Learning curve for Garcia after points-scoring debut: a ‘satisfying’ Race 1 to ‘more difficult’ Race 2
Honda HRC had a new rider on their machine in France, and the Spaniard was immediately able to score points
Sergio Garcia (Honda HRC) made a points-scoring debut in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship during the French Round, finishing Race 1 in 11th and Race 2 in 15th place. The Spanish rider, who’d only been on the Honda CBR1000RR-R machine at Aragon for a test a couple of weeks prior, put in some impressive performances as he got up to speed at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours.
After taking 19th place in the Tissot Superpole session, the #10 looked to make up ground when the lights went out for Race 1 and he took advantage of a chaotic opening lap to climb the order. He ended Lap 1 in 15th place before passing Michael Rinaldi (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) on Lap 3 before he gained two places across Laps 6 and 7, putting him into 12th place. He remained there until the final handful of laps when he was promoted to 11th after Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) crashed. That meant Garcia gained eight places compared to his starting position, scoring five points.
Reflecting on his first race in WorldSBK, the Spaniard said: “All things considered, I think that today wasn’t too bad. My start was okay and the first half of the race was solid. Over the final laps I struggled a bit due to my lack of WorldSBK experience, especially in terms of tyre management and riding style, where I still have room to improve, in braking for example. I started to make some small mistakes that cost me a little pace. But as I said, taking into account that this was my first race at this track, which is also a very demanding one, I think I can be satisfied. Now, with some laps under my belt, I’m starting to ride the bike more smoothly and with better flow, though of course there are still many areas where I need to improve. I want to thank the team because they are working really well, and tomorrow we have two more opportunities, so let’s keep working and stay focused.”
The Sunday at Magny-Cours was trickier for the debutant, as he dropped to last at the end of the opening lap of the Tissot Superpole Race. However, the 22-year-old was able to climb back up into P16; taking advantage of a few retirements but also making passes on track. He started from 19th again in Race 2 and, while he lost one place on the opening lap, he climbed his way into the points by Lap 19 of 21 as he finished in 15th place to claim the last points-paying position of the weekend. In Race 2, he finished around 14 seconds behind teammate Xavi Vierge who claimed P7.
Despite finishing four places lower than in Race 1, Garcia was happy with his two races on the final day of action in France. He said: “I came into contact with another rider at Turn 2 of the opening lap in the Superpole Race, ran through the gravel, and found myself in last place, far from the rest of the field. But my pace was quite good, and I felt stronger in that race than in any other session. The bike worked well, and I was able to recover positions, so I think that without the contact I could have finished closer to the top ten. Race 2 was more difficult – the temperature rose a little and the feeling with the bike wasn’t as good as in the morning. So, I just focused on keeping my rhythm, made a few passes, and again finished inside the points. I’m happy with that, just as I am with my weekend in general, and the fact I was able to learn such a challenging track quite quickly.”
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