I guess I just have to keep looking on this year as a learning experience. Whatever happens, whether it’s good or bad, I just have to use it to my advantage for later in my career. And I am enjoying parts of this season. When everything is promising and I can push hard for fast laps then I feel I am making progress, although I have learnt to expect some difficulties around the corner.
That was certainly true at Monza – a circuit which I really enjoyed riding at, especially with the fast straights and famous sections like Ascari. However, a recurring problem of stability on the straights re-appeared and that was a problem all weekend. We have done some work at it since at RAF Wittering – which is only five minutes from my house and close enough for me to hear them when they are doing night-time exercise with Harriers, so it was nice to get my own back with some noise of my own. But, there, we didn’t have any problems with stability at all. It now seems to be track-specific - certain exits onto the long straights set the bike off and it continues to wobble until I shut the throttle off. The problems at Monza were out of my control and we knew that there was a chance we would have some difficulties on that circuit as you are on wide open throttle for nearly 50 per cent of the lap.
We head to Brno for a three-day Pirelli test next week and we will obviously be keeping an eye on straight-line stability there, and looking to get a good set-up for the race. I haven’t raced a Superbike at Brno, or the venue for the next race, Misano, but I am confident that I am making progress and I certainly feel more comfortable on the bike now.
Craig
