Race Report: Brands Hatch & Thruxton – Two Weekends, Two Stories
Brands Hatch – Drama from the First Laps
Brands Hatch promised a strong weekend, but it threw a curveball almost immediately. Just four laps into Free Practice 1, I was running in the top ten when an electronics issue struck exiting Stirlings. The bike cut all power mid-corner, overloading the front tyre and causing a crash.
I was 99% sure it was a technical fault and wanted confirmation quickly so I could move on and focus on what was to come next. The culprit was eventually found – damaged wiring in the electronic throttle cable, likely from long-term wear and tear, which triggered a fault code to shut the bike down.
Although frustrating, the new throttle we fitted transformed the bike’s feel. For over a year, I’d been adapting to a stiff, unresponsive throttle — turns out it was just faulty all along! The instant feedback from the new unit was a huge positive.
Missing the rest of FP1 and all of FP2 meant qualifying became an exercise in catching up. In Q1&2, another hiccup – a loose seat unit – cost me track time, but I still made it through to and qualified 22nd with times very close throughout the field.
Race 1 saw a last-minute downpour just as we headed to the grid. With limited wheel and tyre options due to the crash damage, I went for full wets. It was the right call early on, climbing into the top 15, but as the track dried, grip dropped off and I slipped to 18th. A lesson learned: an intermediate rear would have been perfect for the changing conditions.
Race 2 was déjà vu – another heavy shower before lights out. This time, I gambled on a wet front and intermediate rear. Early on I dropped to 25th as the wets charged, but once conditions came to me, I started carving through the field, lapping up to four seconds quicker than those around me. I crossed the line in 7th with the third-fastest lap of the race – a great turnaround after a challenging start.
Thruxton – High Speeds, High Tyre Wear
Thruxton is one of my favourite circuits, but last year it was a tough round for us, with the Suzuki’s top-end and chassis better suited to other layouts. We knew this year would require hard work.
The opening free practices were tricky – I was chasing a good setup while also looking for a slipstream, which can be worth half a second here due to the high-speed nature of the track. Thruxton’s abrasive surface also means rear tyres only hold peak performance for about 5–6 laps.
Heading into qualifying, we focused on improving the bike’s ability to turn under acceleration, and the changes worked. Without a tow, I set my fastest laps so far, qualifying 20th – just 0.1 seconds shy of 15th.
Race 1 was a close battle in a big group. I felt I had more pace than some ahead but struggled to pass, partly due to the throttle restriction we run, which impacts top-end acceleration. I finished 18th, but with growing confidence after hitting a 1:18.4.
Race 2 was a rollercoaster. I made a strong start, got into the top 15, and set a 1:18.2 before a red flag. Most riders fitted fresh rears for the restart, but budget limitations meant I stuck with my used tyre. I still went faster, dropping into the 1:17s, before another red flag. By the final restart, my tyre had 12–13 laps on it while others had 3/4 laps. Combined with an electronics glitch causing poor starts and engine braking issues, I had to settle for 19th. The positive? My pace was good enough for the eighth-fastest lap overall.
Takeaways
Two very different weekends, but both full of learning. At Brands, we overcame mechanical setbacks to deliver a top-10 in tricky conditions. At Thruxton, we found a strong direction with the bike setup and proved we have the pace – even when circumstances don’t play into our hands.
Now, all focus shifts to Cadwell Park – time to keep the momentum rolling.