BSB: Brookes thrilled with third on opening day

Josh Brookes got off to an impressive start with the Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha team to place third on the opening day of action of the 2017 MCE British Superbike Championship at Donington Park.

The 2015 champion was on the pace in both of the day’s sessions as he turned his first dry laps on the YZF-R1 after wet weather blighted the team’s winter testing schedule. 

His early pace goes some way to answering questions regarding whether the TAG machine, which scored just three points last year with James Rispoli, would be able to run at the front with a top level rider. 

“It was a good day! I’d have been happy with a fifth, sixth or seventh!” Brookes told MCN. “You’ve got to expect that on a first day with a new team it’s not going to be perfect. Of course I’m familiar with the bike, but we’re two years on from then and things change quickly. To come away third in both sessions is a good result for everybody.”

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Brookes was even more thrilled with his performance in the second session after he was still able to record a quick lap despite taking a wrong direction with set-up.  

“We went the wrong way with the bike in the second session, made some changes that weren’t beneficial in any way! Normally you make it a bit better in one way but lose something elsewhere, but no this was completely the wrong direction so it was good to be able to adjust the bike with that setting to do the lap time I did. I went fast on two very different settings so we’re in a position where we should be able to find some middle ground for the rest of the weekend. We’ve found the boundaries of what works.”

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