British Championship Round 1 - Brands Hatch March 2005

A much different world from what we are used too. Believe the hype! when you hear that this is the biggest domestic championship in the world. Super bike teams with budgets of a reputed 2 million pounds; two or three articulated lorries to transport them and their hospitality units (which are bigger than our house) around the 13 rounds; averaging 26,000 spectators at each round; Media coverage at the highest level; and there is Alex & his Barrus Malaguti team in the middle of it.

The event as you would expect is very well organised; immensely enjoyable and what a platform to promote almost anything. This years championship is shaping up to be the highest profile yet and the most hotly contested to date. With 55 quality entries for only 40 slots on the 125 grid it was by no means certain Alex would even be in the race.

Throughout practice and qualifying the BARRUS / MALAGUTI team struggled. Which being blunt was to be expected, lack of testing time, lack of some spare parts led to us arriving at Brands Hatch not yet ready to take on the best Britain has to offer.

It was the Malaguti Reparto Corso team of Alessandro and Daniele sent over from Italy to help that came to the rescue, from going through the speed trap in 38 th place at 114.5 mph in the first session to 122 mph in the race.

Free Testing

Alex is still not familiar with the 1.2 mile Brands Hatch “Indy” Circuit, so I would say the poor results in free testing were due partly to that and in the first session of the day crashing out while trying to avoid another rider, this time there was more damage to the bike than last time he crashed as it had slid along the track and crashed into the tyre barrier, again Alex was not hurt and as soon as the bike had been returned to us we immediately set about repairing it in readiness for the next session.

He finished the day with a 52.104 and in 12 th place in his group. The entry was so large for this event the organisers had to split the riders into two groups Alex was in group A, the B group this time was turning out to be the faster as Alex's time would only have been good enough for 20 th place. So at the end of day one; he was sitting in 32 nd place.

Qualifying

This was it Alex knew what he had to do if he wanted to be racing tomorrow, despite setting a faster time of 51.549 due to every one else upping the pace he could not improve on his previous placing of 12 th in group or 32 nd overall but due to the way the grid was decided it placed him on row 7 with only 26 riders in front of him.

Race Day

Although the forecast was for rain (Holiday Weekend!) to our delight it was glorious, by far the warmest day so far, the crowds were already queuing to get in to the track at 7am. An estimated 28,000 spectators would be watching Alex race (thought I better not to point that out to him; at least not until the race was over). Morning warm up was due to take place at 9.45 and at 9.05 Alessandro suggested we change a ratio in the gear box, change a gear box??? in only what must have been 20 min.

With a few unorthodox moves under the direction of Daniele we managed it with minutes to go before being called to the grid for the ten min. morning warm-up. However with Alex having to care for new parts in the engine, Alex could not tell if the change had made any difference.

We had plenty of time to check over every thing between Alex returning to our garage and the start of the race which had been brought forward to 12.30 due to the television schedule and accept we could do no more it was now up to Alex. From a good start he made his way slowly but surly through the pack as carnage ensued all around. 40 young riders all wanted to do well.

Through the race 13 riders dropped out due to crashes or engine problems, on lap 7 the safety car was deployed after a crash which slowed down proceedings for 5 laps but things got going again on lap 13, the race was stopped short on lap 21 after an incident on the strait involving two riders, so the positions stood and Alex had come home in 10 th place over all, a fantastic result when all things are considered.

Our thanks go out to Malaguti for allowing Alex to race such a fantastic bike, to Barrus and all his sponsors for their support and the two young girls who made Alex's day by asking him for his autograph!

We can always ask for a better results, this time when you consider Alex was top placed rider who had never raced on this track before, the preparation time we have had, and that his Malaguti finished as top non Honda in front of many well established high budget teams and very experienced riders, some of whom have won British championship rounds in the past.

It has boosted the teams' moral and we are all looking forward to the next round at Thruxton on the8/9/10 th April. Mean time Alex should be on track at either Anglesey or Croft next weekend.

The chronometry from the weekend www.msttiming.com/bsb/2005/51204125.pdf

Any questions talk to us on 0777 351 6366

Finishing order

K. Coghlan (Honda) 18:46.747; 
2. R. Guiver (Honda) +1.802; 
3. B. Clark (Honda) +2.226; 
4. C. Elkin (Honda) +2.467; 
5. B. Smith (Honda) +5.963; 
6. J. Webb (Honda) +6.533; 
7. D. Linfoot (Honda) +7.699; 
8. J. Morris (Honda) +7.829; 
9. A. Lowes (Honda) +8.316; 
10. A. Gault (Malaguti) +11.644

Pictures of the event available at www.brakingzone.com/BZ_shop.asp?event=KK&gallery=5