This weekend was the 2nd round of the Suzuki GSXR European Cup at World Superbikes, Monza, Italy. What an amazing place. But Rob was new he had his work cut-out here as Fabrizio Pirovano ex-world champion was going to be a wild card at his home track. But still rob was best of British.
Friday Practice day was dull and it looked like it might rain which it did just before The GSXR cup first qualifying. So Rob’s first taste of Monza was a wet one. What made it even hard was Rob hadn’t been on a wet track since Knockhill BSB 2004. He was OK though he slowly got faster and faster ending up 15th at the end of the session. A little worried about it being dry the next day Rob sought the advice of last years World Superbike Champion James Toseland about how to get a fast lap at Monza in the dry. James sat down with Rob and spent 40min going through every bump and mark on the circuit. Rob commented “James was fantastic and really was massive help”.
Saturday was a different story it was lovely sunshine so the times from Friday wouldn’t be any use. Just before the GSXR Cup was due to go out the Jnr Superstock race got red flagged and scheduled to re-run. The Organisers cut the Cup practise down from 40 mins to 30 mins which gave Rob at most 12 laps to learn a dry Monza. He went out with the same in mind to just take it easy and build up which is what he did doing his quickest lap on the 2nd to last lap putting him 14th on the grid for the race and the highest placed brit. On this lap Pirovano slip streamed Rob down the back straight and passed him just as they where about to hit the brake. Rob had at one point thought he was going to run into Piro and knock him off and he had visions of the marshals beating him up in the gravelas Piro is loved in Italy. But he managed to stop and then follow Piro around the Paraboloca the infamous last turn and pick some good tips up.
Sunday the circuit was absolutely pack with fans, and was a really hot day. The race was at 14:00 the hottest time of day. They all set off to go out on track but for some reason the organisers stopped all the riders at the end of pit lane and no one were aloud too go to them. Rob was really suffering with sun beating down on his neck. They held them for 20 mins in 30oC heat. When they eventually got out to the grid he was really in some discomfort. Phil, his dad shaded his neck with his hat to try and give rob some comfort but it was to late Rob already had mild sun stroke we later found out. But Rob still raced getting a bad start Rob Settled into the race and got involved in a race long battle with team mate Magnus Houston. They held each other up and Rob struggled to slip steam due to his broad shoulder, He passed Magnus on the last lap at the last corner to take 12th in the race and 10th place points due to 2 wild cards finishing in front of him. Rob was a little disappointed with his pace as he felt he had lot more in the second qualifying but with heat it wasn’t to bad. After the race Rob went back to the hotel room and lay for 2 hours with a wet towel on his head to try and combat his sun stroke.
Rob will be practicing back home before the next round at Silverstone on the 28th May where he hopes to be on form.
Related Linkswww.gsxr-cup.com
