MIE Racing Honda takes on the rain at Magny-Cours
The MIE Racing Honda team and rider Takumi Takahashi are at the Nevers Magny-Cours circuit in France for the seventh and penultimate round of the 2020 Superbike World Championship.
The action got underway this morning in wet conditions, the unstable weather looking likely to be a key factor this weekend. Takahashi was nevertheless straight out on track aboard his CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP machine, determined to get to grips with what is another new track for him. Working in a rain configuration with his technicians, the Japanese rider spent time learning the track layout, setting a fastest time of 1’57.525 on the very wet track which placed him twentieth at the session’s end.
Unfortunately weather conditions did not improve during the day and the afternoon’s second session proved to be another wet one, although the track was beginning to dry a little towards the end of the 45-minute phase. By the end of day one, Takahashi and the team had completed some constructive work and the rider was able to lower his time by more than three seconds to set a 1’54.144 and retain twentieth position overall.
Private: Takumi Takahashi 13
“To be honest, it’s not easy to ride for the first time at a completely new track in full wet conditions. I spent the day trying to learn the best lines and track references, while dealing with the tricky conditions and low temperatures. Towards the end of the day, I felt we’d made some small improvements though. I would have liked at least a few laps in the dry, but it is what it is and tomorrow we’ll work on set-up first in order to try and improve our grip.”
