Honda Racing’s Dan Linfoot overcame struggles with the front end feel of his Fireblade and set his fastest ever lap around the circuit, in the third MCE British Superbike qualifying session at Cadwell Park.
But the Yorkshireman very nearly did not make it through to Q3 after clipping his engine case at the bottom of the mountain and losing the front end and crashing, with just one minute to go in Q2.
His factory Honda team were up against the clock to repair the bike, and it was mission accomplished for them as Linfoot was able to make it back out on to the Lincolnshire circuit to complete a handful of laps.
A 1’26.677 means that he starts race one from ninth and on the third row, but after struggling with the front end of his bike during yesterday’s free practice sessions he’s now content with his pace and his quickest lap time to date at the track.
“I clipped my engine case on the curb on the bottom of the mountain and I think I turned in a bit earlier and with the lean angle the engine case wacked the curb and lost the front,” said Linfoot, speaking to bikesportnews.com from the track.
“I was a bit miffed because I had already done my best laps and I was riding around and understanding a bit more and improving a few things. When I crashed my only focus was to get the bike back to the pits as I was ninth at the time to get it back to Q3.
“I am never happy to be last in Q3 it is not ideal. Considering how bad the weekend’s been up to now I am happy with the lap time I made and to be in Q3. We were on the zero tyres and we have not had anything else in the bike just zeros for us. To do a 26.6 is my best ever lap around here. It feels crazily fast but those guys 25.9 and Shakey 26.1 - there is still a bit more to be in with those.
“I am happy enough I am on the third row and the races are long and I don’t think it will be at that pace. We have been struggling with feeling with the front and this track requires such a good feeling at the front end that I didn’t have that yesterday.
“We made some changes for that in qualifying and also I feel I perform better when the pressure is on when you are qualifying rather than practice anyway. I want two strong races in the top five and top six and two strong points, and get to Oulton and try to nail a Showdown spot.”
