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Alex Gault 2007 - European STK600 Championship - August - Background Report.......................Back To Index
August 2007
What a cracking weekend, OK we were disappointed with the results, we had aimed for top ten……..which was asking a lot but still do think it was attainable.
Where we messed up? We were not prepared, I tried my best.
MY best was not good enough! Alex played a blinder and rode like a star!
Before we went to this meeting the suspension was serviced and some modification had been made to it so despite having been to Brands a few weeks before we went with no real suspension settings……….as it happened we never got the chance to use our suspension.
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Alex in free practice, saving the bike from a crash at “Druids”.
He managed to miss the tyre wall and rejoin the circuit to post the 17th fastest time.
This picture is from Wull & Gillian photography - Wull took the photo - Gill let him buy the camera!
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Although Alex was racing under the Mist Suzuki Banner we had enlisted the help of the “Cruciani Moto Suzuki Italia” Team who are friends with our good friend Carlo B.
After Alex’s first session on track they looked at our suspension and said it was no good. Now I do not believe the WP suspension we use is not good, I think they were happier working with the suspension they knew. No problem; I had complete faith in their abilities and their intent to help Alex.
This was evident when Alex made it on to provisional 14th position on the grid for the race in first qualifying. Unfortunately we changed the forks for second qualifying, this completely changed the bike and Alex could not improve on his time, every other rider on the grid put in a faster time in second qualifying demoting Alex back to 24th for the start of the race.
That was very disappointing as from 14th you could see him getting into top ten, Not from a starting position of 24th.
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Alex alongside Italian Danni Rossi # 43 and the Czechoslovakian “Jezek”.
I was proud of Alex having such a good race with and beating Rossi in both races, Danni and Alex practiced together on minimoto’s back in 2001 in Italy.
Danni is a few years older than Alex and kicked Alex’ arse back then, so at least I can see an improvement in Alex’ riding. I know it was further down the field but the three, (four if you include “Vostarek” not in this picture) had a very exciting race together.
Alex won the battle In both, which was a very mature accomplishment under such pressure.
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This was a good experience for Alex the whole weekend was very testing for him and I guess every one around him!
It is the Bloody European Championships after all; it brings it all into perspective when you look around the grid. Every bike has four maybe five helpers………our Alex has ME.
I think that will be us finished at that level until we are ready to go back and have a better chance of doing better, it is far too expensive to be making up numbers. Even if we say we learned loads? I can’t afford lessons with such a high cost! Alex did very well this was only his second race at this level and made a massive jump to finish 14th.
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Being interviewed on the grid by Michael Hill for “Super Bike News”.
Michael remembered Alex from 2005 when they both raced in the 125GP British Championship, Michael was badly injured in a 125GP crash earlier this year is staring to make a full recovery and it is good to see him back at work.
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We have to remember Alex was the youngest competitor in the championship and probably the most under funded, he took the place of an absent rider and we were working with people strange to us.
OK he was on his own bike and I was his mechanic, the problems can from lack of preparation, if he had been on his own suspension I know he might have went better, if he had more time with the suspension he used, he would have gone better.
It was a good learning experience for both of us.
Unfortunately I am what they call Slow but Sure!
Slow to learn............Sure to forget!
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30 “Savery” Switzerland Yamaha R6 - 72 “Gault” GB Suzuki GSXR - 22 “Poma” Italy Yamaha R6
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We did have a good weekend and Alex got, considering the circumstances good results.
Oh and James Toseland got the Double win in Super Bikes.
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