ePayMe Yamaha’s stand-in rider, Howie Mainwaring admitted that he would like to stay on the R1 when his time at the team comes to an end. The Aylesford native is deputising for Broc Parkes in Tommy Hill’s team, as the Australian is currently on World Endurance duty.
Mainwaring has been learning a lot about the Yamaha and has been developing the bike in Parkes’ absence and has fallen in love with the machine.
He qualified 23rd for the opening race tomorrow but felt that the result did not show the potential of all the hard work that the crew have put in this weekend. It has definitely been a learning curve for the rather tall rider and Hill’s team have been adapting the electronics of the R1 to suit him.
“It is a massive opportunity for me this weekend and Tommy and ePayMe have let me come on board this weekend because Broc is doing the World Endurance. Honestly, I absolutely love the bike, just wished I had a little bit more time on it,” said Mainwaring, speaking to bikesportnews.com at the track.
“I think we have done quite a lot of work here and it’s not really shown in my result today. But I am really enjoying riding the bike and we can only get quicker on it.
“This is probably one of the most difficult tracks for not to be riding for a month, jump on a bike you have never rode before and try and mix it with the boys, and you only have to look at the championship this year as it is so competitive and if you are 1.1 off you are way back.
“It is a big learning curve this weekend we have learnt quite a lot. The chassis is good on the bike and all we have been doing mainly is working with the electronics just to adapt it to me and the bike is really good and more will come from me.
“I would like to stay on a Yamaha now, and carry on. I don’t think it will be with Tommy’s team unless Broc decides he can’t do it. Broc is good on one of them as well and he is a good friend as well and I hope my feedback helps the guys move on with it.”
