Test day

鈥淚 was buzzing to ride the Honda again. We set off strongly with a 1:33.6 on my 3^rd lap, then managed a 1:32.9 in session 4. I was happy with the lap times despite finding it far too physical and struggling towards the end of each session. We needed to find a better setting to help me run a race distance. Without the datalogger yet again, we made improvements, but I wasn鈥檛 fully sure with the feeling. I had a few moments, very nearly losing the front at The Hairpin and up out of the seat twice, so started to tense up towards the end of the day.鈥�

Race Day Free Practice

鈥淚 tried to relax more and felt really good, but the lap times were poor 鈥� in the 1:34s. My head needed a shake as my confidence dropped. It was a waste of a session as I had no idea if it was me, the bike or both. I went for a nap!鈥�

Qualifying (P12 on Grid)

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 get onto the circuit in a good position and every time I was on a good lap I would catch a bunch of riders. I dropped off and tried to find space, but it was a nightmare. I kept calm and gave myself just one lap at the end to put in a time of 1:33.277 which put me 12^th on the grid. That lifted my confidence again and gave me a feeling we could make better bike changes.鈥�

Race 1 (P7 in Class)

鈥淚 was worried about my first race start on the Honda as the two practice runs had been terrible. In fact, it wasn鈥檛 bad and I got away to make a pass on Jamie Boyce at Park putting me in P11. I settled behind Liam Murtagh and Luca Jennings and felt okay, dipping in the 1:32s, but on Lap 4 they started to drop me slightly. Being the first race on the bike, I just didn鈥檛 settle enough.听 听

鈥淪till trying to work things out, I didn鈥檛 want to push too much and make a mistake. Jamie then came back past with Brandon Petty chasing him down. I found myself sandwiched between them. Petty made a move on me at The Hairpin, but didn鈥檛 make it stick. He then got past me again at Charlies 1 so I decided to stay behind him, try to let him pull me on as I didn鈥檛 want to slow us up too much.听

鈥淎 couple of laps later, I felt good and had the pace to re-pass him. With a lap and a half to go, I was setting up a move at Chris Curve when we had a random dump of what felt like hailstones. By Mansfield, it had stopped so I was straight back on it trying to get past. Then more heavy rain through Hall Bends and I locked the front at The Hairpin and ran on. Paul Charman snuck past me, but knowing the rain couldn鈥檛 have settled below the over-hanging trees, I went hard into Barn Corner and managed to out-drag him to the line.听

The red 鈥榝lag came out for the rain and crashes it caused. It was a shame to finish that way as I was in good flow. I really enjoyed the race and to say it was my first one on the 鈥楤lade, 7^th in Class was okay.鈥�

Race 2 (P6 in Class)

鈥淟ights out and it was an okay start from P14 on the Grid. The bike felt good for 3 laps and then it was hard work. I鈥檇 made a change for this race and it was completely the wrong way 鈥� my fault as I didn鈥檛 listen to advice and lived to regret it. 听

听鈥淭he arm pump was the most painful I have had. I was a passenger for most of the race, but never stopped trying. I did manage to pass Liam on the last lap as he was having the same issues. Strangely, 6^th place was my best ever in the Pirelli Super Series. I gave it all I had just to finish and was proud of myself, not for performance, but for staying onboard. A fair few riders went down in that one. The hard graft paid off, but I was not happy.鈥�

Race 3 (P7 in Class)

鈥淲e went back to Race 1 settings and it felt so much better. I had a lot of work to do starting P15 on the Grid because of a bad lap time in Race 2. Got away okay again, got stuck in and was enjoying it.

鈥淥n Lap 2, I got to Wilf Turner and saw a rare pass could be on over The Mountain. So, on Lap 3 I did just that, putting me in a great position to get away and go with Liam, Boyce and Jennings. Then, four turns later, I missed my gear change into The Hairpin, ran on and lost two places to Wilf and Paul Charman. A nightmare. My fault for rushing and not engaging 1st gear correctly.听

鈥淚 went into chill mode, got back to work and felt strong. I managed to pass Charman, then Petty, to get on the back of Turner again. Close racing with Wilf, we hunted down Liam, Jennings and Boyce. I tried to squeeze a pass on the last lap into Hall Bends, but had to back out at the last second. We both got past Boyce and Wilf closed the door early at The Hairpin. I went for a run to the line and, just like last year, I lost out.

鈥淕reat racing by all the lads and I really enjoyed that race to finish the weekend. If I hadn鈥檛 missed that gear I was sure this would have been my best finish.

鈥淕ood things are coming and I hope to see some of you up north at Knockhill for Round 7. I can鈥檛 wait.鈥�

Photos by Matt Sayle Photography

鈥淕V Racing has just competed in Round 4 of the FIM MotoJunior, held this weekend at the Nevers Magny-Cours Circuit, after an intense day of racing in the Moto2 European Championship and Stock European Championship categories.

鈥淚n Moto2 European Championship, Marcos Uriarte played the two races of the weekend. In the first round he crossed the finish line in the 25th position, while in the second race he managed to finish in the 22nd position, completing a weekend in which the rider and the team continued to work to continue evolving and accumulating experience in a top-level category.”

鈥淚n the Stock European Championship, Blai Trias starred in a solid performance, ending the race in a meritorious 6^th position, adding an important result for the team after staying throughout the test fighting in the leading group.

鈥淔or his part, Jordi Losada managed to complete the race in the 19^th position. After the fall suffered during Saturday’s qualifying session, the GV Racing driver returned to the track with the aim of finishing the race and continuing to add kilometres and experience in a very competitive category.”

Statements by Rafa Garc铆a 鈥� Team Manager

“We ended a weekend of hard work in which the team has not stopped fighting at any time. Marcos has continued to grow in Moto2 and has completed two races that will help him continue evolving. Blai has had a great race getting a very worked sixth position, while Jordi knew how to overcome Saturday’s fall to finish the test and continue adding experience.”

“I want to thank the effort of the whole team during these days at Magny-Cours. Now it’s time to analyse everything you’ve learned, continue working and prepare for the next championship appointment with the illusion of continuing to grow and fighting for better results.”

鈥淲ith this result, GV Racing closes its passage through Magny-Cours with valuable information to continue developing the sports project before the next appointment of the FIM MotoJunior, where the team will compete again with the same ambition and commitment that characterises it.鈥�

鈥淔inally, a weekend to smile about!

鈥�100% race completion, some decent results, and most importantly, confidence back on the bikes. Hopefully we’ve finally turned a corner.鈥�

Qualifying (Starting P4)

鈥淭hroughout the weekend, I struggled with the brakes overheating and the pads glazing, but this was the first time I’ve properly raced the 750 without any mechanical issues.:

Race 1

鈥淎 solid race, but I couldn’t quite stay with the riders ahead. Finished P4.鈥�

Race 2

鈥淚 got a great launch before a red flag brought the race to a halt. On the restart I made another strong start and stayed with the leader, but just didn’t quite have enough to make a move. Finished P2.鈥�

Race 3

鈥淎nother great start saw me lead into Turn 1. I expected the 1000cc bikes to out-drag me down the back straight, but the 750 held its own. By lap 3 the brakes were becoming a real struggle, but thankfully I’d built enough of a gap to manage it. Finished P1.鈥�

Race 4

鈥淎s I was still struggling with the brakes, we swapped them over before the final race, which made a huge difference. Another strong start saw me battling with Tyler for the opening laps, swapping positions several times before I finally took the lead. From there I pushed on and took the win by 9.185 seconds.

鈥淚 always believed the 750 could be competitive in Thunderbike Ultra, but coming to Snetterton with its long straights, I expected the 1000s to have a clear advantage. I’m really pleased to have been proven wrong 鈥� the bike was more than capable of holding its own.

鈥淥verall, I’m really happy with how the weekend went. It was great to feel confident again and to come away with consistent finishes, podiums and a pair of wins.

鈥淣ow it’s on to Donington Park on 25th & 26th July.鈥�

Pic credit:

鈥淎 really positive weekend overall with plenty to take away!

鈥淥n the Aprilia RS660, we brought home a solid P10 in the opening race. Things got interesting before we even got going when a rider broke down on the start line, leaving me with nowhere to go and costing me valuable time. I kept my head down, stayed focused, and fought back to finish 10th.

鈥淪unday was where the Aprilia really came alive. We had some brilliant battles throughout the first race, but I was really struggling to get the bike stopped under braking, making it difficult to attack into the corners. Before the final race, we fitted a fresh set of 91传媒 Racing brake pads, and the transformation was incredible. The confidence under braking came straight back, allowing me to brake later, carry more speed into the turns and race the bike properly. We finished the day with two P8 finishes, and it was a fantastic reminder of just how much difference quality braking performance makes. A huge thank you to 91传媒 for supplying products that perform when it matters most. Proud to have them supporting the team!鈥�

鈥淭he Triumph 765 had a tougher start to the weekend. An oil leak in qualifying meant we were just outside the qualifying time, putting us 4th on the grid for the Support Race.

鈥淚n that race, I made a move up the inside into Turn 1 on lap 3, but another rider turned in and we had a coming together. Thankfully we both stayed upright, although I dropped back to 8th. I dug deep, worked my way back through the field, and came home with a P3 podium finish.听

鈥淪unday couldn鈥檛 have gone much better!

鈥淏ecause the Triumph race from Saturday had been cancelled following three separate red flags, we lined up 2nd on the grid for the rescheduled race. I got a great start and settled into 2nd place, keeping the pressure on the race leader. A few laps in, the leader made a small mistake and ran wide. I was in exactly the right place to take advantage, slipped through into the lead, and never looked back. It certainly wasn鈥檛 an easy race, but it was an enjoyable one, and taking my first win on the Triumph 765 made all the hard work worthwhile.听

鈥淎 massive thank you to 91传媒, all my sponsors, supporters, family and everyone who continues to back us. Every lap we鈥檙e learning more about both bikes, and the results are starting to show. Time to get everything prepared for the next meeting!鈥�

Thunderbike Sport

鈥淭he weekend started strongly in Thunderbike Sport qualifying. I was initially able to get some good times on the board but knew there was still more pace in the bike. With the track becoming increasingly busy, I chose to back off and create a gap to give myself some clean air for a final push lap. The strategy paid off, and I secured P1 in class.鈥�听

Race 1

鈥淯nfortunately, we were still struggling with the issue that was affecting my starts. As the lights went out, I produced another impressive kangaroo impression, losing several positions off the line. I quickly settled into a rhythm and began fighting my way back through the field, enjoying some great battles along the way. By the chequered flag, I had recovered to finish P2.鈥�

Race 2 & 3

鈥淏oth races followed a very similar pattern. Another difficult launch off the line left me with work to do in the opening laps, but I was able to make progress through the pack and enjoy some close racing as I regained positions. Despite the strong pace, the gap to the leader was too much to close, and I brought the bike home in P2 in both races.鈥�

Race 4

鈥淭he final race of the weekend started in familiar fashion, with another poor start dropping me several places from my P6 grid position. Once again, I fought my way forward and was involved in some fantastic battles throughout the race. The highlight was a thrilling last-lap fight with Jamison. I had lined up a move, but unfortunately we caught a backmarker at exactly the wrong moment in the last part of the track, ending any chance of an overtake. I crossed the line in P3, but thoroughly enjoyed the battle and ended the weekend on a positive note.听

鈥淥verall, it was a weekend of strong pace and hard-fought racing. While the starts continue to be an area we need to improve, the speed was there all weekend and there are plenty of positives to take into the next round.鈥�

Thunderbike Ultra

鈥淭he weekend started with a frustrating qualifying session. I headed out on the 750 but quickly realised we were still suffering from a clutch issue, forcing me to return to the pits without being able to complete a representative lap. After switching to the 1000, I was left with very little time to get a lap on the board, but I managed to put in a qualifying time. Due to the bike change, I was handed a six-place grid penalty for Race 1, dropping me to P12 on the grid.鈥�

Race 1

鈥淒espite the penalty, I got a strong launch off the line and immediately started working my way through the pack. With some good pace and consistent lap times, I was able to make up positions throughout the race and fight my way through to a solid P5 finish.

鈥淯nfortunately, in the Powerbike race, the 1000 developed an overheating issue which caused further mechanical problems and left us unable to continue competing on that bike for the remainder of the day. The team switched focus to repairing the 750, and after a lot of hard work we managed to get it ready in time for Sunday morning.鈥�

Race 3

鈥淗aving missed Race 2, I was forced to start Race 3 from the back of the grid. I made good progress through the field, enjoyed some great battles, and worked my way up to finish in P6.

鈥淲hile it was encouraging to get the bike back out and be competitive again, the damage to the clutch had already been done before the repair. To avoid causing any further issues and risking a bigger failure, we made the difficult decision to sit out Race 4.

鈥淎 challenging weekend with plenty of setbacks, but there were positives to take away.鈥�

Thanks to听Glyn’s Photos and SJG_punkrocknracing_pix for the images.

鈥淎 challenging but promising start to the season, with some clear positives to take away 鈥� especially in braking performance.

鈥淎fter qualifying 7th on the Supersport grid, we showed strong potential in Race 2, moving up to 4th place early on. However, after a couple of moments in the opening laps, the decision was made to retire from the race. It was about the bigger picture 鈥� staying focused on the season ahead rather than taking unnecessary risks.”

鈥淚n the Supertwin class, we were consistently inside the top 15 and made steady progress across the weekend. The Aprilia 660 in particular is showing real promise heading forward.

鈥淎 big positive throughout was the performance of the听91传媒听package. On both bikes, the braking was strong, consistent, and gave the confidence to push: especially important around a circuit like Oliver鈥檚 Mount. It鈥檚 a solid step forward and something we鈥檙e excited to build on into 2026鈥︹��

Test Days

鈥淲e had two test days for the first round which was good to give us extra time to get up to speed. I was happy on Day 1, but struggled with tyre wear and grip on Day 2 when the temperature dropped. I was a little worried on what my qualifying time might be after an average couple of days on the bike, so a quick call to Not So Fast was what I needed just to set the plan.”

Qualifying

鈥淏ike felt great and on Lap 3 I managed 1:56.7, so pulled in to save tyre. This put me P6 in class taking the three BSB lads out of the numbers and, basically, leading my bunch. So, yes, happy. Best lap: 1:56.706 and 10th on grid.”

Race 1

鈥淒idn鈥檛 get a great start and found myself in a close four-way battle for most of the race, which was fun. Had to make up some early ground to get there. Saw parts of the track where I could improve and was looking forward to a strong Race 2. Best lap: 1:56.340 and 10^th in Class.”

Race 2

鈥淕ot a much better start, settled in and led the bunch (in P9) until Lap 5 when I started to drop back. I was running in the mid to low 56鈥檚 and knew I needed to drop into the 54/55鈥檚 to hold position. I wasn鈥檛 sure if the bike started to turn slower or I may have tried too hard to pull away, but it started to feel hard work. This was the hardest part of the weekend to accept as, with clear track ahead, I gave myself the opportunity to pull away, but wasn鈥檛 able to. I then got caught in an incident which put me on the grass and I lost the chance to hold onto the group. Brought it home P9 in Class with a slightly better lap time of 1:56.298.”

Race 3

鈥淢ade a few slight changes to the bike for Race 3, keen to run at the pace I felt possible if I could get to the front of the pack and find clear track. Another good start and made up some early places. However, a rider around me had multiple bike problems making it difficult and risky to pass. I had to take avoiding action, then trying to get away from the problem, made a mistake and ran on at the next hairpin, losing 5 places. Frustrated, I got back on track and recovered as many places as possible in the remaining laps. I managed to make my way back to P12 in Class. Lap 2 was my fastest lap of the weekend and, being 0.4 seconds below my PB set last year, it was a massive disappointment not to improve on that. Best lap: 1:55.973 and P12 in Class.

鈥淚n summary, I don鈥檛 think the feel I got from the bike was great, although I may have tried to override to compensate. We all know that does not work. I can be faster when things are right. It wasn鈥檛 all bad and there were lots of positives to take away from the meeting. Whilst my final placings don鈥檛 look spectacular, the 3 podium places were taken by the Tag Honda BSB riders in each race. Allowing for them, my places weren鈥檛 too shabby.

鈥淭hank you to No Limits Racing and the marshals for a well very run meeting and a massive well done on the new YouTube channel. A great addition to club level racing.

鈥淭hank you to every single person and sponsor that makes this possible.鈥�

Photos by Matt Sayle Photography