Mixed conditions make for a steady start for Camier and Gagne at Donington

May 25, 2018 Michael Le Pard News Comments Off on Mixed conditions make for a steady start for Camier and Gagne at Donington

Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team riders Leon Camier and Jake Gagne made a measured start to proceedings at Donington Park, the pair finishing in thirteenth and nineteenth places respectively on combined times in Friday practice at the British round of the WorldSBK championship.

Heavy rain and strong winds lashed the Donington Park circuit throughout the day creating challenging conditions, particularly for the opening Free Practice 1 session, before the rain abated allowing dry running with slick tyres in the final session of the day, Free Practice 3.

In the two wet sessions today Camier consistently ran in the top five despite still not having fully recovered from injury, while Gagne also got up to speed in the tricky conditions on the CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2.

However, the dry track surface in Free Practice 3 brought with it an increase in competitiveness within the 25-rider field, with less than a second separating P3 to P13 as the chequered flag was waved. Camier ultimately finished the day thirteenth fastest with a best time of 1’29.417 to be just 1.414 seconds off the top of the timesheets, while Gagne was a further nine tenths adrift – his best time of 1’30.377 seeing him end the day in P19.

Courtesy of their Free Practice results today, both Camier and Gagne will qualify through Superpole 1 at 1045 local time (GMT +1) tomorrow, with Race 1 scheduled to commence at 1315.

Leon Camier

Leon Camier 2

It was good to get some track time today in both wet and dry conditions, we were able to make use of the time to continue refining our electronic and chassis settings on the Fireblade. The wet conditions were easier on my body which meant I could run towards the top of the times, but in the dry due to my physical condition I’m still missing that last little bit to make me as competitive as I’d like. Overall, I’m feeling much better than I was at Imola and was able to do quite a few laps today, however we’re still taking it session by session so we’ll see how we get on tomorrow.

Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team

Jake Gagne

Jake Gagne 45

The wet weather in FP1 and FP2 this morning was good to get me into the flow around this circuit and we found a nice setting with the bike so if we get more rain over the weekend we’re in a good place. This afternoon we had a quick forty minute run in the dry which was my first opportunity to try the track on the Fireblade in the dry and through the session I could learn a lot, although it was a bit tricky with some wet spots offline. All in all it was a productive day and if it’s wet or dry we have a good direction to go with on the bike so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team

Kervin Bos

Kervin Bos

Team Manager

It was a challenging first day today with the changeable weather conditions, we had a lot of sun yesterday but today the wind and rain arrived. The rain at least made it easier for Leon to ease into the weekend with less physical stress on his body and his times were very competitive in the wet. However, we could see in the dry final session that he couldn’t push as hard as he would’ve liked, but he has come on quite well from Imola and the goal is still to race, but as before we will continue to monitor his condition. Jake make good use of his time today and got a positive feeling in both the wet and dry conditions and he and his crew have ideas on where he can improve tomorrow. So overall it was a steady start for the team at Donington, but we have a good direction to head in ahead of Race 1 tomorrow.

Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team

UK Round

Donington Park, United Kingdom

WorldSBK 2018, Round 6

  • PRACTICE
  • STANDINGS

Wet / Dry / 13

Friday 25 May 2018, 18:05 UTC
  • Air Temp: 13°C
  • Humidity: 94%
  • Ground Temp: 16°C

# Rider Num Nationality Nat. Team Constructor Constr. Time/Gap
1 Jonathan Rea 65 GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki 1’28.003
2 Tom Sykes 66 GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki +0.204
3 Lorenzo Savadori 32 ITA Milwaukee Aprilia Aprilia +0.537
4 Alex Lowes 22 GBR Pata Yamaha Yamaha +0.564
5 Eugene Laverty 50 GBR Milwaukee Aprilia Aprilia +0.647
6 Michael van der Mark 60 NDL Pata Yamaha Yamaha +0.765
7 Leon Haslam 91 GBR Puccetti Racing Kawasaki +0.838
8 Loris Baz 76 FRA Althea BMW Racing Team BMW +1.239
9 Bradley Ray 28 GBR Buildbase Suzuki Suzuki +1.254
10 Marco Melandri 33 ITA Aruba.it Racing Ducati +1.272
11 Luke Mossey GBR Team Pedercini Kawasaki +1.276
12 Toprak Razgatlioglu 54 TUR Grillini Racing Team Kawasaki +1.314
13 Leon Camier 2 GBR Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team Honda +1.414
14 Niccolò Canepa 94 ITA Pata Yamaha Yamaha +1.613
15 Leandro Mercado 36 ARG IodaRacing Team Aprilia +1.705
16 Chaz Davies 7 GBR Aruba.it Racing Ducati +1.716
17 PJ Jacobsen 99 USA Triple M Honda World Superbike Team Honda +2.084
18 Mason Law 55 GBR WD40 Kawasaki Kawasaki +2.274
19 Jake Gagne 45 USA Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team Honda +2.374
20 Román Ramos 40 SPA Team Go Eleven Kawasaki +2.457
21 Gino Rea 44 GBR OMG Racing Suzuki Suzuki +2.644
22 Ondrej Jezek 37 CZE Grillini Racing Team Kawasaki +2.866
23 Xavi Fores 12 SPA BARNI Racing Team Ducati +2.922
24 Michael Rinaldi ITA Aruba.it Racing Ducati +3.555
25 Jordi Torres 81 SPA MV Agusta Reparto Corse MV Agusta +14.349

Rider Standings
Sunday, 13 May 2018 – Open world standings grid
# Rider Num Nationality Nat. Points Pts. Team Constructor Constr.
1 Jonathan REA 65 GBR 209 Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki
2 Chaz DAVIES 7 GBR 162 Aruba.it Racing Ducati
3 Tom SYKES 66 GBR 137 Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki
4 Marco MELANDRI 33 ITA 131 Aruba.it Racing Ducati
5 Xavi FORES 12 SPA 124 BARNI Racing Team Ducati
6 Michael VAN DER MARK 60 NDL 113 Pata Yamaha Yamaha
7 Alex LOWES 22 GBR 92 Pata Yamaha Yamaha
8 Toprak RAZGATLIOGLU 54 TUR 58 Grillini Racing Team Kawasaki
9 Jordi TORRES 81 SPA 52 MV Agusta Reparto Corse MV Agusta
10 Loris BAZ 76 FRA 52 Althea BMW Racing Team BMW
11 Leon CAMIER 2 GBR 42 Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team Honda
12 Michael RINALDI ITA 39 Aruba.it Racing Ducati
13 Lorenzo SAVADORI 32 ITA 33 Milwaukee Aprilia Aprilia
14 Román RAMOS 40 SPA 32 Team Go Eleven Kawasaki
15 Leandro MERCADO 36 ARG 31 IodaRacing Team Aprilia
16 Eugene LAVERTY 50 GBR 27 Milwaukee Aprilia Aprilia
17 PJ JACOBSEN 99 USA 17 Triple M Honda World Superbike Team Honda
18 Jake GAGNE 45 USA 17 Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team Honda
19 Davide GIUGLIANO 34 ITA 11 Milwaukee Aprilia Aprilia
20 Yonny HERNANDEZ 68 COL 10 Team Pedercini Kawasaki
21 Leon HASLAM 91 GBR 7 Puccetti Racing Kawasaki
22 Ondrej JEZEK 37 CZE 3 Grillini Racing Team Kawasaki

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