Donington BSB “just okay” for Rory Skinner as Yamaha adaptation continues

Rory Skinner’s adaptation to the Yamaha R1 remains ongoing after the TAS Racing rider was sixth twice at the Donington Park BSB.

Skinner’s two sixths at Donington matched his best result from the BSB opener at Oulton Park, but the former grand prix rider says he is still not riding like himself on the Yamaha R1.

“I wouldn’t say I’m 100 per cent comfortable on the Yamaha yet,” Skinner told Crash.net after Race 3 at Donington.
“I can ride it to the limit and I can have moments on it and feel in control – I’m comfortable, but I’m not ‘me’ on it yet. 

“So, there’s still a bit to come from me in my riding on the Yamaha and there’s still a bit to come in the setup of the Yamaha for me, but we’ll just have to keep working. It might take a little bit longer, but we’ll get there.”

Skinner’s overall assessment of the weekend at Donington was neither positive nor negative.

“I would say this weekend was just ‘okay’,” he said.

“It wasn’t good, it wasn’t bad, it was just ‘okay’. Difficult, really. 

“Came to Donington with pretty high expectations – gone well here in the past, felt confident here in the past. 

“It just didn’t seem to come together. 

“Friday was a tough day for us, kind of put us on the back foot a little bit; pre-qualifying, only got a few laps in it, then had a technical issue, so that wasn’t great. 

“Saturday was looking on the up, but just struggling a little bit – we’re in a battle with the other Yamahas every race, all race long, but just never seemed to have anything for anybody else. 

“Difficult, going to go home, train even harder, work even harder, come back to Knockhill being the best version of myself. 

“The boys will work hard over the break to try and figure out what direction we go in with the bike. From there, we’ll see what’s what.”