British Superbikes, Navarra - Kent “in the mix up until the last lap”

Danny Kent continued his strong opening round by going one better in race two at Navarra in Spain, with a win still just eluding the Yamaha rider.

Lisa Lewis

21 Apr 2024

Danny Kent, BSB, 2024, Navarra, Podium
© Ian Hopgood Photography

Though Danny Kent does not find himself at the main Yamaha team in 2024, the OMG duo are regarded as the ‘factory’ outfit, the former Moto3 champion has jelled with his new home at Mar-Train Yamaha - who have picked up the McAMS sponsorship - and has the ability to make his machine work in the places the OMG bike doesn’t leading to Yamaha dominance at the opening round and very little to choose between the lead trio.

The Circuito de Navarra has served Kent well, with the #52 enjoying the best weekend of his British Superbike career to date, building on his third in race one and working on where he thought he could fine the bike and his performance to do just that and go one better with second in race two.

Ryan Vickers and Danny Kent, BSB, 2024, Navarra,
© Ian Hopgood Photography

Kent felt he had the pace to win and came into the first races of the season quietly confident:

“I was confident coming into the race weekend just because of the plan me and the team stuck by and how comfortable I felt during testing to do the lap times and pace on used tyres.

Kent agreed with Kyle Ryde that he felt the weather had played it’s part in how the day panned out, but praised the team and mechanics for doing their best to minimise the effect and allow him to still be competitive, adding:

“Like Kyle said really, the hotter temperatures caught us off guard a little bit. I think all of us just because … normally our pace was a little bit faster than today … but the change from race one to two , the team made a great job as you can see, we were able to be in the mix up until the last lap”.

Kent had identified in race one that he was struggling in the corners, with the hairpin-style bend singled out and felt that working on that part of the bike had helped him to finish higher in race two - while continuing to praise the McAMS Yamaha for running so well over the opening weekend:

“I was really struggling with the last corner, getting my drive onto the main straight. I was really struggling - but with the rest of the track I felt really good”.

Kent will be back in action on more familiar turf at Oulton Park for round two of the British Superbike championship on the May bank holiday weekend.