RACEWEEK - BSB Round 2 - Donington Park - Results

Donington Park Wet Weather Test Proves Team Performance Under Pressure

Donington Park rarely lets a race weekend pass without adding its own twist, and Round 2 was no exception. Rain arrived, cleared, came back again, then gave way to brief spells of sunshine. The result was a weekend where every session demanded a fresh read of the circuit, the bike, and the rider’s confidence.

For the team, this was more than another round on the calendar. It was the first serious wet weather test for our bikes in competitive conditions. That made Donington a valuable measure of how our exhaust systems and performance setup respond when grip is low, track temperature shifts, and every corner asks for restraint as much as speed.

The results told a positive story. Our Superstock riders adapted well, found pace in tough conditions, and brought home data that will help shape the next steps. The Sportbike riders also faced changing track conditions across qualifying and race sessions, gaining important experience across the weekend.

Donington Park turned the weather into part of the challenge

Wet weather does not simply make a circuit slower. It changes almost everything a rider feels through the bike.

At Donington Park, that challenge is amplified by the nature of the circuit. The flowing sections reward commitment, but the braking zones and changes in elevation punish any overconfidence. In the dry, riders can lean on familiar reference points and build rhythm across a session. In the wet, those same markers can shift in value from lap to lap.

The weekend brought exactly that kind of uncertainty. Rain affected qualifying. Sunshine appeared long enough to alter the surface. Then more rain returned, resetting the task once again. Finding pace meant paying attention to tiny changes, such as where standing water remained, how quickly the racing line dried, and how the tyres responded once the track moved from fully wet to mixed conditions.

For engineers and riders, this type of weekend creates pressure, but it also creates useful evidence. Dry running can show outright pace. Wet running shows balance, control, and how predictable the bike feels when the rider has less margin.

That predictability matters. A rider needs to know how the bike will react as throttle inputs become more delicate and braking points become more sensitive. In these conditions, a stable setup gives the rider confidence. It allows them to focus on reading the surface rather than fighting the machine.

This was the value of Donington Round 2. The weekend gave the team a clear look at performance under conditions that cannot be fully repeated in testing. Rain, traffic, pressure, and changing sessions combine in a way that only a race weekend can provide.

Superstock Results

Blaze Baker – Qualifying: 10th | Race Result: 7th

Max Lofthouse – Qualifying: 21st | Race Result: 20th

Gavin Watts – Qualifying: 25th | Race Result: 21st

The Superstock group produced the standout story of the weekend. With weather shifting and the track offering little certainty, Blaze Baker, Max Lofthouse, and Gavin Watts all had to adapt quickly.

Blaze Baker’s weekend was especially strong. Qualifying 10th put him in a solid position, but moving forward to 7th in the race showed both pace and race control. In wet or mixed conditions, making progress is rarely simple. Overtakes carry more risk, visibility can suffer, and the safest line is not always the fastest one.

A 7th-place finish in that context reflects a composed ride. It also speaks well of the bike beneath him. When a rider can push forward in poor conditions, it suggests the package is giving enough feedback to judge grip and manage risk.

Max Lofthouse also made progress, going from 21st in qualifying to 20th in the race. On paper, that may look like a small step. In practice, holding position and moving forward during a wet weekend takes discipline. The field is dealing with the same changing surface, and mistakes can appear quickly when grip drops.

Gavin Watts gained four places from qualifying to the race, moving from 25th to 21st. That type of improvement matters because it shows adaptation across the weekend. Wet racing rewards riders who build confidence gradually and make better decisions as conditions evolve.

Taken together, the Superstock results gave the team a strong reason to be encouraged. All three riders brought back valuable race information. They also showed that the bikes could perform in difficult conditions while maintaining the feel riders need to keep pushing.

Sportbike Results

Josh Froggatt – Qualifying: 25th | Race 1: 26th | Race 2: DNF

Aaron Robinson – Qualifying: 26th | Race 1: 25th | Race 2: 23rd

Luca Allen – Qualifying: 22nd | Race 1: 18th | Race 2: 18th

The Sportbike riders faced the same unpredictable weather and had to manage it across qualifying and two race sessions. Josh Froggatt, Aaron Robinson, and Luca Allen each gathered valuable experience in conditions that demanded patience and precision.

Luca Allen delivered the strongest Sportbike results for the team. After qualifying 22nd, he moved forward to 18th in Race 1 and matched that result in Race 2. Holding that level across both races showed consistency, which is especially valuable when track conditions are unsettled.

A repeat 18th-place finish suggests Luca found a working rhythm and maintained it. In wet racing, consistency can be more useful than chasing a single quick lap. It means the rider understands the grip level, trusts the bike, and can manage changing conditions without overreaching.

Aaron Robinson also made clear progress through the weekend. Starting from 26th in qualifying, he finished 25th in Race 1 and improved to 23rd in Race 2. That movement showed useful adaptation from session to session. As the team gathered more information and the rider gained feel, the results moved in the right direction.

Josh Froggatt’s weekend was more difficult. After qualifying 25th, he finished 26th in Race 1 before recording a DNF in Race 2. Wet weekends can be unforgiving, and not every session returns the result the rider or team wants. Even so, challenging rounds still provide important information. The team can learn from what worked, what felt less settled, and where the package needs closer attention.

The Sportbike results added a different kind of value to the weekend. While the Superstock performances brought strong race outcomes, the Sportbike sessions gave the team a wider view across different riders, races, and points of the weekend.

That matters because development relies on patterns. One session can be affected by traffic, timing, or a sudden change in weather. Several sessions across multiple riders give a clearer picture. Donington helped build that picture.

Looking ahead with stronger data and more confidence

Donington Round 2 gave the team exactly what a hard weekend should give: pressure, answers, and a clear direction for improvement.

The weather made every session more complicated, but it also made the learning more valuable. Rain, short dry spells, and returning showers created the kind of test that reveals how well a race package works beyond ideal conditions.

The Superstock riders left the strongest mark, led by Blaze Baker’s move from 10th in qualifying to 7th in the race. Max Lofthouse and Gavin Watts also moved forward, adding to a positive team picture in a demanding class. In Sportbike, Luca Allen’s pair of 18th-place finishes stood out, while Aaron Robinson showed progress across the races and Josh Froggatt’s weekend added further data for review.

The wider takeaway is simple. Preparation matters, but adaptability wins difficult weekends. Quality engineering has to stand up when the circuit is wet, grip is uncertain, and riders need to trust every response from the bike.

Donington Park supplied the challenge. The team came away with competitive performances, honest lessons, and the confidence that the package can handle pressure when the weather turns against the plan.

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