This week was our ‘home’ race in Valencia. Last year he struggled here with this very imposing and technical circuit. Free training on Thursday went well, although difficult to see exactly as these 3 sessions are not timed so you cant see where you stand in the group. Friday was a different situation, with 2 timed sessions. First session Matts didnt have a great feeling on the bike and the team changed a couple of areas in the hope that it would resolve the problem. Second session showed after 8 laps that there was a significant problem with the bike and looking at the data showed a problem with the throttle. That was the end of riding on Friday, not the best way to go into qualifying on Saturday.
The team worked hard all evening to sort out the issues, they resolved the problems and by first qualifying the bike was ready. Saturday was very hot for both qualifying sessions, 26 in each group. Matts fastest time 1.44.9 put him in 18th but when the groups where combined he was just out of the top 30 that go forward directly to the Sunday races, which meant he the had to ride the last chance race with 20 others where the top 2 can also go forward to Sunday. He was 6th on the grid. By 16.00 it was 35 degrees and track temperature of 50. He had a good start in the race and gained one place coming into the first corner, after the first lap there was a lead group of 8 riders, Matts stayed with the group in p5 and rode a smart race, waiting just behind the others. With 1 lap to go he made passes on 2 riders and coming into the last corner of the last lap he could make his way to p2 as passed on the inside, coming across the line in p2 which qualified him for the Sunday! A real step in progress riding the fastest lap of the race.
Sunday was was even warmer, with the track temp at 56 degrees. Matts had a bad start in race one and that knocked his confidence, immediately loosing pace with the lead groups. A red flag meant a restart for a 5 lap race ,where he got a better start and came home in P24. Race 2 had a better start again to make up 2 places. He managed to stick with the 2nd group of riders but a long lap penalty for exceeding track limits caused him to loose more time, coming home in P25.
He has made a big step on this circuit which isn’t a favourite and he’s riding lap times of 3.5 seconds faster than last year.
In 2 weeks Matts will be at Barcelona circuit which is his favourite so he’s going into round 3 with a positive mindset!
Many thanks to:
Stirlings racing team
Arai
Hoffmann groep
Hendriks sporthorses
Elend sporthorses
Marc Boes
Bracket Official
Retropersoneelsdiensten
Gubbels Autobedrijf
Motor wrap
Stal Johan Heins