BSB Round 4 Snetterton 300

Luca Wilkinson aka El Loco #76聽

FP: I went out and got back used to the track after not riding here since last year. Had a good feeling within 2 laps I had already beaten my personal best lap there and did a 2:04.062 putting me in 3rd place for free practice.

Qualifying: Really good qualifying overall, I went out at the back but couldn鈥檛 get a clear lap in for the first 6 minutes of the session so I pitted and went out with a clear track and put a time that put me on pole. I pitted again and we decided with the team to wait out the rest of the session to save the tires but with 4 minutes left another rider went quicker and聽Nick Weston聽sent me out at the perfect time giving me the perfect lap with a slip stream and doing a time that put on Pole Position and my PB of 2:02:2 and half a second to P2 on the grid.

Race 1: Unfortunately not much to say about race one, I got a good start and got the hole shot lead for the first 2 laps but on lap 3 I crashed out of the lead at turn 3 putting race 1 to an end.

Huge thanks to the team for working late into the night to get the bike fixed.

Race 2: Starting in 7th after only putting in one flying lap from race 1, I got a good start and got straight into third, at turn 2 on lap 1 I got hit by 2 riders which pushed me wide letting the top 2 get a gap. Dropped back a bit and in the end I got 6th place but had a really good battle with @marleymackenzie and聽Ben Jolife聽which was a lot of fun and great learning.

Overall a lot to take in with my 1st Pole and 1st crash in the year leaving a lot learned and still a lot to learn but we go again stronger and more confident for the next round at brands hatch.

Zack Weston聽

Snetterton definitely isn鈥檛 near the top of my list of tracks I like but Overall a pretty good weekend, struggled with getting a good set up and overall speed through the traps but the team pulled together and got me a good bike set up for the race making the 11 laps feel much easier.

Got a shocker of a start for the race and dropped a few positions but got into my grove and put in some good laps getting past a few riders, battled with a few riders meaning I couldn鈥檛 carry on at that pace and catch the next group of riders but still enjoyed the race. A shame we only had one race this weekend as I felt I had more.

Roll on Brands! Thank you to everyone who makes it possible.

Craig Dance

Tough weekend but learnt a lot having a few issues with the bike but hopefully should be sorted for Brands.

FP1 and FP2聽I felt good, was just dusting of the cobwebs.

Qualifying: P32
Was struggling for pace since the bike set up was wrong and had no engine braking.

Race: DNF
Had a little front-end crash on lap 4 on turn 2 but we learn from these mistakes and I鈥檝e learnt a lot.

Onwards and upwards for brands hatch my home circuit鈥�

Hudson Cooper

Snetterton was a really important weekend for me as it marked my return to the聽Moto4 Championship after missing time through injury. Coming back into it, I knew it was always going to be tough. Not only was I trying to get back up to speed physically and mentally, but with everything that happened at Oulton, it honestly felt like this was my first proper race weekend in the series because I can鈥檛 remember anything from the opening round.

We started the weekend by聽Qualifying聽13th on the grid. It was around where I expected to be, but after time away and getting back into the rhythm of racing the Moto4 bike in a championship environment, it gave me something solid to work from heading into the races.

Race 1, I finished 12th. It was a race where I was still finding my feet a little bit and building confidence back up lap by lap. It was valuable track time and an important step in getting myself back into the groove of the championship.

Race 2聽was a lot more positive in terms of pace, race craft and set-up. I got a strong start and managed to work my way up to 8th in the opening few laps, which was a big confidence boost and showed that the speed was there. Unfortunately, I couldn鈥檛 quite hold onto that position all the way to the finish and crossed the line in 11th, but there were still plenty of positives to take away.

The biggest positive from the weekend was the pace in the final race. Although it took me a little while to get going, I ended up getting the 6th fastest lap-time in race 2, which is encouraging moving forward to聽Brands Hatch聽next weekend.

It shows that the pace is there, and now it鈥檚 about putting the full weekend together from the first session and converting that pace into stronger results.

BSB Round 5 Brands Hatch GP

Luca Wilkinson aka El Loco #76聽

FP: Not Great. Getting to grips with the track & a rider braked sharply. I had to swerve to avoid them, missed my brake point sending me into the gravel at Sheene鈥檚. I hit the barrier which snapped the rearset, I manage to stay on but session over.

Qualifying: I went out treating the qualifying more like FP as everyone was a session ahead of me. The best I could manage was P12 which I wasn鈥檛 happy with but I took it on the chin.

Race1: I get a really good start making my way to P6 by turn 2 and tried my best to hold on to the leading group. Got passed but a couple laps later he crashed out promoting me back to P6.The rest of the race I was in a heated battle between聽Oakley Racing聽and聽Lewis Mullen聽. On the last lap Lewis dove up my inside running me a bit wide and Freddy managed to get past both of us but I managed to drag Lewis to the line behind Freddy just beat me to the line, finished in 7th. Great race.

Warm up: Another incident! A rider ran wide through Hawthorns, I went to go up the inside but he pulled it back & I had to grab the brakes to avoid him & the bike ended up flipping over the barrier. The bike was badly damaged but the team did an amazing job to get the bike ready for race 2 and a massive thanks to聽Andy Wales,聽Lucas King聽SIMON,聽Zack Weston.

Race2: I went out knowing there could potentially be something wrong with the bike. Good start to get in with the leading group but on lap one my right handlebar just slightly twisted in, tried to manage it for a couple laps but it kept moving so I came in got it done up and went back out. In the end I finished last but still enjoyed the expert pit boarding from聽Nick Weston聽and聽Kiera King.

Overall probably a weekend to forget but we move on & learn. On to Oulton next week.

Zack Weston聽

Fp1/Fp2

Practice went really good I felt really comfortable on the bike I had a few issues on the old tyres I was using but overall very good, finishing p16 combined.

Qualifying.

Bit of a tricky one tbh, I put my lap time early on on my own in the session then spent the rest of the session catching slower riders on laps I was down on my Quickest but still happy with my position and felt I had more for the race.

Race 1

Unfortunately another rider crashed and I collided with their bike ending my race on lap 1, there was nothing I could鈥檝e done to avoid it just wrong place wrong time.

Massive thank you to the team聽Adam Cooper聽, Kieron, Andy with their work on and off my bike everything was on point this weekend.

Craig Dance

My home round was looking to perform better than I did but learning loads every time I鈥檓 out.

FP1-FP2聽felt good just learning the track since it was the first time on the bike here and had a little of at Druids but bike had basically no damage.

Qualifying聽was struggling for pace trying to get tow from someone then last lap finally got a tow and was up by a lot on my time but got red flagged at the final corner.

Race 1聽Started P38 due to my grid penalty from Snetterton but I chipped away in the race and brought it home for a P24.

We go again for Oulton Park鈥�

Hudson Cooper

Heading to Brands Hatch just a few weeks after Snetterton, I was feeling really positive. We made some good progress at the last round and I couldn’t wait to get back on the bike.

I’d only ever raced the Indy circuit before, so riding the full GP layout for the first time was an incredible experience. It’s such an iconic track and finally getting to complete a full lap was something I’ve looked forward to for a long time.

Free Practice

The first two practice sessions were all about learning the extra sections of the circuit and building confidence. Every time I went out I felt more comfortable, improved my personal best and started to understand where I could find more time. It definitely felt like we were moving in the right direction.

Qualifying

We made the most of every minute in qualifying, completing 14 laps. On my final lap, despite not having the ideal track position or a tow, I managed to set my fastest time of the weekend. Qualifying 12th and finishing just 1.5 seconds off pole position was something I was pleased with, especially around such a demanding circuit.

Race One

I made a solid start, although I got boxed in on the inside into Paddock Hill Bend. By the time we reached Druids I was up to eighth, but after the run through Cooper Straight I had slipped back to 11th as the pack shuffled around.

The race then settled into a brilliant battle with Thorley, Tyler and Aeziah. Unfortunately, on lap three I lost the front going into Druids. I managed to stop what could have been a big high-side, but I couldn’t save the bike. Sadly, Thorley was caught up in the incident and also crashed. Sorry Thorley.

Race Two

Starting from 14th on the grid, I made another good start and moved up to 13th early on. Unfortunately I just couldn’t quite stay with the group ahead, so it turned into a fairly lonely race.

After Thorley’s crash I focused on riding consistently, managing the gap behind and bringing the bike home safely. I crossed the line in 11th, collecting more valuable championship points and more importantly more experience.

Overall, there were plenty of positives to take away from the weekend. Every lap on the GP circuit helped me improve and I feel like we’re continuing to move forward with every round.

Next up is Silverstone alongside MotoGP. Racing on the world stage at one of the biggest events of the year is going to be an amazing experience and one I’m really looking forward to.

A huge thank you to everyone who came over to say hello throughout the weekend. Your support really does mean a lot.

鈥淎fter nearly two months, we were finally back on track at our local circuit of Snetterton.

鈥淎fter a successful Friday test, we set out Saturday morning to qualify. We qualified 9th out of 31 cars.”

鈥淎ll three races were really good, battling with far newer F3 cars in our class. Over the weekend, we managed 3^rd place twice and a 2^nd-place finish.

鈥淲e will now focus on Donington Park on August bank holiday weekend.鈥�

鈥淲hat a weekend at Snetterton! This was only my second time ever racing at the circuit, so to come away feeling this positive is a massive confidence boost. We managed to get the bike set up almost perfectly throughout the weekend, and I felt more comfortable every session. A huge thank you to 91传媒 for all of their support 鈥� it really does make a difference.”

鈥淥ne of the races was definitely a rollercoaster! I worked my way from 9th place all the way into the lead, opening up a gap of nearly a second. Unfortunately, I made a small mistake which dropped me back to 6th, and after that I struggled to find the same rhythm and pace again but still happy with the result finishing in 5th

鈥淓ven so, I鈥檓 leaving the weekend incredibly happy with the progress we鈥檝e made. It was one of those races where it genuinely could have been anyone鈥檚 to win, and that鈥檚 a great position to be in, We鈥檒l take all the positives, keep working hard, and come back even stronger.”

鈥淣ow it鈥檚 full focus on Brands Hatch 鈥� I can鈥檛 wait to get back out there!聽

鈥淎s always, a massive thank you to my team, sponsors, family and everyone who continues to support me. Your support means everything!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:

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