earlier changes and get some laps in on tyres which had covered nearly a full race distance.

Pre-qualifying

Joe pulled out all the stops for a very impressive P6 time, achieved with a bit of help from his mate Kyle Ryde who gave him an on-track target to aim at. His lap time, a 1.24.9, matched Max’s previous best! Max meanwhile was lapping even faster and his P3 lap in 1.24.8 was just over a tenth slower than the lap record and 0.071 behind Redding’s fastest time, with Ryde in between them. It was all very close with the top 15 riders covered by less than a second.

Qualifying. Max P3, Joe P6

10 minutes free practice on Saturday morning to prepare for qualifying went off without a hitch.

Qualifying at Brands Hatch is particularly important as the times are so close and overtaking is not easy. Second or third row at best was the target for Joe who was going straight into the second part of qualifying with Max. Max would be aiming for another front row start.

And that’s how it turned out: Max on the front row, P3 and Joe on the third row, P9. Max had another special qualifying session. Straight out on new tyres, his second lap of five was his best, P1. Ryde went out on used tyres before a quick pitstop for a new pair. Off he went and smashed the outright record with a 1.23.9. Redding’s best effort was 0.2 ahead of Max but still 0.4 behind Ryde’s very impressive time. As usual, Joe was fully committed. Hovering around the top ten he posted a 1.24.9 lap for P9. That’s how it stayed but with Joe first having an off at the fast Westfield corner, just trying to nick a bit of time. Rider okay, bike not too badly damaged.

All ready for race one and 20 laps of hard racing.

Feature race one. Max P3, Joe DNF

Two strong starts. Max held off Iddon into Paddock Hill Bend and slotted into P3 behind Ryde and Redding. Joe had an even more impressive launch and elbowed his way into P6 behind Haslam. Max and the two Ducati riders edged away from the chasing pack, including Joe was hanging on well in the company of some very experienced racers – Haslam, Ray and Iddon. Sadly his race only lasted five and a bit laps. Into the banked lefthander at Stirlings, he lost the front of his bimota on a notorious bump and clattered through the gravel and into the safety fencing. Pity but he’ll have learned a lot over those laps.

Max spent the first half of the race at qualifying pace as he stuck with Redding and Ryde who were piling the heat onto each other in their battle for supremacy. After 10 laps Max could feel his tyres losing grip but with a big gap behind and no realistic hope of staying with the leaders, he eased off his pace. Still running faster than the group behind as his tyres cooled a bit allowing the grip to come back, Max was in no man’s land. When the red flag ended the race after 17 laps he crossed the line P3, definitely the best of the rest. Ryde crossed the line 0.3 ahead of Redding for the win.

Sprint race. Max P3, Joe P12

Another front row start for Max, P3, based on his best lap time in race one. Max knew from the first encounter that the shorter 12 lap Sprint distance meant he could push his tyres from flag to flag. Despite his crash, Joe would line up P9 again, hoping for better luck.

Dream start for Max, hole shot into the lead with Ryde and Redding jostling for position behind him. Joe made it safely through the first half lap and emerged P8. From there on Joe played it a bit safe, not wanting to repeat Saturday’s DNF. The riders around could sense that and put some hard moves on Joe which shuffled him back as the race went on. Eventually finishing P12, Joe was only 0.3 behind Brookes in P10.

Max held on to the lead for a couple of laps before Ryde used the superior speed of his Ducati to pass him into Paddock Hill as they started lap three. Max then held Redding at bay for the next five laps while Ryde cleared off into the distance. Max posted four laps faster than his qualifying time, such was the pace. Again, using Ducati power Redding got ahead on lap nine and briefly pulled away until Max got his second wind and began to close back up. At the flag Max was just 0.2 behind Redding and closing fast. Maybe another lap and he’d have been able to mount an attack.

Feature race two. Max P3 (Again!).  Joe P10

20 laps. Max starting from the middle of the front row, P2. Joe P12.

Not such a good start from Max who had to fight off Vickers into Druids Hairpin and then pass Ray on the brakes into Hawthorn at the end of the back straight. P3 behind the usual suspects Ryde and Redding. This time around it was Redding setting the pace. Laps six and seven behind the safety car but the three at the front quickly gapped the field again.

Another great start from Joe, from 12^th to P9 in the mid-pack traffic was impressive. Skinner and Irwin soon got him back but once again Joe was racing with the seriously fast boys and looking at home. After that it became a race long dice with Kent and with Jackson close behind. Kent beat Joe to the line by just over second, but he held off Jackson for P10.

Max upped his game another notch and managed to stay much closer to Redding and Ryde throughout the 20 laps. After 15 laps the three of them were covered by less than one second. With a big gap back to Haslam, Max did roll off a bit over the last three laps but was still only two and a half seconds behind second placed Ryde at the line and he matched winner Redding’s fastest lap time.

Championship positions

The AJN Steelstock bimota team is now third in the championship standings, just ahead of the McAMS Yamaha squad. Max is still P5 for riders on 151 points, 16 behind Ray in P3 – and Max lost 26 points to technical issues last time out at Snetterton. Joe continues to battle on with 67 points to his name placing him P14 but surrounded by big name riders and only nine points behind Jackson in P10.

Next time

Back to Oulton Park for some summer action through Cheshire parkland. Joe put in an impressive round one performance at his home circuit and would be back for more. Max wants to make up for missed opportunities the last time we were there and continue to build on his front running momentum.

Let’s see what happens and hope to see you there.

Regards. Nigel Team Principle.