The team were finally back on the track today for the last official BSB test before the start of the new season, after the gruelling postponement of the season due to COVID-19.
It would have felt like a dream come true for riders Joe Francis and Dan Jones as they enjoyed four sessions under warm and dry conditions at the Donington Park National circuit.
Jones grew into the test day, with his best performance coming in the second session. The #44 rider finished twentieth overall and fifth in the GP2 class. His fastest lap of the day came in the fourth and final session posting a 1:10.9, slashing a full 4 seconds off his time from session 1.
When asked how it felt to be back racing, the Welshman said: “It was great to be back on the track after a long while and blow off those inevitable cobwebs. I grew in confidence and felt a lot sharper as the day went on and I am buzzing to get the season underway.”
This will leave the GP2 rider optimistic going into the start of the season.
Bennetts British Superbike rider, Francis, came back to the track as if he never left. He showed great consistency over the four sessions and even set a new personal best of 1:06.8 for a single lap at Donington Park.
Francis added: “It was great to be riding again today, I underestimated how much I missed the atmosphere in and around the track. It is always nice to set a new personal best, but my sole focus is on the season ahead getting the BMW as close to the front as possible.”
The team are full of optimism after today’s test and are looking forward to kicking of the season back at Donington Park on the seventh of August.
Photographs by Dave Yeomans Photography.
