Lessons from Europe for Triple M Honda World Superbike Team

The Triple M Honda World Superbike team finished the European rounds of what is a rookie season for both team and rider in the WorldSBK Championship with important lessons learned for the final two rounds of the year.

The challenges of the Magny-Cours circuit were new for the Triple M team and PJ Jacobsen, and after Friday practice, Jacobsen qualified 17th of 21 riders on the grid, after Superpole 1 on Saturday morning.

The opening race took place at 13.00, the Sunday race at the new normal of 15.15, with each lasting for 21-laps of the 4.411km circuit in the very heart of the French countryside.

Moving up to 15th position in race one, a position he held from lap three to lap six; PJ would eventually drop down one place to finish 16th, and just one position away from scoring a championship point.

The second race, held in only slightly warmer conditions, saw PJ ride behind his countryman Jake Gagne for a time, ending up 17th and again just missing a championship point.

After 11 of the 13 rounds, PJ sits 19th overall in the championship standings.

WorldSBK will hold the next round in Argentina for the very first time, at the all-new El Villicum circuit, between 12th and 14th October.

Courageous Camier clinches top-ten finish in Race 1 at Donington

Leon Camier battled through the pain barrier to score a sensational top-ten finish in WorldSBK Race 1 at Donington Park for the Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team, while Jake Gagne finished just outside the points in his Superbike debut at the demanding British circuit.

Starting from P13 on the grid for Race 1, Camier got a good start to make up a couple of positions and set a strong pace on his Fireblade. As the race went on, Camier settled into twelfth place while maintaining a good rhythm and despite being in considerable pain due to his injury, the Briton valiantly charged on and as the chequered flag was waved, crossed the finish line in tenth place.

Gagne also enjoyed some close racing in the pack and after starting the race from the seventh row on the grid, the American rookie was able to pick up positions throughout the race and at the finish line claimed sixteenth place just behind fellow Honda rider and compatriot PJ Jacobsen who took the final points-paying position.

The result sees Camier’s point tally for the season grow to 48 points and he remains in P11 in the championship, while Gagne sits eighteenth overall with seventeen points.

Credit: Honda Red Bull Team Media Team