Round Four. Snetterton 300 Norfolk.

We were looking forward to a warm and dry Norfolk weekend and that’s what we got. Removing one of the main variables of a race weekend.

More important than the weather, we were confident that our AJN Steelstock bimota KB998 Riminis would suit the fast and flowing layout of the circuit.

Everything was pointing to a record-breaking weekend with teams and new bikes now fully sorted out and up to speed. The record lap time for the three-mile stood at 1.46.5, with the absolute record in qualifying of 1.46.0, set by Shane Byrne in 2017. Surely both were destined to be bettered over the weekend.

Max and Joe were excited to get going after a tricky round at the short and bumpy Knockhill circuit which didn’t really suit us. 

Free practice testing

Max was immediately happy with his bike, covering 18 laps during the one-hour session and posting the seventh fastest time. At the same time, Ray was setting amazing lap times, so clearly we had work to do. Bearing in mind that initially the track was ‘green’ dirty and dusty until enough rubber was down, times were bound to drop down to nearer record pace as the weekend went on. Joe was feeling uncomfortable after his initial runs, worrying he was someway off the pace. However, it was only his fourth round with the team and first outing on a seriously fast and challenging circuit. Top speeds nudging 180mph at the end of the Bentley Straight.

The shorter 30-minute afternoon session was an opportunity for the chassis set up of Max’s bike to be adjusted and for Joe to get some more laps in now he had an idea of what he needed to do. We arranged for Joe to follow Max for a few laps to help him learn how best to tackle the lap on a superbike. Initially that didn’t help as Max was too fast but on their new tyre runs at the end of the session, Joe dug in and managed to hold onto Max for long enough to take chunks out of his best lap time from the morning – 1.3 seconds faster. Still a second a lap shy of Max’s best time, a 1.46.8, which was edging towards the lap record but clearly Joe was starting to get to grips with circuit.

Pre-qualifying

The new tyre runs at the end of free practice were in preparation for the end of day 20 minutes pre-qualifying session. Fastest 12 straight through to the second segment of qualifying with the remaining riders battling it out for a top three position in Q1 which would see them through to Q2.

Max played it cool. Waiting for everyone to go out, he made sure he had a clear track. Just one flying lap and as he crossed the line his name came up P2, 1.46.5 and matching the race lap record, only beaten by Ray’s time nearly half a second faster but comfortably ahead of Ryde. Job done!

Joe knocked off 0.3 from his previous best time recording 1.47.5. Still that one second from Max’s best but good enough for P13. Joe had several big names behind him but was still a bit disappointed, but he would have the benefit of an extra run in Q1.

Things were definitely shaping up for a strong weekend.

Qualifying

Joe went early in Q1 and popped up P1. With a decent lap time up on his dashboard, he came in to sit it out. Towards the end of the session three riders bettered his time so with three minutes to go he went back out. Just enough time for one flying lap. Bang - 0.5 clear at the top and his best lap of the weekend - 1.47 dead – and into Q2. New rear tyre fitted and ready to go.

As Q2 started, Max played it cool again. Rather than go straight out he waited in the garage until halfway through the session when the earlier runners were coming back in. Nice clear track for an out lap, one flying lap and then back in. Max’s private superpole run!  Boy did it work – 1,45.8. 0.2 faster than the absolute record! That really threw the gauntlet down for Ray to pick up. Admitting it was as committed a lap as he could remember, Ray just pipped Max’s time by 0.08 to better the record again and claim pole position. Much tighter than expected after his day one lap time margin.

Joe really hit the high notes with a 1.46.6. 0.4 faster than he’d been so far. Joe had benefitted from being right behind Ray on his fast lap – taking a tow – so that sort of made up for Ray beating Max to pole. So much for Joe’s Friday worries as he simply went faster session by session. He would line up P7, leading off row three of the grid for the first feature race. Top job.

Feature race one. Max DNF, Joe P6.

Major incident at the turn two hairpin took out four riders and brought out the red flag. Max had got off cleanly with the leaders and Joe avoided the carnage. New race declared with a reduced distance of 14 laps.

Another good start from Max who battled with Stacey for P2 and then set off after Ray.  Onto lap five and up the main straight Max’s bimota dragged past Ray’s Yamaha and he was into the lead. Four laps later, Ray was back past and with Redding closing in the three of them pulled clear of Ryde. With three laps to go, Max felt his tyres were good enough to make an attack for the lead. Then, with just two laps to go, disaster struck. Max slowed looking down at his gear lever. A sensor had broken – nothing to do with bike preparation – and that was it race over. What could have been…

While all this was going on, Joe had his head down racing Iddon, the man he replaced in the team. Just after Max’s exit, Iddon’s engine let go bringing out another red flag – race over. Joe was classified P6, his best result to date, and his best lap was a very competitive 1.47.3 which would place him P8 on the grid for the sprint race. Max would line up on the front row again – P3.

Sprint race Max P2, Joe P6

Uneventful 10 minute morning warm up for Max and Joe in preparation for the 12-lap sprint race.

Max had taken his race one retirement as well as could reasonably be expected but he was determined to show his performance was not a fluke. Joe just wanted to go faster!

Max got away behind the Ducatis of Redding and Ryde. Another lap one incident led to a brief safety car period before the race started in earnest on lap two. Ray joined the three at the front and the four of them soon gapped the field. Ray pushed Max back to P4 approaching half distance, but he was right there hanging on in the leading group. Then at turn one, a high-speed incident. Ray passed Ryde at the Murrays Chicane but as Ryde used the power of his Ducati to repass Ray the two touched and Ray went down. Race control deemed Ryde to be at fault and penalised him with a long lap penalty. With laps running out, Ryde didn’t take the on track penalty which meant three seconds would be added to his race time. By that time Max had eased off with a big gap behind and no chance of challenging at the front. But he had to stay less than three seconds behind Ryde to benefit from Ryde’s penalty. He did, crossing the line 2.2 behind. P2. Maybe a bit lucky but it certainly made up for his race one bad luck. Well done Max.

Meanwhile, Joes was doing his thing again, racing Iddon for what turned out to be P5. Skinner caught and passed both of them on the last two laps and the three crossed the line together. Joe P6 again bit just 0.6 back from P4. Another great ride.

Feature race two Max DNF, Joe P8.

Max off the front row for the third time - P2.  Joe row three again - P9.

Max got a flyer and set off in the lead which he held for four laps. That was until Redding put a very hard move on him into the hairpin and in the process Max had to run wide letting Ryde and Vickers through with Ray right behind. Ray managed to get by three laps later pushing Max to P5. Chasing Vicker’s Honda and determined to get back to the leaders, sadly it all went wrong again. Suddenly Max dropped back and cruised to a safe spot to retire. This time it was a transmission issue and again it was something we have never experienced in all our years running the usually bulletproof ZX10 engine. Why do these things never happen in practice or warm up? Such a pity.

As usual. Joe was racing Iddon for P6.  He even managed to pass him over the line on one lap but a mid-race moment exiting Murrays chicane dropped him back. With Skinner and Haslam recovering from poorer starts, Joe finished a worthy P8. Three top ten finishes after doubting himself on Friday morning. Not bad for a rookie.

Max got his podium, but it could have been three on another day. The big take away is he now knows for sure that he can pull his helmet on and race toe-to-toe with Ryde, Redding and Ray.

Championship positions

Max hangs on to P5 in the riders’ standings on 109 points. Joes P12 on 59, only 16 points behind Iddon in P6. In the teams’ standing the AJN Steelstock bimota team is now P4 on equal points with Haslam’s Moto Rapido squad.

Next time

High summer at Brands Hatch. What’s not to like? Brilliant circuit, brilliant location. Best bit is Max has always gone well there and the track characteristics should suit the bimota KB998 Rimini. And, of course Joe will be right in the mix fighting for every place and gaining more experience.

Can’t wait. Hope to see you there.

Regards, Nigel Team Principal.