Fresh Motors38Crossing the start line the team gestures that it’s my final lap. The moment’s coming to an end all too soon, prompting me to try my hardest on the last circuit. I’m no longer surprised by the firm feel, eagerness to lean or unprecedented amount of oomph. Not even the brakes can catch me out as I give them one last, hard squeeze at the end of the back straight. This machine is something else, and has twice the potential of what I’m drawing from it. The fact Vincent’s still tailing me reiterates the fact, but he is a 10-times World Champion. The final few corners feel the best yet, leading me all too soon toward the long run up pit-lane. The limiter’s on, the bike’s in one piece and I’ve just ticked a box I thought would never get ticked. I’m peaking as I get off the bike; the relief from the team that their precious Suzuki’s still in one piece is beyond blatant. I want to go again, but there’s no chance of that as the technicians start removing the fairing and fiddling with data feeds. It’s game over, but what a great game it was to play. My heart seems to be beating flat-out and my arms ache. How these guys can stomach 24-hours in the saddle is anyone’s guess, but it goes to highlight how much respect endurance racers deserve. Vincent comes over and gestures for my approval. The language barrier doesn’t hide a thing; I’m ecstatic. It’s over as quick as it began, the team getting back to business and discussing strategies and making more changes to the Suzuki. They’ve got less than a month to prepare for round two of the 2017 WEC championships, but there’s an air of confidence in the 10-man team. Their work is already done. I’ve just tasted it. Was it all I hoped it to be? That and more; quite possibly the best three laps of my life. For all four rounds of the World Endurance Championship, the SERT team builds a fresh engine. Each gets tested on a dyno before being run-in by the team’s riders on a track. To guarantee the best durability and performance, the process is extremely methodical and requires set revs for a set number of laps. ANTHONY DELHALLE AT THE 2016 BOL D’OR.
元のページ ../index.html#39