Max Cook sure of where to improve after Donington BSB Race 1 P5

Fifth for Max Cook in Race 1 at the Donington BSB can be improved on in Sunday’s two races with progress in one part of the Midlands circuit’s layout.

Cook was pleased enough with his race at the end, with fifth matching his result from the two Sunday races last time out at Assen.

But he feels there is margin in himself to close if he is to fight for the rostrum tomorrow.

“The race was okay,” Cook told Crash.net after BSB Race 1 at Donington.

“Obviously I know the setup we have is nice. Perhaps I just didn’t have it in me today to fight for the podium. 

“That’s on me, I know how to fix it for tomorrow.”

Cook says the area to improve is the final sector.

“I need to be better at the last sector, that’s my downfall at the minute,” he said, adding that he feels he’s pushing too hard in braking.

“At the moment, I’m just not 100 per cent there,” he said.

“You need to be to compete at this level, so it’s hard. 

“I think I’m good on the brakes, but maybe too good and I’m out-braking myself and screwing it up a bit. That should be fixed.”

Compared to the start of the season in round two, Cook was worse in Race 1 at Donington this time at round 10, missing the podium and finishing behind both Ryan Vickers and Bradley Ray who never featured on the podium in May. 

The Bimota rider feels that he does not have the same confidence now as then after the big crash he had in Thruxton.

“The bike’s the same, but I’ve been riding on confidence at the start of the season and now, obviously, I’m building that back up again,” he said.

“I think part of it is me, and obviously the Honda’s come on strong now with Ryan [Vickers] on it, so they’ve found something. 

“It makes it exciting and threw a few more people into the mix, and it’s the Showdown part of the year, too, so everyone wants either a job for next year or is trying to make their package a little bit better so they’re finding their feet with it.”